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#1 ·
The beginning.

Friendship shrine
The beginning.

This is a story and project, that has been on it's way, for a long, long time.
Some of the materials arrived in my workshop, for more than ten years ago, the build started in 2016 and had several holds on it's way, for many reasons.

It's a project that emerged out of friendships, that I made on LJ, some that grew over the years, some that vanished and some of them went into personal friendships, one even to a brother, with a different mother.

So a project that came out of care, respect and love, but got it's own will and to the form of pure joy, distress, frustration, gratitude and love.

At the end of the day, it's just a box, yes, just a simple box, but with a lot of stories growing deep within it and this is what I will try to tell about, as well as a little bit about how it was made.

Let's get started.

The background:
Over the years a lot of LJ friends, has send or given me little packs, some with tools, but for this story, most importantly with pieces of wood, from all over the planet and a lot of these pieces had just been collecting dust, as I had no idea, how to use them, others are long gone into projects.
So back in 2016 I decided to see if I could figure out a project, that could have all these pieces of wood incorporated and this is what gave birth to this project.

The project:
I decided it had to be a personal thing for me, as it would hold this wood, that were given to me from others with love. After some weeks of thinking I decided that a man's shrine (valet), would be such a thing and that the word shrine, would have a sacred feel to it.
Next up were a wee time at the sketch block and the drawing table and the idea were born.

Let's take of from here:


We are back in 2016, where I were starting to put up some of all the wood, to see where the individual pieces could be used.
Here some spaletd wood from Scotland, that my dear friend and brother with different mother Jamie, have spalted him self and gave me, when I were up visiting him in Scotland, I don't remember the spieces.


Here next to mahogany, from old Scottish library shelf's, that he gave me as well. Thanks Jamie.


As you can see, I put the pieces on the left corner of the workbench.


Ran them through the thicknesser, to expose the inside beauty.


And yes amazing stuff came out.


Here the first sketch, not a fixed project, just an idea and a direction to go.
A shrine, inspired by old Japanese and Chinese boxes and with joints made as old Japanese boxes, just as I did, when I made the shrine for my daughter and yes that project were also in my mind, as it could make a beautiful connection to her and this shrine, will become hers one day. Thank you Mathilde.
The basic idea is a box, where I can put my personal stuff, things I have a special connection to, watch, cufflinks… and perhaps even look in the mirror and remind my self of who I am, from time to time.


Jointing the first pieces, so there's a straight edge to start from.


Making the first saw cuts, for the basic box, to get started and lock in on something specific.


This was where this wonderful picture were taken, MaFe in his workshop, deeply focused on the shrine.
(Now it is often found on the web, with the text: 'an amazing workshop, somewhere in Italy'. The truth is, that it's my little workshop in Copenhagen, Denmark - big warm laugh).


The photo were taken by this wonderful lady Camilla, who asked me if she could take pictures of me, for an exhibition of pictures of hers, with men and their workshops, hands and working situations. A lovely exhibition, with a lot of intense pictures captured by her. Thank you Camilla.


While she were there I cut the first finger joints.


Then transferred to to matching pieces.


Sawn by hand, with Japanese saw, as it's a Japanese technique I'll use.


First fingers shaking hands.


Like this the basic box were born and I could go from there, with the measures.


Mahogany from the Scottish library shelf's were lined up, to make a lid and bottom.
Also some ship mahogany, from a longe gone LJ member Napoleon, that were a good friend for a while, even in real life and then vanished. Thank you anyway Napoleon.


Sides planed, for perfect fit.


Carpenters white glue.


Clamped up to dry.


Run through the planer again, into final thickness.


A few test cuts and then rabbets for the bottom, could be cut into the box sides, on the table saw.


The lid were just cut to fit inside the box.


The bottom a wee bigger.


So it could get lips, to fit in the rabbets.


The matching pair.


Like this we now had a box, basic, but a box.


The lips were trimmed with one of my self made shoulder planes, one more thing that came out of my LJ time and friendship.
After this the project came to a stop, I had too many other things to do, life love, daughter, projects and much more, but most of all I realized, that I could not put all the wood gifts and all the persons that I wanted into the shrine, without making it a mess, so it just ended up on the left side of my workbench, as a frustration and I felt I lost in a way.


In 2018 I turned fifty and after that some quiet came back, so I think this was in 2019, where it was time to sit down with a good whiskey, that my friend Ty gave me for my birthday and make a real drawing of where the project should go from there.
To make it realistic and buildable, also made a few design changes, that would make it more simple and more me.
Thank you Ty, for that lovely whiskey.


All the wood pieces were put up on the table and a realistic judgement made, both out of design and what was possible and I felt I made a compromise I could live with, but had to give up on wood from a few LJ's, to you I send this thank you and you are still in there, as you have been a part of the process and in my mind as I build it.


Wood made into right thickness as I now knew what I wanted to build.


Jazz and good tobacco.


Wood pieces in right thickness and all labeled up.


The new design includes a hidden drawer, so if you read this you will have to eat poison…
A drawer behind the drawers.


My favourite tobacco.


Here you can see the new design.
A box, with a loose flip lid, four drawers that fit within, mirror and a shelf.
Less is more and more is hidden inside…
This was where I got my allotment, so time again became little, but I worked from time to time and made progress slowly.


Fingers made on the hidden drawer, in ship mahogany.


That's a start!


Jointing wood for one of the other drawer bottoms, lovely to joint like this.


Just running the over a number six in a pair.


Box with lid.


Shelf and shelf front cut to size.


Shelf front have a rabbet.


Hidden drawer under, that also function as divider.

This is as far as we get today, will be back as soon as possible with next part, think there will be about six.
Nice to be back, missed a lot of you, but life is wonderfully busy, with things I love to do and make, so there have been no time, for following up on you all, sorry for that, as I'm sure I missed a lot of wonderful projects.

See you soon.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or inspire to friendships.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
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43
#2 ·
Just wonderful to watch you work Mads, you are truly an inspiration to me.
I look around your workshop and see a lot of myself, even to the Lagavulan and the jazz.
I am unable to contact you via Facebook any more so hope we can find another way to share our life experiences.

Best wishes Dave
 
#7 ·
Mads, that is a great idea to incorporate all those woods into the project. Will have be labeled somehow…like with a wood burner for you to remember?

cheers, Jim
 
#12 ·
Hi there,
Yes good to be back, to see you guys and get a few words, it really warms my heart, some of us have know each other for more than ten years now, so for me it's friendships, even though a lot of us, might never meet. Thank you for sharing so much.

Iceman, Hmmmmm I'll send you a mail. Thank you from my heart Dave, I have enjoyed our friendship over the years and to get news about the family, follow your life, quite closely, so I will miss that a lot if you stop sharing - so dont!. ;-) You are also an inspiration to me, the fighter, father, runner, musician and much more.

sras, Big smile thank you, I'm often told I talk too much… perhaps less on the blog… Laugh. I love stories, to see life as more, than just a number of hours we have to go through.

Lew, Smiles, I am so grateful to have you along, always enjoy that a lot, your wood is rolling pasta. ;-)

Dave Polaschek, yes I am thinking the same, even though I feel a little sad not to care enough for all of you guys, but a busy life, where we are busy doing what we love, is a good life, as long as some of it is taking care of us and others, as well as being able to being happy on others behalf. Thank you for your compassion.

Snowdog, makes us two, smiles thanks. ;-)

Jim Jakosh, I love that name, something cinematic about it, the good guy, strong and fair, perhaps a cowboy! I have saved the labels, but some of the woods I don't remember who send me and I decided it will represent you all, so I will not put names, it's all of you lovely guys, that I have shared all these years with, that I see when I see the shrine. Thanks and cheers. ;-)

MrLaughingbrook, yes I love that picture, she took quite a few.

White Black Black-and-white Style Engineering


Cooking Wood Engineering Machine Metal


She just hang out in shop with her camera, as I were working, so she really got the intenseness of it, managed to get pictures of the zen, not just tools and wood, that was what I really appreciated. Thank you Camilla.

Pottz, Your comments and having you around, always makes ME feel good, thank you. Big smile.

a1Jim, Now my hed turned red, thank you. It touch me deep, as I love taking pictures, I also photograph in other parts of my life, nature, animals, food, building, people, gardening and often just what ever makes me curios, so I have endless folders of photos on my computer, as well as a load of never posted projects for LJ, simply because there are no time… I don't look a lot in the pictures, what I enjoy, is capturing a moment, like this it often stays in my body, just for the reason, that I took that moment of time, to focus on what is special here. So thanks a lot.

swirt, A big smile and a even bigger thank you, always a joy to see you.

Best of my thoughts, also to all of those who are not around,
Mads
 

Attachments

#15 ·
Andy,
Ha ha ha, I would never do that to you, even for all your tools!
Smiles.
Thank you, hope life is good and the sun is shining on you, still looking forward to our get together.
Best of my thoughts to you and the family,
Mads
 
#16 ·
Beautiful story Mads, and you are a wonderful Craftsman. It is interesting that you have also chosen other areas to explore in the arts.

My father was an artist all of his life, sketching, painting both in watercolor and oils, silk screening, carving sculptures, welding sculptures, then he started carving decoys, (decorative ones which he entered into shows wining a number of ribbons) and this ventured into carving song birds. I do wish I had his talent for the carving.
 
#17 ·
Hi Eric,

Thank you for the kind words.

I always thought my father could do most, but learned that he was really just an office man, trying to fix the house, but it was good I thought he could, because it made me think, that wen he could, then I could, laughs.

Yes I'm a Jack of all trades, no doubt about that, I enjoy to use my creativity and learn new skills, this is also my motor in woodworking, I have never found one trade, where I wanted to say this is it, not even back when I worked as an architect. I feel it's a way of getting the steam of creativity out of.

Best thoughts,
Mads
 
#18 ·
Creativity is a wonderful thing to have. I find myself thinking about projects that I would like to build and wonder how I can do it better. I like to design my own projects, an old school way with a sketch pad and pencil.

You are an inspiration Mads.
 
#20 ·
Joints and planes..._

Friendship shrine
Joints and planes…

This is part two of the blog, for more info read first part intro.

In this part, it will be mostly joints and a little ramblings about handmade shoulder planes…


At the end of last part, I were jointing some thin wood pieces on a Stanly number six.
Here they are being glued together, to become a drawer bottom.
Clamps, clamps and clamps.


After the glueup, a wonderful match and play in this wood that came all the way from South Africa. Thank you dearest Div, where ever you are.


Beautiful yes?
I see birds and a man with a beard.


Setting up the Festool finger jointing system.
I decided there should be a machine made joint in it also.


Making sure I get equal spacing, in top and bottom.


And after the fingers are cut with a spiral bit.
That wood is amazing, my friend Flemming found it in the street and gave it to me, it had been a part of a furniture. Thank you Flemming.


Fingers and eyes.


A specially precious piece of spalted wood again from Div in South Africa, was cut up carefully.


Perfect 90.


Checking.


As you can see the play is amazing in this and it's almost a painting, so I were really nervous about sawing it and used a ultra thin and fine toothed saw, with almost no set.


Cutting rabbets.


Like this, for the traditional Japanese type drawer fronts.


It goes well and they are made a wee proud, so they can be adjusted with a rabbet plane.


Drawer sides.
This is American walnut as I remember, but I can't remember who send it for me and it annoys me… Pls let me know…


Adjusting the rabbets.
With this wonderful shoulder plane, that were made by Div and he send me, yeas back. This became my inspiration, to start making my own planes, so it made a big impact. Thank you Div.


My own low angle shoulder plane, that really works amazingly well, even it was a great challenge and took a curved wedge, to make it function properly.


Veritas mini shoulder plane, a winner, when working small spaces, really love it in use, but bought it just for fun.


My own micro shoulder plane, go home Veritas and yes it works just perfect.


Needed focus, when I made it.


Here next to Div's, small shoulder plane.


Back to the project, sorry.
Small drawers starts to take shape.


Marking.
Yes I like the marking lines visual after.
Always mark the waste or you will make mistakes.


:)


Ok, let's put the toys aside.


And get back to work or playing, if you will.


Wonder what I were thinking when I made those markings…
Focus MaFe!


Put the drawer side in the moxon.


Another piece same size in other end.


Cut a wee down, with a razor sharp chisel, be careful, this wood is crisp and might crack, so don't go too deep.


Other side.


Cut in 45 degree on the waste side.


Like this.


Now the saw have a place to rest and will follow that line perfectly.
That trick learned me to make my joints fit every time.


And saw down to the line.
I went a little over here… MaFe!


Chisel out in steps.


Turn and repeat on back.


Patience.


Then to the line.


I call that sharp.


For me this is the level I aim for, when making joints by hand.


More marking.
Using a Veritas marking gauge and a self made cutting gauge.
I made two of the cutting gauges, the second were send to Mike / Stefang in Sweden, as a gift of gratitude for his bucket master class. May you rest in peace Mike.


Status.
A box in a box (front half), a shelf.


When the shelf is out, it look like this.
A hidden drawer, with pull, that doubles as divider and two small drawers on each side.


Pulled out.


Here you see why I had to cut the front drawer piece so carefully.


Shelf back on.


Box in box in.


Lid on.
Now the concept is clear.


Rabbets for box in box bottom.


Bottom cut to size.


Under side rough with milling saw marks and here you can read the label Div, had put on it.


Almost a shame to have it as a bottom.


Now a fitting wood, to fix the rabbet holes.
Not rabbit holes…


Bottom for small drawers.
Amazing piece of wood, again from Div in South Africa, I can see he is over represented here, kind of nice as I have no contact with him any more, but once in a while wonder if he is having a good life.


Here the label.


First for the hidden drawer.


And other for the two small drawers.


We got drawers!


Rough on the back again, I like this.


This is where we end today.
See you soon.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, boxes or friendships, well even both.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
#41 ·
Status, details and gluing.

Friendship shrine
Status, details and gluing.

This is part three of the blog, for more info read first part intro.

In this part, we will first take a look at how the box parts ended becoming and some thoughts about where it's going. Then work on a few details in my allotment and finally go to some glue up and assembly.


Shrine closed up.
I want it to be a Pandora's box, a surprise, so I'll find a way to open the lid with no handle or pull, but as simple as possible.


Once open there's a shelf to put stuff and a box in box that can hold stuff, have to find a way to get the box out.


It just happened… lol.


Under the hood, we have the three drawer, two small in front and the hidden drawer behind.
The hidden drawer needs to be held firmly, so it will not expose it self and the divider, will be the handle.


The two small drawers have been bothering me, originally I thought a small leather flap or turned drawer pulls, but I think it will ruin the beautiful pattern on the fronts and take away the simplicity…
We will get back to that.


Hidden drawer / divider alone.


Pulled out.


Empty…

Here a small video showing it.
Sometimes visualization can help us get new thoughts.


Sharing a beer with my really old girlfriend in the allotment, while making first glue ups and little details.
It was early spring and really cold at night in my little red house.


Here is my allotment house a months ago, where I just finished putting ind 100 years old restored windows, I restored during winter and painting the facade after making the new parts in that. Really loved how it lifted the house, I have been here all summer, so it's why I'm not around, all my hours go into restoring this old house.


Latest addition is an observatory / look out / hang out tower on the roof, took me a month to complete, but was great fun. Now I hope to come out in the kayak again and even in the hammock in the forest.


Well back to the shrine.
First glue up is the shelf an d it's front.


My workshop bench in the allotment, kind of like the little workshop I made there too.
Think it will be nice, to make a blog about that place, the windows and the tower…


Here we have the back of the hidden drawer.
I decided to use rare earth magnets, to hold it firmly in place, so it will not expose it self.


First a wood center drill, then a metal and finally one, where I took off the point, to make a flat bottom, as the magnets are quite thick.


The back of the shrine.


Now we solve the mystery about how I will open the small drawer.
I glue a rare earth magnet, to the back of each drawer front…
More follows.


Ready for glue.


Ready for glue.


Epoxy for the magnets.


You can see the old window in the back, the two on the side are two of the 100 years old windows, that are being restored, here just needing the inside paint.
Also that it was early spring, but quite nice to hang out in the conservatory during the day.
The inside night temperature were down to -3°C / 26°F, so happy I have a good sleeping bag.
The house has no heating besides a gas bottle heater, that I turn of at night.


Time to clean up…


Back in the workshop, glue up of drawers.
I love those Japanese clamps.
And cookies… If you can find them…


Just another day at the office, life as retired ain't all bad.


Almost a sculpture.


Drawer fronts on small drawer held in place with cord, as the wood is fragile and I don't want to risk leaving marks.


Nothing happened.


Box in box all glued up, I went for a curved bottom handle to lid it out of the shrine, tried four or five shapes, but this one felt right.
Also tried more wood from other LJ's but it became to much, so I went for simple.


Closing up the rabbet ends.


Same wood, same direction.


After sawing it's still visible, but later when they are planed, it will blend in.


Divider and front piece are glued in place.


You might be able to see I made two small wedges, that I put into the finger, that comes from the divider into the hidden drawer, like this the joint, will never come apart.


Ohhh her they are.


Time to start the bamboo nail part.
I like these nails on Japanese inspired projects they add strength and beauty.


Kind of like the strong contrast here, had my doubt.


Hmmmmm they can't look like this.
Also the box is made too big from the beginning, I want a good fit, where it comes out easy, no slack and no piston, the piston is just for show off, in reality it's hell if the moisture change a little in the air.


Had to make some thinner nails out of bamboo skewers here.
This will give plenty of strength to the small drawers.


Again fine contrast.


Same for the ends.


Finally gluing up the shrine.
Feeling almost a wee nervous - did I forget something…
Naaaaaa.


Could be a fine little cabinet.


Can't have too many clamps.


The machine made fingers are almost too perfect, but I think it will be fine, once it flush and oiled up.


Wood nail time.
Drilling the holes.


Adding nails with white glue.


Sawing a little over flush.


To get the right position for the shelf, the drawers are put in.


Then a piece of paper on top.


Drawer can be glued and wood nailed in place.
Also a back stop for the lid, I came up with a simple solution, to both open the lid with no hardware and kepp the lid standing in the right position, once open.


Like this!
This means that the lid can rest on the stop in that end, when the shrine is closed and once closed, you just push down at the end, at opens up really easy.


Nailed it!

This is where we stop for today, see you soon again, thanks for all the lovely comments on the two last posts, they really warmed my heart and put bobbles in my mind.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or at least some joy.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
#56 ·
MaFe's mini me mirror Netsuke...

Friendship shrine
MaFe's mini me mirror Netsuke…

This is part four of the blog, for more info read first part intro.

In this part, we will kill our darlings…


This might seem like murder, sawing through a Netsuke, but there are a idea behind the mad(s)ness.
Bought this beautiful old wood Netsuke, from Japan some years back, it is a rolled together man, that reminds me of me, when I have my neck pains, so it has a special place in my heart, as a mirror of my reality of life.


With a ultra fine saw, he is sawn through.


Auuuchhhhh


With my little self made router, a hollow is made.


It's a Dremel motor that runs it.


Feeling like a dentist.


But decided I needed more room.
For a big rare earth magnet!


Done on the drill press.


Magnet epoxy glued into the Netsuke.


Clamped.
So let's leave him there to dry for a while.


Love the Forstner set, finally bought my self a fair set last year.


Now gluing up the shrine.
Shelf is held in place with wood nails.


Trick to cut ends of and make sure not to hurt the surface.


Just some thick paper, with a slot cut into it, I use that often.


The cut then looks like this.


And with a ultra sharp chisel, it's cut flush.


Starting to look like the idea.
Any tricks to get the glue out of the wood, from painters tape, that has been left for years?


Netsuke is corrected, so the cut will no more be visual and waxed up.


As the bottom on has rabbets on two sides, it gets two wood nails in each end, to make it steady, but able to move.


A simple shrine, where the wood does the talking, no fancy details, pulls or other noise. Exactly as I were dreaming of.
I love it - thank you guys.


Hmmmmmmm!
Don't forget the mirror.
Had my doubt's if a man's shrine should have a mirror and if, then if it should be square or round. Decided it was time to grow up and admit also men have a feminine side and that we should be over those stereotypic ideas by now.
So I picked what I felt right and aesthetic.


Measure once.


Test routing, with a jig I made for the purpose.


Looks mighty fine.


Pinning the jig down into the lid with a brass nail.


Carefully routing and crossing my fingers as I do it.


Looks good, for now.


Then clearing out the hole, with the large base I made for the router, here it really comes handy.


And it fits right in.
Yabadabadoo!


Really pleased with the edge, those spiral router bits are the thing.


Sexy yes?


Stropping to razor.


Removing any bumps.


Cleaning.


Scraping.


Just as I wanted.


Carefully I plunge down a router bit into the mirror hole.


To make room for another rare earth magnet…


Now MaFe's mirror Netsuke - Mini MaFe, can hang there upside down…
This is getting really strange Mads!


Epoxy again.


Magnet goes in.


Glue for back of mirror.
I hope it will not crack, if the wood moves a lot… It's not too big, so I think it will do.


Mirror in place, tome for tobacco and a break.
See you soon.
Smiles.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or an upside down mini me Netsuke…_

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
#69 ·
Finale

Friendship shrine
Finale.

This is the final part blog, for more info read first part intro.

In this part, we will see the shrine after it's build and finally completely finished after getting it's wax finish.

It was a fun project, that stalled, but were reborn and now I have this wonderful shrine, that will always remind me of my LJ friends, thank you all, you are all in it, also those who did not get some wood inside, many of you inspired me in so many ways to take woodworking to where I am today and made me realize, that it's a never ending story, to become a skilled woodworker.

At first let's look at the shrine, back in the workshop after the build were finished, but no finish applied yet.


The shrine, with the Netsuke on top.


Opening the lid.


Open with the mirror ready to be used.


Box lifted out.


Netsuke put on drawer.


Hanging there in air.


To be a drawer pull.


Opening other drawer.


Drawers fit on the shelf.


Pulling out the divider.


To reveal a hidden drawer.


All parts out.


Shrine on the workbench.


I sometimes think of my workshop as Pandoras box…


Mini me is meditating by the waterside, reflecting on life.


Some days later at my allotment house.
I had decided to give it a wax treatment as finish, to make the details of the individual woods stand out..
Amazing to see the before and after drawer.


Box also became really detailed.


Coffee tobacco and patience.
Almost managed to scrape off the tape glue and also gave it some accetone.


It was a beautiful spring day, where it was finally being completed.

Here a small video.

Detailed pictures of the shrine:













































Hope it can be to some inspiration, or if lucky a few shrines / valets.

Best thoughts,

MaFe
 
#77 ·
Hi hi ho, and a bottle of…
...comments.

Lew, thank you so, as this was what it was all about and the only reason to make the shrine - then that is the best compliment I could get. Big warm thanks.

Dave P, Thank you Dave, I were frustrated during the build, but smile now, so happy to have you with me, also it the thoughts.

Kærlighedsbamsen, Thank you for those beautiful words, I also feel it somehow ended up being a MaFe, so the frustrations about too many woods and the narrowing it in, gave meaning at the end. Tak min ven.

rotorgeek, thank you for taking the time, to read the story. Smiles.

Brit, Can't wait for that. A warm smile as thanks for your kind words, my ears are red now.

Schwieb, Ken and you to me, hope all is getting together at your place. Thank you kindly.

Best of my thoughts to all my LJ friends, you are all in this shrine, for me it has become the symbol for what we have shared and learned each other,
Mads
 
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