Project by MichaelT77 | posted 06-17-2018 01:19 AM | 1302 views | 2 times favorited | 7 comments | ![]() |
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I wanted to give a 5-yr-old grandson a bird call that I was given when I was about 5, but I didn’t have a box to put it in. So, I decided to make one. The birthday party was this afternoon, and by noon yesterday I still hadn’t started, though I had a picture in mind.
I took a scrap of walnut, and squared it up on the table saw. I ran the block across a 5/16”ogee router bit to make the profile. Then, I used a v-gouge to make the rectangular border. Then, I sketched the picture with a pencil, and attacked it with some carving gouges that should have been sharper.
When the picture was as good as it was going to be, I sliced it off with a band saw. I planed and sanded the matching faces. Then, I used a straight bit in a small hand-held router to clear out the waste. Then, I used a spoon gouge to remove a little bit more (just for looks).
Didn’t plan ahead for hinges, didn’t have anything appropriate on hand, and it was getting too late to go shopping. So, I used a 1/4” Forstner to drill holes at the back corners of the lid and the box. Glued a little magnet in each hole, double-checking to make sure they were oriented to attract.
Finished off with a few coats of clear shellac. The last coat finished drying as I was driving to the party.
A little primitive, but the picture is an H, and three birds.
-- Michael T, Pittsburgh, PA
7 comments so far
observer100
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#1 posted 06-17-2018 01:46 AM
Very nice! I am sure this will be remembered by your grandson for a lifetime.
-- Seeing is believing.
Elm55
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#2 posted 06-17-2018 02:12 AM
Nice job, especially for a day’s work. Did you consider taking 126 pulls with a hollow chisel mortiser to make the hollow for the inside of the box?
MichaelT77
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#3 posted 06-17-2018 02:20 AM
Now you tell me. That may have been faster than lowering the router bit in 1/8” increments. And I wouldn’t have a mouthful of wood chips.
-- Michael T, Pittsburgh, PA
3woodworkers4life
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#4 posted 06-17-2018 02:13 PM
This is awesome. Your grandson will always treasure your gift.
3woodworkers4life
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#5 posted 06-17-2018 02:24 PM
How do you sharpen your gouges? If a stone, which brand & type do you use? If you use a machine which one?
MichaelT77
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#6 posted 06-17-2018 03:50 PM
3woodworkers, I have three Norton waterstones (grey, white, and beige). The finest is 10,000. And I have one of those DMT steel diamond plates that I squirt water on. Those are what I use, but I struggle to keep my gouges sharp. Planes and chisels I find much easier to sharpen. Also, for planes and chisels, I use a Tormek for a hollow grind
-- Michael T, Pittsburgh, PA
helluvawreck
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#7 posted 06-17-2018 05:34 PM
This is a nice bird call and the carving is great.
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
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