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Project Information

Sycamore and Purpleheart keepsake box, with Gabon Ebony, Rosewood accents.

Box dimensions: 12cm square X 8cm high.

Lined with goatskin suede.

Finish: spray laquer satin, light beeswax buff.

There is a master boxmaker in the U.K. by the name of Ian Hawthorne, he designed the "Neat" range of box hardware, which I cannot afford, and which gives Brusso a serious competition. Some of you may know Ian´s story. Anyway, he believes the ideal angle for an open box lid is 105º, so when applicable to a particular design, I use a stop block to limit the lid to this 105º ideal. As is the case with this box, seen in the last photo.

Another huge shoutout to Dick Byrd, as he is the source for the Sycamore and Purpleheart.

Thanks for viewing.

Have a great day!

Gallery

Comments

· Premium Member
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WOW ! Brian, Too many things to look at but overall it's not busy, just eye catching. I really like the lid
 

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Where do you get all of these great designs? I'm lucky if I get one or two good design ideas. I'm going to slink back out to the shop and build some more shelf units out of plywood and pretend they are some grand design like your boxes.
 

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Nicely done as always Brian :) This one brings a little more structure to the table than most of your designs but I don't like it any less! The wood choices are great, I especially LOVE the QS Sycamore. The tapered legs and elevated box break up the hard lines and conventional geometry and the embellishments on top are simple but add a whole 'nother element to the box without being forced. I'm always impressed with your ability to conceive these designs and then execute them so well!
 

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Good looking box, Brian. I'm with Earl, you're full of good ideas, it seems.
 

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That's a winner!
 

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There's a lot going on with that box Brian. Totally beautiful work.
 

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Where do you get all of these great designs? I m lucky if I get one or two good design ideas. I m going to slink back out to the shop and build some more shelf units out of plywood and pretend they are some grand design like your boxes.

- EarlS
Thank ya kindly, Earl! And thanks for making me laugh, always good.

I have a desktop folder titled "possible builds," crammed with photos of antique boxes, boxes other specialists have made, and hand-drawn designs of my own. When I need a new project I go here and pick one to make. So, sometimes I am stealing, but you can be sure I am going to add my own twist and turns to those. Sometimes I get a cool idea or two and build a box around them. And sometimes I attempt to recreate an antique, but again, adding my own style to the original, often cutting corners here, because dovetails and marquetry, while asthetically pleasing and admirable, are technically difficult and tedious; and meh, mitres or dados will suffice.
 

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nice box buddy love the design and combo of woods.i like your idea of a folder of possible builds,i should do that myself when i see something i like put in the folder.
 

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Nice box Brian. Packed with features. Love the playful top, and I always love legs, and feet to finish a project. Being a cheapazz myself I appreciate the stop block to limit the lids travel.
 

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That lid design is perfect for this box, contemporary whimsy! 8^)

The color combination is cool, hopefully the PH will keep the color (my PH boxes seem to be holding out fine with lacquer).

Several times I've be drawn to the British hinge makers sites to be wowed by the quality and then blown away by the price!

I always liked the stop hinges for lids but even the Brusso units at 50% discount make them almost 25% of the price I set on many boxes. Integral stops like you use are perfect for allowing the substitution of $2 hinges or other top-end stuff like Hortons that don't have the stop but are also not that expensive.

I've got some inexpensive "piano" style hinges with the stops, but they make everything look too "hingey" on smaller boxes for my tastes.
 

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Where do you get all of these great designs? I m lucky if I get one or two good design ideas. I m going to slink back out to the shop and build some more shelf units out of plywood and pretend they are some grand design like your boxes.

- EarlS

Thank ya kindly, Earl! And thanks for making me laugh, always good.

I have a desktop folder titled "possible builds," crammed with photos of antique boxes, boxes other specialists have made, and hand-drawn designs of my own. When I need a new project I go here and pick one to make. So, sometimes I am stealing, but you can be sure I am going to add my own twist and turns to those. Sometimes I get a cool idea or two and build a box around them. And sometimes I attempt to recreate an antique, but again, adding my own style to the original, often cutting corners here, because dovetails and marquetry, while asthetically pleasing and admirable, are technically difficult and tedious; and meh, mitres or dados will suffice.

- wildwoodbybrianjohns
WW! Very cool box. Absolutely beautiful. I love the contrasting woods and unique tapering cove in the legs. The lid is simple, and eye catching. What a great job! I'll need remember the magic of 105 degrees, though I think it's closer to 107….

So, Wildwood…You've done me a real solid here.

As you suggest, and by your saved folio of differing box images…. you are inspired by work that you admire. I always fight with this. I catch myself being concerned that whatever I create must be completely my own. That's not any easy hurdle, and certainly not one I've ever overcome.

Doh! ...You've just shown me why that is so stupid! Inspiration from another's work is just a place to start from…

Thanks WW. Kind of obvious I guess…but I'm dense as an ingot of lead sometimes. ; )
 

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A very eye catching box with plenty of interesting details.
 

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Much thanks, and a manly curtsy go out to:

Dick B. thanks, my friend, not possible without your contribution!

Earl S. While having my daily siesta today, I came up with the next box design, totally inspired by you, and Ima show you soon what you can do with plywood, specifically end-grain.

Kenny. They are my babies, sometimes you have to turn yourself inside out in order to conceive the little buggers, and maybe bleed a little, hint hint!

Dave P. We all are, "just gotta let it flow, let yourself go, slow and low, that is the tempo." I will make a box just for you (or your wife) if you can name the band that wrote those lyrics! Thats a promise.

Hairy! Thank ya kindly.

DoubleDD. Thank ya bigly.

Pottzy. My Fren.

Tony Tiger. :<}}

SteveN. I know you are a leg man, me too, and these are just for you.

Splinty. "Contemporary whimsey." Hmmm? sounds good. And yes, I dont often use laquer, too plasticky lookin, but I thought in this case it was the only way to possibly maintain the colour in the PH over time. As far as those "spensive hinges," I just need to sell more, and buy tools less, then I have funds to upgrade hardware.

RCC. "Dense as an ingot of lead." That is funny! but not derogatorily so. It has all been done before if ya go back far enough, so they say. But on occasion, we can truly be innovators.

Rick M. Thanks man. I like to think I am in the eye-catching business, sometimes I succeed.
 

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... "just gotta let it flow, let yourself go, slow and low, that is the tempo." I will make a box just for you (or your wife) if you can name the band that wrote those lyrics! ...

- wildwoodbybrianjohns
Beastie Boys
 

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... "just gotta let it flow, let yourself go, slow and low, that is the tempo." I will make a box just for you (or your wife) if you can name the band that wrote those lyrics! ...

- wildwoodbybrianjohns

Beastie Boys

- HokieKen
You stinker! The question was for Dave. But well done, not exactly a hit-parade level tune. A promise is a promise, I guess…...........
 

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... "just gotta let it flow, let yourself go, slow and low, that is the tempo." I will make a box just for you (or your wife) if you can name the band that wrote those lyrics! ...

- wildwoodbybrianjohns

Beastie Boys

- HokieKen

You stinker! The question was for Dave. But well done, not exactly a hit-parade level tune. A promise is a promise, I guess…...........

- wildwoodbybrianjohns
it's not fair brian,he has super powers we cant compete with. ;-)
 

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it s not fair brian,he has super powers we cant compete with. ;-)

- pottz
Yeah, man, the Kennynator, our very own L.J.s cloaked super something or other.
 

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Licensed to Ill goes in my all time top 5 albums Brian. How could I POSSIBLY pass up an opportunity to answer that question?! ;-)

And it was just for fun, you don't have to make Dave a box ;-)
 

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Yeah, well, I was pretty sure Dave would have gotten it too, and thus a Wildwood box-- BUT you didnt give him a chance. Anyway, whats done is done.
 
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