Friendship shrine

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...

mafe said:

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

Click to expand...