This Woodworking that we do...
Sometimes, I've posted my Work on Facebook: Finished Work, Project Progress...
I have even tried to "Blog" a couple of entire projects
(though it is a terrible format for that!)
The idea was two-fold: #1) To let my Old Friends know Old Mike is occupied
with more than just aging and #2) If any of them wanted a little something made in my humble fashion,
to show how much work goes into even the simplest of projects!
Anyway, a Friend I've known since Kindergarten texted me the other night,
asked if it were possible at this late hour to make a box for him to give to his Best Girl for Christmas...
After numerous texts, in which questions were asked and answered,
concerning size, usage, and woods to be used, our visions were finally in agreement...

The Box, is to be a sort of presentation box for seven sets of  stud type Earrings,
He is giving his Honey...
He wanted it small, just big enough to hold them...
With this project, I quite literally am building from the inside out
and needed first to find a way to hold the Earrings...
I did an Internet Search on Earring holders and quickly found
a simple and inexpensive way to hold them
I used Wooden Dowels (Don't they just work for Everything?!)
tightly rolled up in some nice black material that I already had...

Had to buy a Hot Glue Gun for this, but those can be useful things...
Now the size of the box is delineated!
Sawdust, or any kind of dirt or dust is a scourge to that black cloth,
so I made a form the same size as these little bundles to build around...

It's funny, but of late I have been reaching more readily,
and finding great satisfaction in using the old hand plane...?
This Box was requested to be a lift-off Lid type...
When I do that kind, I like to make the "waffled wood" riser to hold the Lid on,
like was done with the "On the Fritz" box in my Projects...
On this one this had to be more exact than usual and the Customer
specified no non-hard woods...
Some Mahogany was found that fit the criteria, holes were drilled,
and cuts were made...

Here Fresh off the Saw...

And after cleaning up and trimming to height (again, with the trusty old hand plane)

After the riser was fitted around the form, the Box sides were begun using Bubinga...

Working inside-out is always a challenge
and should be undertaken by everyone at least once!
I had trouble with the first cut being a little too-loose around the riser,
had to take a little more than a pencil's width more
out of the deep part of the finger joints in order to tighten it up...
Fortunately, the way these are cut, that's not that hard to do...

The four sides were cut and fitted with this result...

Lastly, today's work ended with some Yellowheart being fitted for Panels...

Those Panels were one of the first uses I've found for the latest Machine in the Shop....
I purchased a Sanding Machine last September and used it to "size-down" the edges
from 5/16" to 1/4" to fit into the dadoes around the four sides....

Even built a quick table for it... Handy tool, but very aggressive! 

Plenty more Work to be done here, but all the "heavy lifting " is out of the way...
Back at it tomorrow...
As always, Thanks for your time and interest! 

8 November 2025