Box With Wooden Hinges

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Box With Wooden Hinges

This box was made with my newly purchased Freud Box Joint Cutter Set recommended by several people on this site. I was blown away by how nice this set is. It cuts better than my $130 Woodworker II or my Ridged blades. I find myself wanting to keep making finger joints because of how nice this blade is.

I would like to know if anyone knows what kind of wood this is. It is very dense and heavy. It also polishes up very well. The only drawback is it seems to chip out easily. 
This is the way it looks when finished with clear lacquer.
 I don’t know what the body of the box is made out of either. The top is QS white oak and I fumed it to darken it up. Most of the wood I have is from a yard sale and I have no idea what most of it is. If someone wants to take a guess, please do.

I used bamboo skewers to attach the hinges. I had to make a jig to make sure the placement came out symmetrical the way I wanted.

This box turned out to be very masculine looking and it is one of my favorites so far this year. As most of my work, this has no particular purpose, I just started making cuts and this turned out.

All comments are welcome and appreciated.

.................. John D....................

29 Comments

Great looking box, finger joints are really nice and tight.   Well done on the hinges as well.   All in all makes a great looking box.  

Ron

Nice looking "dude" box!
The wood in question, with the yellow dust in the pores makes me think ipe. 

Hinges and handle are gorgeous! ( If I can say that in a manly way ) 🤠


Aces!
LOVE it!  I have a thing for proud box joints for some reason.  I think it makes for a really sharp looking box.  I'm generally not a fan of wooden hinges, they usually seem too bulky but in this case, I think they work perfectly.  The way they compliment the handle really pulls the whole design together nicely.

The coloring and grain in that wood looks like IPE to me.  It does indeed like to chip out too.
Fancy! I really like the design.  To be honest, I sometimes see people(including me, haha)  try to be creative and it turns out to be too odd in a negative way but yours is unique in a very good way that many people can love! Great job:) 

No name noobie here

Nicely done! The handle and hinges really add a lot. I love the look of fumed oak.
Thanks Ron, that box joint blade set is the hero for nice tight chip free fingers.

Thanks very much Bruce, I never thought of IPE because the samples I’ve seen didn’t have the green/yellow color like this does.

Thanks Kenny, I mortised the hinges into the top so they wouldn’t look as bulky, but I didn’t think it hurt the back if I didn’t do that. With you and Bruce thinking IPE, I’m going with that.

Thanks YRTi, not sure why I like this box so much, but it’s one of my favorites this year.

Thanks Steve, I seem to always fume white oak when I use it. It just seems to look too new if left alone.

.................. John D....................

I don't have a good guess for you on the wood used on the body.  I assumed it was flatsawn white Oak at first but don't have a clue now.
damn nice box john. love the way you did the hinges !

working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Nicely done! Looks great. 

Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".

i just love this real nice looking box the proud corners and them hinges are the best i have seen ever not so bulky 
who cares what wood it is LOL  🤣   GR8 JOB 😍😎👍

*TONY ** Reinholds* ALWAYS REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN

Something about this box makes me want to go make one myself.  

A wild guess on the side wood is chestnut?  It can look a little like oak -- they are both in the same family.  Another guess is elm but the end grain may not be quite right.  

--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

The side wood is oak, right John?
At first I was confused about the mystery wood, seeing the picture and how different it looked compared to the box sides. 
Great design and execution 
Looks really cool.

I'd also assumed the sides were oak, I'll chuck in Iroko as an option for the handles.
I love everything about that box!  The design and execution are flawless.

You definitely live up to your name... awsum.

Half of what we read or hear about finishing is right. We just don’t know which half! — Bob Flexner

It’s a beauty.
Without the yellowish green dust IPE usually produces, there are many other woods which also look similar when finished. Could be cumaru or one of it’s relatives.
I thought most of the box is oak.
Thanks Kenny, it’s too light and soft to be oak, but thanks for guessing.

Thanks Larry, I will probably be doing these type hinges again.

Thank you Ryan.

Thanks Tony for such a nice compliment. 

Thank you Nathan, I’ll have to check out chestnut and elm. Thanks for your flattering remark.

Bruce, the side wood is too light and soft to be oak, but I’m going to check out all the woods mentioned.

Thank you Peakplane.

Thanks Mike, much appreciated.

Thanks a lot Rich, you made me blush.

Thanks Gary. I have some cumaru, I’ll have to check them out side by side.

Thank you George.

.................. John D....................

Great box. And the wooden hinges are to die for. In my short time woodworking I find that some of these Central or South American woods are so hard, to me have the same characteristics as carbide. A good bump or if cut with a less than sharp blade they chip. Or chip if their in the mood for it. And oh, your photography is fabulous as always.