I recently watched a comedy called Murderbot on Apple TV. It was a good show, and for some reason, when I finished this design, it reminded me of the bot, hence the name.
This box was pure fun to make, it measures 7.5 x 4.75 x 2.75. I just let loose and followed whatever caught my interest in the moment.
As usual, I have no idea what woods I used. I select by look and feel, and unless the wood is store-bought, I rarely know what species it is. There are no stains, just the natural colors, which I know will probably shift over time. The top design is a mix of store-bought veneer and some homemade pieces.
For the case, I started with a design using different-sized box joints, but the box ended up too tall and didn’t look right. I cut it in half, so now I’ll have the chance to make another similar box with a different top.
I’m especially happy with the bow tie splines. I used my laser to cut the mortices and the bow ties. They’re just under 3mm thick, so they actually work as structural elements.
The finish is Danish oil followed by lacquer. I like how the top looks with just a touch of shine, it really brings out the colors.
I used dark green suede leather on the inside and also for the pads to prevent scratches.
A fitting name for what seems a chaotic top (in a good way) awesum... great take on box joints.
But, please answer me one burning question... "how the hell do you compel yourself (or that sander) from sanding those protruding fingers flush?" I once tried a green & green design and by the time I finished it was a flat & flatter plank... I even tried to double tape spacers on my Rotex in an attempt to prevent the subliminal messages.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Yeah those fingers are gorgeous! When I try for protruding fingers like that, all the finish sanding is done ahead of assembly. Makes me cower in the corner just thinking about sanding post-assembly.
Thanks Alex. The fingers take a while with sandpaper glued to a strip of poster board, but that’s not the hardest part. Glue squeeze out is a real pain when using 1/8” fingers. I sanded and lacquered the pieces before glue up so the squeeze out wouldn’t stick as hard. Still a lot of work to make sure no glue remains.
Thanks Bruce, I do the same thing, but I always find a scratch or ding that has to be repaired before I take pictures. Can’t win.
