Recipe Box

1936
8

I made this recipe box for a birthday present for my great niece. I laminated a strip of Maple to a dark wood. I don’t know what the dark wood is and if anyone can identify it, I’d love to know what it is. It is a very hard wood. I made the mistake of stack cutting two layers together for the sides and ends. I had to use a #5 blade to cut the fretwork (I would normally use a #2/0) and even using a heavier blade, I still went through three blades! Even sanding this wood was a challenge!
The lid of the box and the base is made from basswood. I learned lots in constructing this box and there are things I would do differently next time .
Comments are welcome and thanks for looking.

Anna

It would be a challenge for me regardless the hardness of the wood.
Lots of good details there.
I am sure it will be appreciated.

Abbas, Castro Valley, CA

Anna,

Your box turned out really lovely. I’m certain your great niece will treasure it.

L/W

P.S. Be sure to include some of your favorite recipes in it!

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Benjamin Franklin

Anna,
I find scroll sawn boxes very interesting. Have you considered laminating a sawn exterior over a base substrate, to create a layered box? Seems to me like it would offer some exciting possibilities. And it would involve thinner material, which I would think would be attractive. (Particularly since too-thick sides are undesirable.) I’m thinking of layers of colors or layers of wood pattern. I’m not a scroller, so I’m not the one to try it out. It will fall to someone else. Perhaps you?

Your Celtic patterns are very attractive.
Roger

Thank you all for your kind comments and RogerBean for your suggestions. I enjoy doing boxes and creating different ways of putting them together. More experimentation to come!
After some research and suggestions from fellow woodworkers, I have come to the conclusion that the dark wood is Cocobolo. Loved the colour and the grain in it but required lots of patience to cut!

Anna

Nice piece it might be bloodwood its really dense and hard to cut.

joe kruzel

Thank you Joe. You could be right! It was very dense and very hard to cut.

Anna

Beautiful Box

woodworking classes, custom furniture maker

Thank you Jim. I appreciate you looking.

Anna