The Woodshop Shed

Recipe Box

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


My oldest granddaughter just eloped and the women in our families are throwing a celebration shower. I had not made her a recipe box yet, but the ladies want to give her their favorite recipes and I was called on to supply the box.Everything but the lid is made from the chestnut tree she climbed as a child that had to be taken down a few years ago. The lid is made from a veneer that I made from a nicely figured piece of maple firewood that my brother in law gave me.I cut the sides so that the grain matches at all four corners. The splines are walnut that I got from my father's stash when he passed away. The bottom is a piece of myrtle wood (I think) also from my father's stash. So the box is a true family affair.I'm particularly proud of the top as it was trimmings from a board that was used as a top for a larger box that I made a few years ago. It was pretty, but too thin to use for anything at the time. I had set it underneath another board to try and keep it flat. I had forgotten it but found it when looking for something special for the lid to this recipe box. I bought a little 10/20 drum sander last year and was able to sand this piece down to less than an 1/8th of an inch, then glued it to a piece of 1/4 inch plywood with a slightly less attractive piece of the same maple on the bottom. I really like the way it turned out.I struggled with the finish, just like always. It's lacquer sprayed with the cheap Harbor Freight gun. I love the way the gun sprays compared to a rattle can, but I always sand through. I'll bet I spayed nearly a quart of lacquer before I quit sanding through. I used 400, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 grit before polishing it with some Nu Finish Scratch Doctor. I'll wax it in a week or so.It may not be the fanciest box I've made but all in all, I think this is best fitting, finished box I've made to date. It's my best work for one of my favorite granddaughters.Thanks for looking at it.

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