Walnut with Holly

This started out a year ago as a box with my locking dovetail lid, but I screwed it up. Couldn't throw away such a beautiful piece of walnut, so I just put it on the shelf until the solution to fix it came to me recently.
I still had the chuck tenons on both halves, fortunately--so I turned off the male dovetail which was on the lid, glued a piece of holly in it's place, and turned a new straight tenon to fit into the base.
The thickness of the holly was just enough to make up for the wood lost in the parting of the two halves.
Then I turned an egg finial from the same piece of holly.
2" diameter, 3" high. One coat of wipe-on poly.

Photo Details

kengrunke

Registered: November 2004
Location: La Farge, SW Wisconsin USA
Posts: 199

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Date: Tue May 3, 2005
Views: 1,394
Keywords: walnut with holly

Comments

Gil

Ken, that box is beautiful! And the finial is perfect.

#1 Tue May 3, 2005 4:37am

Chris Wright

A great piece Ken and an awesome save. I think the Holly really adds a nice highlight and brings the box in more with the finial.

#2 Tue May 3, 2005 3:36pm

kengrunke

Thanks Gil, Chris. This is a neat idea--think I'll use it more often, and not just to save a box Smile

In fact, I used it on my challenge piece, but will say no more for now Smile

#3 Tue May 3, 2005 4:51pm

Chris Wright

Can't wait to see it Ken, I might have to give this a try myself I like the effect.

#4 Tue May 3, 2005 4:57pm

nappen

It really is a beautiful box.

What is a locking dovetail lid?

#5 Wed May 4, 2005 11:57am

kengrunke

Thanks, Ned. The locking dovetail is a lidded box joint I thought up last year, fairly simple in principle but not so easy to make because it demands careful measurement. I posted an explanation of it over at the AAW gallery/forum which might help:
http://www.woodturner.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=200

#6 Wed May 4, 2005 12:31pm

cfuller

That's really a nice looking piece. I like how the wipe on poly left the wood it's natural color. It didn't darken the walnut or yellow the holly. You keep teasing us with all these great boxes. I can't wait to see your challenge box.

#7 Wed May 4, 2005 11:59pm

kengrunke

I've been in box mode for a couple months now, they're just a lot of fun and a challenge to make--plus I've got all these various little pieces of dry wood collected and I figured I should get them out of the way LOL.
The Minwax poly I used seems to be pretty good for giving a natural finish without yellowing, but I lay it on thin after the first coat so maybe that's why. I haven't found the ideal finish yet, just keep trying different types over the years looking for the simplest and least labor-intensive ones.
Thanks for the compliment!

#8 Thu May 5, 2005 5:04am

nappen

Yikes, that is quite a process. Very impressive.

#9 Sun May 8, 2005 1:57pm