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Milky Way’s closest galactic neighbor. Calculations of the movements of Andromeda and our Milky Way suggest that these two big spiral galaxies may eventually collide and merge within five to ten billion years. Box sculptures last generations, but I don’t think we have to worry about this one being damaged in the collision! LKV
1 ) WHY DIDN’T YOU
FOLLOW THE PATTERN?
I know you’re going to notice this sooner or later: The pattern on page 40 shows one cut in the bottom. I’ve got two. So, what’s up with that? Well, it’s my box and I can make it how I want, so there. Truly though, that’s the bottom line — make these boxes your own by trying something different. Really, it’s okay.
2 ) SANDING INS AND OUTS
Generally, sanding outside curves to shape is easier than sanding inside curves to shape. That’s just one of the laws of the universe. Therefore, this box is easy to sand to shape. Remove the band-saw blade marks using a sanding disc. Yes, a flat disc can make a round shape. Cool, huh?
3 ) BORING
Because I didn’t want to distract from the strong grain pattern on this box’s front, I chose to use no pulls. Drill a hole for each drawer in the back of the box. (The holes are used to finger-push the drawers out from the back.) Use a Forstner bit for a clean cut. Be sure to smooth the edges of the holes.
4 ) OUTSIDE TO FINISH
Finish sand the outside shape using an oscillating pad sander or a random orbit sander.
5 ) ROTO-ZIPPING
The RotoZip snake attachment will make rounding over the edges of the boxes as easy as, well, zippity do da.
6 ) SPACING THE SPACE
This operation is fondly known as “cutting an edge”. For all you skiers out there, you get it. The rest of you are asking what I’m talking about. Here’s the answer — the saw kerfs should be carved and rounded over to blend with the edges of the drawer cutouts. Use a sharp knife or carving tool, then finish up with sandpaper.
7 ) SANDING INSIDE
Because we humans are smart, we’ve made a machine that bends the space-time continuum so we can sand inside curves easier than it used to be done. Remember wrapping sandpaper around a stick (not to be confused with a corn dog on a stick) and sanding while moving your wrists in an up-anddown movement? Well, those days are gone if you own or have access to an oscillating-spindle sander. Now you move the piece instead of the sandpaper.
8 ) FINISH, THEN FLOCK
Apply finish to the drawers before you flock them. Of course, if you’re not flocking them, apply the finish and you’re finished. Duh.
9 ) FINISH THE BACKS
Because I drilled holes in the back of the box, I need to finish-sand the backs of the drawers. It’s easy to do, I just don’t want to forget to do it.
10 ) USING THE GRAIN
This piece of wood has been sitting in my shop for almost 20 years. I finally decided to use it for this box. The key was somehow keeping the knarly holes and leached colors. I moved the pattern of the box around until both holes were in places where there would be wood. The rest of the colors fell into place.
11 ) WET SANDING
If you apply enough coats of lacquer or shellac (3 to 5 coats), you can wet-sand the finish before buffing it with your No.0000 steel wool. You probably won’t go this far unless you’re into this sort of thing. But it makes for an ultimate finish.
12 ) WAX ON, WAX ON
Wax is interesting. No one knows what it’s made of, but it preserves peaches, strawberry jam, gives your car a showroom look, lights your way down the hall at night and helps repel fingerprints. (When I was younger, I used to chew it like gum, but that’s another story.) Good stuff. Apply it to your boxes and they’ll thank you around the 100th time their drawers are opened.
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