More Boxes

Dec 17, 2021 Last reply: 2 years ago 7 Replies

Almost every year I build cutting boards or boxes to give away as presents.



I used the Shaper Origin to cut the box joint pockets, the stopped and through grooves for the box bottoms, and for the engraving.



I used a v-grove bit for the engraving and use a brown fine point Sharpie to color in the grooves and touched up missed spots with an ultra fine black Sharpie. The effect is a branded look.


AND for the first time I am using Rubio Monocoat for the finish. Pure color.



If you have not used this pricey stuff yet you should check it out on the YouTube channels. This stuff is expensive, about $200 per liter with hardener and or 350 ml with hardener for $53.



While this product appears expensive I used about 30ml, about 6 teaspoons to do the insides, outsides, and bottom side of the boxes and all sides of the tops. This stuff goes a very long way and only one coat is required. Further, repairs to scratches are very simple. For those that do not like the plasticky poly look, you should look at this stuff. This product was developed Europe about 50 years ago as a hardwood floor finish.



Used with the hardener the finish cures in 7 days.


The group before the finish was applied.



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Closer with details of the joints.



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And finally with the finish applied.



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What's the scratch at 5:00 on the "13" box?

Another thing I've seen for filling in engraving is colored Epoxy. Apply, sand level with the surrounding surface, then finish as usual.

Whaaaaat?

Are you talking the white streak on the Mesquite lid? Something in the wood. And that is a B. ;~)

I have been considering adding the colored/metallic Epoxy. Maybe this coming year. My wife is wanting me to make something with Epoxy added.

Black Epoxy looks great with mesquite that has small cracks. Some mesquite has black in the grain. The box on top with no engraving has a black spot/knot. So black works well and looks natural.

Yeah, the white streak at the top of the "13". I had to look hard to see the horizontal bars. ;-) Looks like a divot.

I'd think there would be all sorts of nice looking contrasts. Epoxy is on the expensive side to do too much experimenting. If you're doing something else with the Epoxy it'd a good time to play with some leftovers.

Epoxy does look like fun. It looks like it machines much like wood but needs a bit more work finishing.

A few years back, I rescued some apple logs (the longest was

22 inches) from a neighbor. After milling, I had enough for four tapered legs (21") and a bookmatched top (22" x 10"). The ends of the logs had checked, so I used a dark artists oil paint to tint some epoxy and filled the checks. The resulting shaker-style side table (M&T construction) stands next to the easy chair and holds books/remotes.

A product called InLace (IIRC) is sometimes attractive although I suspect that it would look better in wider grooves. I've seen it used to great effect in filling checks in turned pieces.

I'll look intro that too!

Mesquite has a reddish brown color but the grain and knots tend to be black. Black filler tends to blend right in if you are simply repairing very common twist defects/knots and not wanting to draw attention.

So I did get some Epoxy and some colored additives and black for Christmas. I think this will work well in Mesquite to draw attention to engraving.

Mesquite lumber is pricey and a little more tolerable with small pieces. But in South Texas mesquite fire wood is very common for fireplaces and grilling/smoking. And that wood is relatively inexpensive. I have been threatening to buy some mesquite fire wood and milling it for building small stuff. IIRC it shrinks about 2% between being cut from the tree to out of the kiln.

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