What has been built lately.

  Last week my ten year old Grandson stayed with us while going to Science Camp during the day time.  He is an avid builder, with Lego.

  This is a kit for a heavy lift helicopter, various support vehicles and a mountain that contains lava bombs.  The kit included more that 1100 parts and he followed pages of instructions while working for several hours to make these things.  It isn't wood working, but...it is making.  Our Grandson was here for six days and didn't once play a video game and only checked out You tube videos relating to his Lego building.  

wood burned lid with slight acrylic ink tinting.

  We had a busy week, one that ended with my wife catering a wedding for her niece and us ending up with the whole family ( six adults and four children 10,8,6,4) here for over night and brunch.  All I had time for was finishing my pencil box.  I flocked the inside and cut a small finger slot to give access to the lid.  Flocking is an easy and inexpensive way to finish the inside of box projects. Here is a 2 1/2 minute video that basically tells you all you need to know about flocking.   After the flock dried, and it does need 24 hours I sprayed the box with a couple of coats of varnish and it is done.  What I will do with it I don't know.

  The other quick knock off was a bbq grill scraper from left over cedar.  My brother needed a new scraper.  

A picture from our front yard, that explains why 

the outside is popular in this season.

  

Band Saw Boxes

This little box was one of my first efforts at making a bandsaw box. Also an early effort at flocking.  Steve at
woodworkingformeremortals.com  inspired me when he made a short "how to" video and then sent us off to a couple of other really good sites to see results and methods.
http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com/2010/05/how-to-make-bandsaw-boxes.html

The box was made from a left over 4x4 and so lacking in real character. Since it was a prototype I also jumped in and tried to flock the inside. The box was more successful than the flocking.  I think I need to use painters tape to control the glue edges. Live and learn.  This poor little box was a further test bed for aniline dyes. I kind of like the orange, it does bring out the grain.  For all its courage in the face so many new things it just sits on my dresser and smells nice. (I love aromatic cedar)

This was also an early effort. Again a glue up of lumber from the cut off bin.  I like everything about this box but the design. Doesn't it look top heavy to you??
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?81703-Simple-Bandsaw-Box-Making-101&referrerid=5960
Is another link to a really good step by step method for making a box.

Now that my shop is showing signs of being usable again I want to get back and try this with better materials.  Something is cedar would be nice.

I'll keep you posted.