Pagoda Boxes - Comin' off the bench...

[Ed Sallee]

My wife has been bugging me to make a couple of these Pagoda Boxes from a WOOD Magazine plan..... I had quite few "shorts" laying around and some to put together a few of these boxes.....

I started out with the intent of making 8. Unfortunately, I had some tear-out on 1 side for 3 different boxes.... so, I rolled on with the 5 that made it through that phase.... the 3 will be salvageable, they'll just be a little smaller.

Anyway, the first two made it out of the shop tonight.... I pretty much made all the parts and got to the assembly and put two together tonight. A lot of gluing with the pins for the lid handle and all...

Here are the first two..... I'll post the others as they come off....

Macassar Ebony, Curly Maple & Gaboon Ebony



Honduran Rosewood, Curly Maple & Gaboon Ebony...



Beginning of the project....



Thanks for looking...

[Jim Rimmer]

Really nice. Can't wait to see the rest.

[Craig T. Smith]

Ed, Excellant work, really like your choice of wood. Can't wait to see the rest. Craig

[John Keeton]

OK Ed, you box guys are gettin' to me! When I first started viewing your boxes, and some of the others, they looked neat, but not something I might want to do.

I am starting to get intrigued, now!

What are the dimensions of these boxes? Judging from the marking knife, they are small.

What is the finish, and did you scallop the top on the sander by hand, or did you bandsaw the shape first?

Do you cut your mitered edges on a miter saw, or use the TS?

I know these are elementary questions, but you got my interest up here

I don't have any exotic wood, but I have a ton of curly maple and walnut - I could see some boxes in my future this winter.

[Ed Sallee]

Thanks guys.... I plan on putting together at least two more tonight... maybe the remaining 3.... but, assembly is a little bit time consuming, but not too bad.....

John, the dimensions are 4" x 3-1/2" and 4" tall. The lid is 5-3/4" x 5-1/4".
To make the lids, first you have to build a couple of jigs. The bottom of the lid was formed by using a 5" disc sander mounted on the drill press. Then I used another jig to provide the angle to cut the top profile of the lid on the bandsaw. See the pics below....

The finish is Teak Oil....two coats rubbed in thoroughly..

I cut the miters and the bevels of the side of the boxes on the TS.

[Roger Warford]

Very nice Ed! I love those lids. Where do you get your exotic woods?

[Ed Sallee]

Hey Roger..... I get them mostly at Atlanta Hardwoods - off Exit 15 on 285. Once in a while, I'll go to Kennesaw and see what Peach State has... but, I prefer Atlanta Hardwoods.... We'll have to run over there sometime. When you going to stop by?

[Mark Valsi]

Ed,

Nice job.

I made one too, but didn't do them as close to the project in the magazine that you did. I was too lazy to make all the jigs, and just "faked" it on some of them.

Don't even think I took a pic of it. Came out OK, but too much time on the jigs and not as much on the project itself! I don't like making jigs!

They look nice. YOU DONE GOOD !!

[Ed Sallee]

Finished 'em up tonight...... All five are going to the hands of my loving wife, Sandra..... She has ideas on how she's going to distribute.... That part remains to be seen...

African Mahogany, Ambrosia Maple & Cocobolo...



Ambrosia Maple, Curly Maple & Cocobolo...



Goncalo Alves, Wenge & Gaboon Ebony...



Happy Family!

[Craig T. Smith]

Ed, Quality Craftmanship! The new owners are going to love them. Great work. Craig

[gary Zimmel]

Excellent looking family of boxes Ed.

Thanks for the pics on making the tops.

[Jeff Mohr]

Ed,

Great looking boxes! I may have to try one of them. What issue of Wood were those in?

[Ed Sallee]

Thanks again, guys.... fun build!

Jeff - the issue was May, 2007.....