My first completed projects!!

[Brian Fulkerson]

Hi Everyone. I am new to the forum, and I thought I would share with you the completion of my first woodworking projects. The Jewelery box was made for my wife out of Bubinga and Maple. The Cutting Board will be given to my father this weekend for his birthday. Made from maple and purpleheart. I am sure all of you have seen this cutting board method from the Wood Whisperer.

Thank you all for tips and trick which helped in the completion of these projects. Enjoy and happy new year!!!

Brian

[Dennis Hatchett]

Very well done Brian. Much nicer than my first work! I think you're ready to tackle some french furniture projects. Keep up the good work!

[Jim Becker]

Wow...VERY nice. 'Hard to imagine those are first projects! Bravo!

[keith ouellette]

Love the colors and the way you used the miters on the drawer fronts was a good touch. Did you create the design or was it a pre made plan?

[Mike McCann]

I really like the jewelery box. Do you have plans for that you would like to share.

[gary Zimmel]

Brian

Welcome...

Great job on both projects. I expecially like the jewelery box.

Your design or from a plan?

[Brian Fulkerson]

I spent a lot of time on the internet finding ideas. There are quite a few Jewelry boxes that this was modeled after. There is a store in a local mall near me called Earthworks. I obtained many ideas from the boxes they carried. It was great because I took existing models, and improved on several areas.

It was by far one of the most difficult projects I have ever done. Not including woodworking. Many unforeseen challenges. When I started it, I thought it was a simple starting project. Boy, was I wrong. It took me about 3 months to complete. I work a day job so I could only dedicate a couple of hours each evening. Mix that in with sharing responsibilities for a 8 month old son, my wife had great frustration for loosing me many evenings. I couldn't help myself. It was too addicting.

[Bill Huber]

Welcome to the creek, that jewelry box is a real eye catcher, great work.

As has been said those are some very nice looking first projects I don't think mine are that good yet and I have been at it for almost a year.

[FRITZ STOOP]

I've spent almost 40 years building things and you did that on your first try!
Please tell me you're a brain surgeon or a piano tuner.
Wow, not only are they wonderfully crafted, the designs are masterful.

Brian, you're pulling our collective leg, right? This is really what you do for a living, right? If not, Big Bravos, my friend!

I particularly like the mitered drawer fronts and the tight tolerances. Without the pulls, it appears to be a solid box. Wow!

[Brian Fulkerson]

I work full time as a commercial banker here in Northern California. I have spent most of the last year setting up my shop and learning all I could about techniques and ideas. Our TiVo is loaded with taped New Yankee workshops and Woodworks shows. I finally got the opportunity to finally make something. All my time was spent tuning hand tools ( I had to learn this too!!), building a workbench (simple design, but functional from clear doug fir), and some very simple overhead shelving (storage for Christmas boxes!!). It was nice to finally apply what I have learned the last year.

[Robert Mahon]

Wow!
You, Sir, are a natural.
Kudos.

[John Buzzurro]

Much nicer than my first projects, Brian. Excellent work!

[scott spencer]

Well done Brian! I really like the jewelry box.

[Bob Feeser]

C'mon you didn't really make that jewelry box. That burly looking walnut type stuff is plastic that you buy from the Sears catalog. No way did you find any flame maple that looks that good, and has such a beautiful golden hue to it. Nobody designs a proportional drawer sections that makes you wish you owned it. The size, the look, the fit, the finish, nobody, and I mean nobody does a job that looks as good as that. Wow I thought everybody here was honest, how can you take credit for such a perfect looking piece?
PS: I love it. Just next time give the rest of us creekers a break, because every married guy here is going to have his wife hounding them to make a case that looks that good. So much for the Norm designed poker table project.

[Al Willits]

I've stayed away from smaller projects like jewelery boxes because as a newbie they take more skill, you seem to have it mastered already, wow what a very nice project, someday I hope to make the wife something as nice as that...congrats.

Al