Update on my wedding card box posting

[BeerBrewer]

I'm almost finished making the wedding card box for my son's wedding this July and I thought you folks might like to see my progress.  I used a pattern that was sent to me from Birchbark (thanks so much!).  I printed out the pattern and took it into FedEx Office and had it enlarged on the copy machine because my son wanted it a tad larger.  The original size would have been fine for wedding cards but my future daughter has other plans for it after and wanted it a tad larger.  Who am I to argue with a future bride??  The box in about 14" square at the base and 13" high (I put a Coors can in one of the pics so you could judge the scale).  I built the box sides using 1x12 red oak.  The box is joined using a box joint that jig that I made for my cheapo router table.  The top is made from 1x4 oak boards splined together, that was a first for me.  I used my biscuit cutter to keep the boards aligned.  All I need to do now is to stain and finish the box.  I was planning to stain it darker using Min-wax Jacobean stain, but now I'm having second thoughts.  When I started this project I made a test panel, so this morning I stained it and I wasn't happy how the scroll work took the stain.  The scroll work seemed darker than flat surfaces and I'm sure that its all of the ins and outs make it almost impossible to wipe off the excess stain, so it appears darker.  Does anyone know of an easy method of staining the piece or am I nuts for even trying to stain it?      

[Scrolling Steve]

Wow ! What a beautiful piecce !......Awesome job !

[fredfret]

Clear or oil finish. The oil will darken things a little and the grain will pop out. Beautiful job.

Fredfret

Wichita, Ks

[rdatelle]

Wow that came out great. I would also oil it clear.

 

[Bill WIlson]

You're going to see more absorption of the stain in the end grain areas of the frets, which will show up much darker than surrounding areas.  Not sure there is much that can be done about that.  Exposed end grain, say like on the edge of the top, can be sanded to a higher grit than the edge grain or surface.  You could even carefully apply a pre-stain conditioner to just the end grain preventing as much of the pigment from soaking into the wood.  But inside the frets, it's pretty tough to treat just those surfaces in any effective way.

One suggestion would be to try spraying with some shellac.  It won't look like the Jacobean stain, but it will make it significantly darker, without as much of the variance in color between end and edge grain.  If you are interested in mixing your own shellac from flakes, there are a lot more color options, garnet being among the darkest.  If using the Zinnser pre-mix, then clear or amber are your only options.  You could try tinting the shellac with an alcohol based dye to get an even larger range of colors.  I've never done that, so I can't say it would solve your problem, but it's an option.

[Scrappile]

You certainly did a great job with the box.  Only improvement I can suggest is trade that Coors for MGD,,, much better.

[BeerBrewer]

Now don't start picking on my Coors can!  It's a mirage that I could even find a beer can in my house.  Don't get me wrong now, because I love beer as much as anyone (maybe more actually).  You see I just brew my own beer and have for over 25 years.  I started brewing right after Jimmy Carter made it legal!.  Had I put glass of home brew in the pic you wouldn't have any frame of reference!  As for MGDs, I do agree, they are a tasty brew.   

A few folks suggested using oil, what about using Watco Danish Oil, it comes in variety of colors or would that too soak into the end grain? Thoughts?

 

[Rob]

What a fantastic piece.  That's right up my alley and your cutting is beautiful.   I am not an expert on finishing.  Usually I dip my pieces in 50/50 BLO and turpentine but sometimes find the wood absorbs more through the end grain and end up with a result I don't like.  Whatever you decide, experiment on scrap offcuts first.

Rob

 

[oldhudson]

Super job. Those box joints looks to be on the money!!

I agree with Bill's comments regarding shellac.

I don't do nearly as much scrolling as many of the members but I do lot's of woodworking and more and more I try to put finish on before assembly. It started a few years ago when made all our kitchen cabinets. I applied finish to the case pw white it was still in 4 x 8 sheet. There's often a lot of taping needed to prevent finish from getting on glue surfaces but I think it a great trade-off.

[WayneMahler]

 

Super job on the box. Oil may be your best bet. Good luck.

[Dave Monk]

That is one cool box. I stain a lot of my projects because I find a lot of my customers prefer darker wood.  I would use darker wood except for the fact that I have been buying oak for under $2 a board foot. 

[Scrappile]

6 hours ago, BeerBrewer said:

Now don't start picking on my Coors can!  It's a mirage that I could even find a beer can in my house.  Don't get me wrong now, because I love beer as much as anyone (maybe more actually).  You see I just brew my own beer and have for over 25 years.  I started brewing right after Jimmy Carter made it legal!.  Had I put glass of home brew in the pic you wouldn't have any frame of reference!  As for MGDs, I do agree, they are a tasty brew.   

A few folks suggested using oil, what about using Watco Danish Oil, it comes in variety of colors or would that too soak into the end grain? Thoughts?

 

I only tried to brew beer once.  It taste like creosote!  My neighbor has a winery, but he like to brew beer also, and he brews some of the finest home brew I have tasted.  Coarse he also has a lot of fancy equipment to do it with.

I also love Watco Danish Oil.  I use it most.

[Lucky2]

A clearcoat or oil finish is what I would suggest you use now that it is glued together. If you intended to stain it, you should have stained it before it was assembled. If you really want to stain it now, I would suggest that you use a product called Minwax Prestain. Brush it on in a thick coat. or even better spray it on, that way you will get an even coating on the open sections. That should stop the endgrain from being much darker then the flatgrain on the face of the item. After prestaining it apply the stain color of choice, it should apply evenly over the project.

Len

[wombatie]

That certainly is a beautiful piece.  The bride will be more than happy with it.

 

Marg

[lawson56]

That is a Beautiful box!! Only advice I could give you on staining something that big,is what I have done on several occasions.Dip it.If your able to.I had a 5 gallon bucket of stain and I would dip my larger plaques.

[daveww1]

fantastic job

[rjweb]

That's a beautiful piece, your son and future daughter will love it. I would use a clear on it, but if you really want to stain look into a gel stain, RJ

[campasano]

Fantastic job on that wedding box, the fretwork is outstanding. That certainly will become a family heirloom.

 

Mike

[meflick]

Beautiful job and I am sure the future daughter in law will love you all the more for all the time and effort you did to make this special for them and to be used again in their home.  Thanks for sharing.

[amazingkevin]

On 6/7/2017 at 3:07 PM, BeerBrewer said:

Now don't start picking on my Coors can!  It's a mirage that I could even find a beer can in my house.  Don't get me wrong now, because I love beer as much as anyone (maybe more actually).  You see I just brew my own beer and have for over 25 years.  I started brewing right after Jimmy Carter made it legal!.  Had I put glass of home brew in the pic you wouldn't have any frame of reference!  As for MGDs, I do agree, they are a tasty brew.   

A few folks suggested using oil, what about using Watco Danish Oil, it comes in variety of colors or would that too soak into the end grain? Thoughts?

 

i have plenty of time to ride around in the handicap electric carts and at wAlly mart i found 4 cans  of danish for a buck a piece

[SCROLLSAW703]

Awesome scroll work! Were it me, I would use Watco dark walnut stain, then shellac & Watco gloss lacquor. The watco stain will really make your design pop, & show your work.