Box Progress, End in Sight

I have really enjoyed being able to devote a lot of time to these boxes recently. Perhaps the need to get them done in time for the holidays has been a motivator . . .

This picture nicely shows the progression from the yet to be assembled  yellow cedar box with a London plane base on the top left, through to a walnut box on the lower right with the sides and the top shaped, and the top with a holly handle in place.

These woods have all been such a pleasure to work with a sharp plane. All milled and air dried by myself, other than the walnut which was a gift from a neighbour, whose in-laws had milled it in Oregon 30+ years ago. It's nice when the wood has a story to it!

Need to get the yellow cedar box glued up and shaped, then I can focus on the last few lids. After that it'll be the finishing. Probably oil for the walnut, elm and maybe the cherry, shellac for everything else. The original design called for brass pins to help hold the joints together, since there are limited gluing surfaces that are not end grain. I will probably add the pins just to be sure.

Need to get the first two finished by Thursday in order to be able to give them to friends that I will be seeing that day for the last time before the holidays.