# First Attempt at boxes



## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Figured I'd try something new. Had a piece of glued up baltic birch cut off from the Family Tree carving so I gave this a whirl. Box is 1.5" high and the top is cut from a 3/4 baltic birch board. I can't make a video like David can, so a few pics is all I can show. Finished boxes are a 3 x 5 oval.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Those are beautiful boxes, John. Very well done. And don't worry, not many can make videos like David.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

John, you never cease to amaze me on your creativity. Great idea and very well done, those are the cutest little boxes I have seen.
Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I'm impressed...


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

Nicely done John!


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Nicely done, John! I like your fixture and setup for cutting the boxes. I might have to see if I can make one of those. Is that something you got from Vectric or is that homegrown?

David


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Nice job! How did you do the lid design?


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

honesttjohn said:


> Figured I'd try something new. Had a piece of glued up baltic birch cut off from the Family Tree carving so I gave this a whirl. Box is 1.5" high and the top is cut from a 3/4 baltic birch board. I can't make a video like David can, so a few pics is all I can show. Finished boxes are a 3 x 5 oval.


Very nice boxes John. It's people like you that is making me want a CNC machine.


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Very, very nice, John! I'm not equipped for cnc yet, but have been wondering how deep you can cut for something like this. Could you give some more info about the setup? Thanks.


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## beltramidave (Jan 6, 2016)

Nice work John!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Beautiful job John, now how about trying it with a hand held plunge router, it's very pleasurable.


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Very nice, John.


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

harrysin said:


> Beautiful job John, now how about trying it with a hand held plunge router, it's very pleasurable.



Well I was to buy :surprise: a CNC machine looking a the OP pics, but with yours Harry, Im going to use my plunge router. :wink:

And with all respect to all who have a CNC machines, I like A LOT MORE the manual work than the machine work IMHO (I have mentioned this before), and this is a very good example about what I mean. :smile:

In the other hand, IF I would have $$$$$$, I would buy a CNC machine :crying: but I would not sell my routers. :nerd:


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

I like those, John. I was wondering how small of a box you could make. If you added the bottoms separately, maybe you could make one inside of the other.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Those boxes are elegant and beautiful.


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

Very COOL Boxes!!

Very COOL procedure!!

Thank you!


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

difalkner said:


> Nicely done, John! I like your fixture and setup for cutting the boxes. I might have to see if I can make one of those. Is that something you got from Vectric or is that homegrown?
> 
> David


Strictly stock items that came with Aspire. Draw an oval, draw another one inside (they have a simple offset tool for this), there's the bottom.

Copy the original oval size, use one of the dome layouts (Aspire has 4-5 of them), grab a flourish from the clipart, stretch it to the size you want, and set your thicknesses. That's the top.

Then all you have to do is set your toolpaths up, and clamp the material on the bed, hit go, and say a prayer to the CNC gods, and if they like you, it might work.

The lid is secured with a simple rabbit on the router table. Then finish. Easier this way than using the CNC.
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Nice job! How did you do the lid design?

Just copied the bottom size oval, used a dome and flourish from Aspire. The top designs are virtually endless.

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Very nice boxes John. It's people like you that is making me want a CNC machine.

If a dumb retired Trucker can amuse himself and actually make a thing or two -- then you sure can.
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Very, very nice, John! I'm not equipped for cnc yet, but have been wondering how deep you can cut for something like this. Could you give some more info about the setup? Thanks.

Loaded question. Depends on your set up. I can do 2 to maybe inches with the stock bed. But.... you can go deeper if you take the factory bed off and rig something up underneath. 4D can tell you exactly what can be done and how to do it. You can also "slice" a model and make countless layers and then glue them together.
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Beautiful job John, now how about trying it with a hand held plunge router, it's very pleasurable.

I wouldn't know. I can't follow a line with a Sharpie, let alone a vibrating machine. lol Congrats to those that can!
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I like those, John. I was wondering how small of a box you could make. If you added the bottoms separately, maybe you could make one inside of the other.

Smaller bits, smaller projects. MEBCWD can answer that one, he carves jewelry as well as boxes. But what you're saying is very doable.
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Thanx, all, for the interest.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

TenGees said:


> I like those, John. I was wondering how small of a box you could make. If you added the bottoms separately, maybe you could make one inside of the other.


Paul as John points out you can use smaller bits and make smaller boxes. The bottoms don't have to be a separate piece just use thinner material. You can make a set of nesting boxes like the Russian dolls. 

Design the smallest box first and use the outside dimensions of it for the inside of the next size box then do the same for the next larger box then the next and the next, depending on how many you want to make.


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## artman60 (Nov 22, 2015)

I have not seen any of David's videos (my bad), but I think I'd rather be able to make boxes like John, than video's by anyone.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Artie,

David makes videos of himself making better than good stuff.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

honesttjohn said:


> Artie,
> 
> David makes videos of himself making better than good stuff.


LOL! It's all trick photography, John.

David


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Very impressive John.


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## rhabyan (Sep 10, 2017)

Great looking boxes. How long did it take to cut these? What size bit did you use for the box? Keep up the great work.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

rhabyan said:


> Great looking boxes. How long did it take to cut these? What size bit did you use for the box? Keep up the great work.


Thanx,

About 4 hours total +/- for the 3 bottoms and tops.

1/4" end mill for the boxes and 1/8" ball nose for the tops.


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## Scottart (Jan 8, 2015)

you giving classes in Vegas buddy. looks great..


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Not hardly.


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