# Hickory and Mesquite Lift Top Box



## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Our neighbors son is getting married and we planned on giving them a gift card and put that in a congratulation card. I told my wife I should make a box to put the gift card in and she gave me one of those looks. She knows how long it takes me to make things sometimes, and with only 5 days till the wedding I guess I deserved it. Needless to say, I pulled it off. I got the idea for this box from a box making book. It turned out pretty good, and only took me about 4 or 5 hours total to build it. The box is about 4.5" X 5.5" X 3" including the top.

I milled all of the wood from logs.

We're leaving at 3:15 today to go to the wedding. I hope they like it.

Darrin


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Nice work Darrin and I am envious of your milling set up.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I like it.


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

Yer Darrin....thats a new way of running logs through the band saw....well done for the lateral thinking.........AL


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Great box


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## Web Shepherd (Feb 8, 2012)

Darrin ~ Nice job. Thanks for showing us your band saw sled. Envious.


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## BOjr (Dec 1, 2012)

Darin, can you send me some pictures of your milling set-up?
Where did you get the fixtures that hold the log in place?

The box looks great!

Buck
[email protected]


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

Darrin, Nice box and nice band saw set up. What make and size band saw do you have and how dry was the log when you cut it? I hope to try that on a smaller scale when my new 14" band saw arrives in July.


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## Tumbler (Apr 2, 2013)

Too cool. Simple and somewhat elegant but, not too much so for the purpose it will serve. 

Nice log clamp. I would love to have one myself... Only if I had a band saw. =)


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

BOjr said:


> Darrin, can you send me some pictures of your milling set-up?
> Where did you get the fixtures that hold the log in place?
> 
> The box looks great!
> ...


Buck,
Thanks for the kind words and the interest in the sled.

Here are some pictures of the sled. It was put together kind of quick. Below are some links to the parts I used for holding the log. The threaded end was a piece of a C clamp welded to a modifed piece just like on the other end of the rail. I got the idea from the AccuRight Log Mill, but didn't want to pay the price.

Shelf Rail
End Pieces

If I were to build another one, here are some changes I would make. The T tracks would be farther apart. I only put them that close because I used a part of another jig I had laying around. The way it is now, the "back" board will flex if I really tighten it down. Doesn't seem to affect the cut, but it bugs me.

I would use these parts next time because they are a lot heavier duty

Lumber Racks


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Marco said:


> Nice work Darrin and I am envious of your milling set up.


Thanks Jim! The sled is pretty simple and cheap to build. I posted the information for it in another response. Let me know if you have any questions about it, but like I said, it's pretty basic.

Thanks again,
Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Mike said:


> I like it.


Thanks Mike! I really liked it too! I kind of hated to see it go.

Oh well more logs, more lumber, more boxes.

Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Al Robins said:


> Yer Darrin....thats a new way of running logs through the band saw....well done for the lateral thinking.........AL


Thank you Al! Seems like the sled got as much interest as the box,or maybe more. Glad you like it.

Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Daikusan said:


> Great box


Thanks Steve!


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Web Shepherd said:


> Darrin ~ Nice job. Thanks for showing us your band saw sled. Envious.


Thanks Bob! Glad you found the sled interesting.

Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Barry747 said:


> Darrin, Nice box and nice band saw set up. What make and size band saw do you have and how dry was the log when you cut it? I hope to try that on a smaller scale when my new 14" band saw arrives in July.


Barry,
Thanks for the compliments on the box.

The bandsaw is a Grizzly G0513 17" 2 HP I picked up for $385.00 at a local equipment auction. It was like brand new. I had a 14" G0555 but sold it when I got this one. I had just installed a 6" riser block on the G0555 but removed it before I sold the saw. My dad installed it on his 14" Rigid. Fit it like it was made for it.

I would have attempted this same cut on the 14" G0555, and I don't think I would have had a problem. The Woodslicer blade made a big big difference for me for resawing.

The hickory was in my shop for about 15 months before I milled it.

Thanks,
Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Tumbler said:


> Too cool. Simple and somewhat elegant but, not too much so for the purpose it will serve.
> 
> Nice log clamp. I would love to have one myself... Only if I had a band saw. =)


Hey Sonny, yeah, I think the box is kind of cool too. The idea came from a box building book from Doug Stowe. I found the plans free on line.

I like rustic boxes, picture frames, etc. so this one was special to me.

Thanks!
Darrin


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Very nice.


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Thanks Theo!


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

darrink said:


> Barry,
> 
> I would have attempted this same cut on the 14" G0555, and I don't think I would have had a problem. The Woodslicer blade made a big big difference for me for resawing.
> 
> ...


Darrin, Thanks for the info. Since I'm waiting for my G0555 to come in it's good to hear that you think it's capable of that kind of resaw. I've been trying to decide between a Timber Wolf and a Woodslicer resaw blade. Have you ever tried a Timber Wolf? I have a feeling that either one would do the job well. Of course, since I don't have any logs drying in my basement shop, it'll be awhile before I can try it. Then again, it'll give me a lot time to build a nice sled like yours.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

darrink said:


> Barry,
> Thanks for the compliments on the box.
> 
> The bandsaw is a Grizzly G0513 17" 2 HP I picked up for $385.00 at a local equipment auction. It was like brand new. I had a 14" G0555 but sold it when I got this one. I had just installed a 6" riser block on the G0555 but removed it before I sold the saw.................
> ...


Now I am envious and shaking my head while mumbling to myself :sad:

Great find and buy on your 17" Bandsaw, I thought you had used the Grizzly 14". I too have a pile of Hickory (Pecan) but don't yet have the means to mill it. One day... one day.

And yes I did like the presentation box, a nice way to give a gift!


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Barry747 said:


> Darrin, Thanks for the info. Since I'm waiting for my G0555 to come in it's good to hear that you think it's capable of that kind of resaw. I've been trying to decide between a Timber Wolf and a Woodslicer resaw blade. Have you ever tried a Timber Wolf? I have a feeling that either one would do the job well. Of course, since I don't have any logs drying in my basement shop, it'll be awhile before I can try it. Then again, it'll give me a lot time to build a nice sled like yours.


Barry,
I have tried the Timber Wolf blades and they did the job. It wasn't until I tried the Woodslicer until I saw (no pun intended) the difference. To me it seemed to take a lot less effort to cut.

In the last picture I posted, the one that shows the full view of my band saw, you can see the Timber Wolf in the top right hand corner of the picture. I keep it as a back up.

I have no complaints about how it performed, only that the Woodslicer performed better for my particular application, and was a lot quieter when resawing.

Thanks,
Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Marco said:


> Now I am envious and shaking my head while mumbling to myself :sad:
> 
> Great find and buy on your 17" Bandsaw,


I was doing more than mumbling when I saw it at the auction. I was like a kid in a candy store, stuttering and stammering. I may have been drooling too, but I was too distracted to care. Wood working equipment doesn't usually sell very good at this particular auction.

I called the wife and promised to list the G0555 on Craiglsist as soon as I got home, and we agreed to pay no more than $350.00 for the G0513.  Oops! I didn't have too hard of a time explaining the $35.00 over budget.

I bought the G0555 off of Craigslist for $315.00 with about a dozen new Timberwolf blades. I sold it for $350.00 with the same blades.

I am constantly looking for deals, and so far, my patients has paid off.

Darrin


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I can't find a good used band saw to save my life........ my day will come


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## Big Steve (Feb 12, 2012)

Great box! Looks familiar, is that from Doug Stowe's book?


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Big Steve said:


> Great box! Looks familiar, is that from Doug Stowe's book?


Thanks Steve, and good eye! It is from the book by Doug Stowe. He has the plans for this particular box for free on the internet. I posted a link to it in an earlier post.

Darrin


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

darrink said:


> Barry,
> ............. the Woodslicer performed better for my particular application, and was a lot quieter when resawing.
> 
> Thanks,
> Darrin


Darrin a couple of blade questions...

1) What size Woodslicer blade (width and TPI)

2) what other blade sizes do you use and for what application?

Thanks


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Marco said:


> Darrin a couple of blade questions...
> 
> 1) What size Woodslicer blade (width and TPI)
> 
> ...


Marco,
1) As far as I know there is not a choice for TPI on the Woodslicer. The one I am using is 1/2" wide

2) The only other blades I have ever used are the Timberwolf. I purchased it from Grizzly while I was ordering some other items. 
Length: 131-1/2"
Width: 1"
Type: Carbon Steel
TPI: 3 Pos Claw
Gauge: 0.035" 
Here is the link Timberwolf

The only thing I really use my bandsaw for is resawing. Occasionally I rip cut a board or something, but I do not bother changing the blade.

Darrin


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Thanks Darrin


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