# Before and After Box



## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

I made a commissioned box for a previous Jazz Fest customer that collects boxes.
The first 2 photos show the design penciled in prior to carving. The next are the finished box.
I used Marblewood and Bloodwood at the request of the client. 
The box is 12x8x5 with two removable trays and an alligator leather lining.
The finish is 7 coats of hand rubbed lacquer.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

You make fascinating boxes, Greg. What is your carving method?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wow very unique work there Greg . Can't imagine the labour that went in to do that


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

I would think a very steady hand and a lot of practice once you get to the sculpturing stage of the build. I'm not familiar with either of the wood species, is there a way to determine how the markings of the finished part - and specifically the darker circles - will be based on the original wood. I'm asking because there doesn't (at least to me) be any correlation between the finished part and the unsculpted part. Really amazing work.

Tom


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## Rogerdodge (Apr 24, 2014)

Very nice; Alligatorial really.


Rog


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Beautiful work of art, Greg. Nicely done.


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

Thanks everyone...

*Oliver...*I use an angle grinder to rough the box carving out and then use a Foredom rotary carver afterwards to further clean up the grinding marks. After that I use some hand carving and an extremely excessive amount of hand sanding with sandpaper wrapped around my fingers. I have more callouses on my fingers and more splinters in my fingers than I care to think about...but it gets the job done.

Tom...I don't always see the final look of the grain pattern prior to carving because the grain takes different paths as I go deeper into the wood...sometimes it comes out uniquely surprising....sometimes not.


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## AndyL (Jun 3, 2011)

A beautiful box, and beautifully photographed too.

Thanks for also posting the "before" picture Greg, it's very interesting to get an insight into how your initial vision translates into the final result.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

GregLittleWoodworks said:


> Thanks everyone...
> 
> *Oliver...*I use an angle grinder to rough the box carving out and then use a Foredom rotary carver afterwards to further clean up the grinding marks. After that I use some hand carving and an extremely excessive amount of hand sanding with sandpaper wrapped around my fingers. I have more callouses on my fingers and more splinters in my fingers than I care to think about...but it gets the job done.
> 
> Tom...I don't always see the final look of the grain pattern prior to carving because the grain takes different paths as I go deeper into the wood...sometimes it comes out uniquely surprising....sometimes not.


Nice Work, about those fingers, there's always some pain in art. N


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Very nice box Greg. Also saw some of your other awesome wood work on your website. When I seen you mentioned Jazz Fest, and your screen name Greg "Little Wood"works, I thought maybe you were from the Chalmette "Little Woods" area. LOL So I checked your profile and saw that "Little" is you name, but you were indeed from the New Orleans area. I live on the Westbank, in Marrero. I know both Chalmette and the area you live in now as well, as I repair machine shop equipment, and get around to some of the chemical plants around there! Sorry to hear about your home here for Katrina. We were lucky here in Marrero. Just a little wind damage.


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## normie2 (Feb 14, 2010)

*hinges*

what type of hinges did you use


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Unbelievable! If I were to be able to make something like that, I'd be too proud of it to let the customer take it. Well done! Jim


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

N'awlins77 said:


> Very nice box Greg. Also saw some of your other awesome wood work on your website. When I seen you mentioned Jazz Fest, and your screen name Greg "Little Wood"works, I thought maybe you were from the Chalmette "Little Woods" area. LOL So I checked your profile and saw that "Little" is you name, but you were indeed from the New Orleans area. I live on the Westbank, in Marrero. I know both Chalmette and the area you live in now as well, as I repair machine shop equipment, and get around to some of the chemical plants around there! Sorry to hear about your home here for Katrina. We were lucky here in Marrero. Just a little wind damage.


Lee...I am very familiar with the Chalmette area. had friends there and drove thru there a zillion times in the past on the way to Shell Beach to go fishin'.
I've been to Marrero many times and still have friends there. Yall were lucky to not have Katrina damage. 
We kept the New Orleans house and rebuilt it after Katrina but ended up selling it less than 2 years ago because I have 1.5 acre lot here instead of the tint lot we had in New Orleans.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Yea Greg, I bet that made for an easy decision on going or staying. I wish I had more land!! I also seen the pic of your "barn" shop, on your website. NICE!!


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## hilldh (Mar 7, 2009)

Beautiful work! A talent I wish I had...thanks for posting this.


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## kywoodchopper (Jul 18, 2013)

Beautiful work, Greg. I saw your website and everything you do is beautiful. When you say you used hand-rubbed lacquer, what exactly is it? Malcolm / Kentucky USA


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

In a word "Stunning"!


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Amazing beautiful work. Never seen Marblewood, very nice.


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## Cabbie41 (Nov 28, 2010)

Beautiful work!
I also build boxes as gifts and hope, one day, to be able to sell them (i'm too slow to turn a profit rigth now).
How in the world did you carve the "ripples" in the box?

What sort of tool?

I don't know if I've got the artistic ability that you posses, but I'd sure like to try out this approach. 
Thanks,
Jim


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Unreal Greg thanks for showing.


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

larry king said:


> what type of hinges did you use


1/8" brass rod for pin hinges.


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

kywoodchopper said:


> Beautiful work, Greg. I saw your website and everything you do is beautiful. When you say you used hand-rubbed lacquer, what exactly is it? Malcolm / Kentucky USA


Hello Malcolm... I used spray lacquer and I rub it out between each coat with 0000steel wool and then buff it with wax.


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

I could do that if there were any red gators up here. Kidding aside... just awesome!


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

TenGees said:


> I could do that if there were any red gators up here. Kidding aside... just awesome!



What? no snow gators in Canada?
There are plenty around here. I just saw one a few days ago on the Interstate that someone ran over with a vehicle. 6 or 7 feet long. Definitely know you hit something when you run over one.


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## NMootz (Jan 26, 2015)

Very nice job Greg! It's great to see such beautiful work!


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