I am very new to woodworking, so please excuse my ignorance. I have been working on a simple jewelry box for my daughter. I am wanting to affix a photograph to the underside of the lid before I apply a finish. I made it out of butternut and want to apply only a clear finish. What type of finish would work best on the photograph and the wood?
I also need to know what would be the best way to etch out the wood where the photograph will be inlaid.
I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
Replies
It's good you ask because I would suggest a different approach to this; Complete the jewelry box, finish it, and then attach the photograph. Here are some tips and ideas:
1. Apply a finish to every surface of the box. The reason is because wood shrinks and expands due to changes in humidity, and If you only finish one side of the lid, the unfinished side will shrink and expand at a different rate than the top side and might cause the top to warp or cup.
2. To choose the type of finish, read this article on finishing boxes. Either shellac or a wipe on oil/varnish is a good choice.
3. To hollow out an inset for the photo, the ideal tool is a router or Dremel rotary tool with a straight bit. This would require building a jig to hold the lid securely while you route the inset to your desired size and depth.
4. Let me suggest a different approach to holding the photograph. Build up the lid around the edges with strips of wood like a picture frame, and fit the photo inside the frame with a piece of glass or thin clear plastic over the photo. See the crude drawing attached for reference.
View Image
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Matt Berger
Fine Woodworking
Edited 7/24/2006 10:27 am ET by MBerger
Edited 7/24/2006 10:31 am ET by MBerger
Attached is the drawing I referred to in my last post.
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