Wood Movement with Hardwood Jewelry Box
Hello everyone!
I am looking for some advice. I am building a jewelry box for my sister who is going to have her first child in October, and I have a selection of Curly Maple, Walnut, Cherry and Padouk. So far I’ve build the top and bottom, but I want to add a strip of either padouk or walnut (open to suggestions, I have the padouk shown in the picture but am considering switching to walnut and staining it) to go around the sides of the top and bottom panels. What I am concerned about, however, is how much the wood might move. I would prefer not to use a floating panel style, because I’d ideally like the cover to be one solid piece, but my sister lives in the UK where I imagine the humidity is likely to be quite high (I am in the New England area of the US). Please excuse the crude Microsoft paint imagery, but I would prefer option 2, but I am worried I am making a mistake which will ruin the box down the line. Please help!
(Note: not sure if it matters, but I am thinking of doing a french polish for the finish work. I’d like this to be super smooth, and very glossy. Also, you can barely make it out in the picture, but the top section also has curly maple on the underside, as I was thinking it would add strength and limit the possibility that something would break along a glue joint in the middle of the top panel)
Edit: I forgot to provide dimensions. The top cover (without the side trim) is currently 13 3/8″ x 9 3/8″
Replies
At this size I would not be concerned about wood movement.
I agree with gulfstar. As for the French polish, I can't see that having any impact. I can't tell from the pictures if you're using mitred corners, but I've found them to be the biggest liability in small boxes. The mitre has little surface and unless you spline it, it can break from being dropped or just come apart from expansion. Maybe it's my lack of skill, but I have learned this from hard experience.
Oh that's really good to know, as I was planning on mitering the corners, but might reconsider it or use splines
I kinda sorta agree. You have got grain direction going 90 deg to one another in the top piece and this is usually a big no no. As said, at the size you are dealing with, you will probably get away with it. And, I assume, you are going to do it again full width with the edge trim. I would keep my fingers crossed. Good luck.
Nice work, BTW.