Little maple box

05 Sep 2015 Leave a comment

by Stephanie (Curiositykt) in Usables Tags: , , ,

So we were brainstorming things for a viking persona award, since paper scrolls don’t really fit well, and I had been contemplating making a little box using viking era techniques and suddenly it all fit nicely together…

Maple craft board, made using finger joints and a tongue and groove lid. Glue used to hold it in place.
Man, having a band saw in my garage is awesome! But I couldn’t have done the groove without Troy and Lisa’s help. They had a router and the ability to control it.

I’m planning on making a box for myself next, this time using poplar and doing all the joining by hand. I’ve learned my lesson about carving maple craft board, it’s harder than it looks. This box was a fun little proof of concept piece that gets to live an adventurous life. I’m a little sad it’s getting painted as the maple is so pretty to scrape to a mirror finish and then oil, but I have more maple for later.

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Maple blunt end spoon? Spatula? Saute tool?

27 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by Stephanie (Curiositykt) in Usables Tags: , ,

I’m not really sure what the technical term for this kitchen tool is, but it’s my favorite go to tool. It’s wooden with a nice sturdy handle, a blunt end, curved inner surface and open ended. It’s great for sauteing in pans where you are concerned about scratching the non-stick surface. It’s capable of “scraping” up the edges and getting the crispy bits, while also being useful for flipping and not terrible for serving. (Though it is often pointed out that we have many better tools for serving)

This I made from a maple board I bought at home depot. The wood is quite nice, hard but carvable, and very pretty when oiled. I cut the general shape out on the bandsaw and then carved it down to size using my knives, gouges and sweeps. I then made the surface smooth by scraping it with the cabinet scrapers, which were perfect for removing the tool marks without sanding the wood. They also leave the surface with a bit of a burnished feeling, which I quite like, particularly on this soft maple.

The neck is offset by a bit to make it easier to use, and to provide better control.

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