The Rainbow Cupcake Box

For all cupcake variations, use the instructions that appear in the Spring, 2015 issue of SSWC for the base and lid, then add the decorations.

The first of the variations I'll be posting is the rainbow cupcake.  Here's a picture of the real thing, and my version in wood.

I used ½” thick purple heart for the lid, and a ½” thick lamination of veneer and colored wood for the rainbow which was cut into a 2” diameter half-circle.  For the cloud, I used 3/8” thick aspen with this pattern.

Stay tuned for the rest of the cupcake toppers, or just forge ahead and create your own!

Sanding with SuperMax

Finally gave my new SuperMax Drum sander a proper workout, and it really met all my expectations. Nice when that happens!

New sanding video is up and running

I just posted another sanding video on YouTube to cover some tips that I thought would be useful.  They are at the opposite ends of the spectrum with regard to cost, but both are worth considering.

Updated way to make a box

At the Saratoga Spring's woodworking show, my demo included an updated way to make a scrolled box.  This video describes the process.  If you've been making these boxes the usual way, I think you'll find the new way quite an improvement.

Northeastern Woodworker's Showcase this weekend

Just a reminder that I'll be presenting this Saturday, from 2-3:30 PM, at the woodworking show in Saratoga Springs.  I'll be discussing various aspects of "my" type of boxes, and demonstrating some techniques.  It's always an amazing show, with lots of quality vendors, and I'm glad I'll have plenty of time for shopping!

I was pleased to be mentioned on the flyer, and my brickwork vase, pictured on the flyer, was given a nice award at last year's show.

If you'll be there, be sure to come over and say "hi".

Rare earth magnets

Looking for a neat way to keep box lids closed, I started using tiny rare earth magnets.  In small sizes, 1/8" to 1/4", they are strong enough to secure the lid, but not so strong that the lid is difficult to open.

Although I recess them so they're flush, and secure them with epoxy, it's still important to keep projects that use them away from children. There have been recent concerns about toys designed for adult use that contain multiple loose magnets.  These have serious consequences for children who swallow them, especially if they swallow more than one.

To be on the safe side, it would be prudent to keep any project using these magnets away from children, and to advise anyone to whom you give or sell these projects to do the same.  Since delicate or fragile items are typically kept away from children as a matter of course, it should not be a problem to add these to the list.

Using a scanner to personalize a project

Using a scanner is a great way to personalize a project.  I'm surprised that so few people take advantage of it.

Scans can be of photos, book or magazine covers, menus, invitations, or anything that is likely to have personal meaning.  All you need to do is to scan the picture into your computer, and print it out in miniature using photo quality paper.  Using wood or crafts glue, attach the photo to a piece of wood and weight it down until the glue dries.  I use wood about 1/16" thick for magazines, cut the same size as the scan, and 1/8" to 1/4" thick for photos, cut just a bit larger to form a "frame".

For those of you who do crafts fairs, projects can be pre-made, then customized when sold, which allows you to handle a large volume of orders.

Can you find the cupcake boxes?

One of the very competent members of the scroll saw forum entered a set of cupcake boxes, with stand, in the box division of a local fair.  He won first place for the boxes, which is not surprising, since he did such a good job.  However, he also reported that the workers at the fair kept changing the location of the cupcakes, and they finally ended up being grouped with the real food items!

A new piece of furniture

I was playing around with some squares I had left over from another project, and decided to try a box that looked like a bed.  I looked at lots of pictures of headboards and footboards to find something attractive yet easy to make, and finally found one that worked.

I'm currently trying out some variations, but I think for a first attempt, this came out pretty well.  And it's always nice to use up leftover wood!

A new take on the "bonus box"

I recently received some photos from a very talented woodworker, Raymond Luckhaupt, who puts his own creative "spin" on projects from my books.  The work shown here is his take on my Bonus Box, which uses one lamination for two boxes.  Ray took this concept one step further, and used the remainder of the lamination from the round box for the lid.  His work is very special, and I was pleased that he gave me permission to share it.

2012 Northeastern Woodworkers Show

I think I forgot to mention that I'll be doing two demos at this year's Northeastern Woodworkers Show in Saratoga Springs, NY. The show starts on Saturday, March 31st and ends on Sunday, April 1. I'll be doing a demo on making bowls each day, from 1PM-2PM.

The rest of the time, when I'm not buying stuff, I'll be at the Advanced Machinery table (Hegner scroll saws). We'll have both books there, and I'll bring along some bowl and box projects. If you're planning to attend, please drop by and say hello.

The box book has arrived!

I've been checking in on Amazon to see when the box book would be in, and to my surprise, it was listed as "in stock" as of yesterday. I know that folks who pre-ordered the book received notification that it would be arriving next week, a little ahead of schedule.

I'm hoping that people who put their trust in my work are not disappointed. I know that folks who have seen the projects always ask if they're for sale, which is a good sign. But until the reviews--formal and informal--start coming in, I won't know for sure if my enthusiasm is shared by others.

Today's photoshoot

Wish I had pictures to show you from today's photoshoot with the photographer from Woodworker's Journal. I was really pleased to have a new box project accepted by them for publication, and they sent a pro to my shop for the process shots. The first time this happened, it was quite an adjustment, since I've been used to taking my own process shots for my books and articles.

Well, my shots are certainly functional, but these were elegant! We worked from 9AM to 6PM, at which time I was barely standing. When I get the proofs back, I'll make my selection, integrate them into the text, and wait while the WWJ editors turn the whole thing into an article.

It's really amazing to watch your garage workshop become a full-fledged photo studio, and I feel really fortunate to have this happen twice (so far). I'll let you know when the article comes out--it's a really nice project, and quite different from anything in the book.

New experiments

In a search for a way to dress up my "cakes", I took advantage of the knowledge base of folks on the scroll saw forum, and decided to play around with fabric paint (thanks, Kim!). I tried using the squeeze container itself, then found I had better control with a small bag made from parchment.

This is not baking parchment, which is treated with silicon to be non-stick. It's the parchment used to make disposable cake decorating bags, and is created from a triangle of whatever size you want. Instead of a metal tip, you just snip the end, which allows you to use every bit of the icing (or paint!), then you throw it away when you're finished. As you can see, I was able to get small dots, which look great when piped all over a cake, as well as a beaded border. The paint dries firm, and looks as though it won't fall off with handling.

I am also experimenting with flocking, and found that liquid fusion glue (a non-foaming urethane glue) worked well to adhere it to the wood. Last on my list is using stencils. I bought some small punches of various shapes, and found that by backing both blue tape and green (frog) tape with wax paper, I was able to punch out shapes. I'm planning to punch out a strip of shapes, like hearts, remove the wax paper, attach it to the "cake" and use acrylic paint to stencil the design.

As soon as I have something completed that actually uses some of these techniques, I'll post it. And if you decide to "play", please send photos of your results!

Some new ideas

After the projects for the box book were completed, I decided to "mix and match" techniques from different projects. Using the technique from my Pineapple Upside Down Cake Box, adding bows from my bow boxes, and a pedestal from the stand for the cupcake boxes, I came up with a two-layer cake decorated with bows. Each layer forms a separate box

I figured that once the book was out, and people could access the basic information, it would be fun to show how the different parts could be combined. This particular version was for a "chocolate" cake, mostly because I had some walnut on hand, but aspen or maple would work, too. And I kept the loops and tails simple on this, but the book shows how to make multicolored ribbons, which could be used as well.

When I first started learning how to use the scroll saw, one of the books I found helpful was Diana Thompson's box book. And in her book she stressed that by using the same techniques, but with variations, you'd never run out of projects to make. Good advice, and I intend to keep that tradition going when my own box book becomes available.

The last project to make it into the book

This project was not among the original group of boxes for the book. However, since there was such a time lag between the submission of the materials and the beginning of the editing process, I had time to work on some new projects.

The chapter on boxes that look like miniature furniture capitalizes on the band saw box method of construction. I took one of the projects (a cute little chest of drawers) to a logical next stage, and added a hutch on top. The hutch needed some decoration, so I added some photos and little objects. The result was so cute I just had to include it in the book. What I like best about this type of project is that it can easily be personalized with scans of meaningful pictures, book covers, invitations, etc., just like I used to do with my cakes. I used pictures of my parents' wedding, and of my sons, as well as scans of some scroll saw magazine covers. The possibilities are endless.

The book contains patterns and instructions for making the little objects, as well as for the china cabinet itself. I flocked the drawer interiors since they are difficult to sand well, and purchased small brass knobs that screw directly into the drawers. The project requires some care and attention to detail, but is not at all difficult, and should make a great commission piece or very special gift.

The Box Book has reached Amazon

It still won't be available until about February 2012, but at least it's officially on the board. I just found out that the book is now listed on Amazon, so I can finally show the cover, and even some projects.

The book is still in the final stages of editing, where you try to catch errors and make sure that everything is as good as you can make it. No matter how many people look at the manuscript, and no matter how many times you go over it, you never catch everything. However, all I can give it is my best shot, and I think this will be a book you can have a lot of fun with.

I mean, with a box that looks like a cupcake with sprinkles, how can you go wrong?

Success story

The project is finally finished, despite the slight warp in the wood. Once the rings had been glued up, I used the inflatable round sander to get the indentations smooth, working through the grits from coarse to fine. Then I used the hook and loop pad sander to smooth the indentations and the lobes. I used the round sander to accentuate the lobes at the bottom, where there's plenty of wood to play with.

I wanted to accentuate the lobes at the top, but needed to keep a flat area for the lid. To prevent mishaps at this late stage, I completed the sanding, but left an extra large flat surface at the top. Then, I made the lid and put it into place. I traced the outside of the lid with a pencil to give me a guide line that would show me where to stop the shaping. I shaped it as before, using both the round inflatable and the hook and loop sanders. When I was satisfied with the shape, I gave it a sealer coat of shellac, then rubbed it down and gave it several coats of spray lacquer.

A lot of work, but you can't turn this one on the lathe!

All packed and ready to go!

The new book is finally finished, at least at my end of things. I sent out 3 DVDs on Saturday, with all the text, instructions, process photos, etc., and will have UPS pick up the boxes (33 plus 6 variations) on Tuesday to pack them and ship then out out to Fox Chapel.

Just in case you were wondering, it's my responsibility (and cost) to make sure they get there safely. For the first book, I was tempted to drive out to Pennsylvania and deliver them myself, given the hundreds of hours of work invested, but reason prevailed. So, Tuesday morning, the folks from the local UPS store will come to my house and take them to the store for packing.

When the project is submitted, it's unpacked and organized, and the editing process should begin in February. I've already gone through about 4 rounds of edits, and each time I catch more errors, but I think I've taken it as far as I can.

And I finally get my dining room table back! When I'm cleared to "go public" with the projects, I'll post pictures of everything all lined up and ready to go. They're such fun projects--I can't wait until the book comes out!

Old items, new uses

As I continue editing the manuscript for the new box book, I'm struck by the way we get locked into using tools and materials conventionally.

For example, baking parchment, which is silicon treated, is a good alternative to wax paper for keeping clamps from sticking to wood during glue-ups. If you can get the heavyweight kind, it will last almost indefinitely.

And, for getting epoxy into small holes, a #3 cake decorating tip works much better than a toothpick. Use plastic wrap or a glove to protect your finger, and push the epoxy right into the hole. Drop the tip into a small amount of acetone to clean it when you're through.