Split Live Edge Cedar and Pine Box ((mostly)no Power Tools)

this is a concept i made along time ago with the split sides but i never completed it. this week i dug up the one side i had made and a handful of garden stakes to bring this old idea back from the spare parts bin.

this build used approximately >20cm 2x4 >40cm cedar garden stake 1 cool drift wood and 1.5 cedar shingles.

tools were hand plane, chisel, sandpaper/file, hand saw, and drill,hot glue,wood glue also clippers most of the tools are optional you could get by with way less but that is what i used in the end the box turned out realy nice the grain showed beautifully and it still has the nice cedar smell i ended up gifting it to my mum as a early birthday present.

this is a bit of a different direction from most of my other projects as absolutely nothing ended up letting the smoke out if you enjoy a bit of piro-mania check out my other projects (more to come)

hope you like this i'ble if you want clarification on a step or a more descriptive picture than feel free to ask if you do like it please vote for it in the EPILOG CONTEST VII ! (more vote begging at the end)

Step 1: Split Your Wood

find a suitable pine 2x4 and cut two pieces the same rough hight you want your box to be be sure that you didn't get any knots in your wood or its going to be a pain to split. next cut a cedar stake in to 4 parts the same length as your pine. to get the split effect i used a 3/4in chisel and carefully start hammering the chisel in to the end grain taking it out moving it over 3/4in and hammering it again until you get a trench along the center of your pine end grain. keep at this until you get a clean split down the center. i found that the half pieces were to thick so i knocked off another quarter inch or so off the split side of the 4 pine parts, keep in mind the design is meant to show case the wood grain in a interesting way so the parts do not need to be symmetrical.

Step 2: Add the Sticky Stuff and Squeeze

when the pine is split to your liking glue a cedar corner part to one end of each pine board and clamp.

when the glue is dry add the other sides and try to make them square

when the 4 sides are together put the bottom material under it and trace the outline to be cut so the bottom will fit neatly up inside. after a hour or so of sanding and filing because i failed at making a 90degree corner. i wanted a challenge so i used a chisel to cut out my bottom panel not the neatest cut but worked really well with the easy to split shingles when the bottom fits the box tap it in with a mallet and add a little glue to hold it in place i used some wood chips to fill the gaps resulting from my over enthusiasm with the chisel.

Step 3: PUT a LID ON IT!!!

the lid was the easiest part of this build i found a pre cut shingle with nice grain that covered most of the box and i found a thin section of scrap dowel and a drill bit with the same thickness.

put a hole through the lid and into the pine for about a inch glue the dowel into the box side NOT THE LID! its not that big a deal but i think it would be a improvement and increase the durability of the box as the thin dowel is put under a lot of stress when the box is fully open.

Step 4: Handle and Magnet

time for a trip to the beach to gather the long dead tree fragments we call drift wood find a cool handle shaped one to affix to the top of the box i was unsure of the best way to attach it so i used hot glue not the best solution but easy to fix if it ever breaks.

i took 2 neodymium magnets from kids toy and inset them in the lid and top of the box to keep the lid in place. after i finished it with some brush on varathain and left it to dry

Step 5: Shameless Self Promotion. Vote Eh?

if you like this i'ble than please vote for me in the Epilog VII contest

i have scores of ideas on what to use the laser cutter for including a few projects that i could never do other wise i hope you find this worthy or you just like the way the box turned out send a vote my way call it a early birthday present thanks for reading

enjoy the pile of extra pictures that were either duplicates or didn't make the cut i just love annotations