The Box Challenge - Results - Round 2

....more boxes, and more to come.

The Box Challenge - Surface Gilding

I don't know...it seemed appropriate and pretty easy enough to do .
French pale,rosenoble and fine gold.

The Box Challenge - results - round 1

As promised
The first batch of 10 from last week
...lots of onlays, tooling, handlettering,a bit of gold work , some eggshell and some printing =
2 days design work
2 days tooling patterns
5 days dying, paring,printing, and applying goatskins
5 days final tooling in gold and foils
...another fitzgerald...I was going for stained glass...

Eggshell panels (part 2)

Having sanded the panel to a smooth glass like finish, you can colour them and finish with a double coat of shellac(sanding inbetween , of course!).This can be then buffed to high gloss, on the book.
I coloured mine just slightly, using red, blue and yellow dyes.
I have worked panels into shapes and curves before, but it is a great deal of work, and requires different prep.,so while some may rightly think the design lazy....expediency is the key to getting the job done.
IE The Great Gatsby.....east egg .....west egg ..... eggshell panels.... job's'a gudden ....next!
The panels are cut on the board chopper, and recessed onto the case, then worked into a pattern of basic lines, black onlays, and a little gold.I apologise for the quality, I literally had minutes to take them.
This is one method of making an eggshell panel.There are others.....
I will be posting the results of the finished boxes , every 2/3 days...
To come...surface gilding.

Box challenge Day 50..D-Day approaches...

So...the first batch will be out this week,and pics will be shown when finished....
It rained all day, while I was tooling, but the weather broke around sunset, and the light came raking in across the park lighting up my own tree silhouettes(more block printing..I will have start something new soon!)I took a picture... the top left corner of the view..It's not a mocking bird but it was out there.... all on its own!!
it was a good day
Part 2 of the eggshell monday

Box challenge day 35 / Eggshell panels part 1

Jean Dunand(1877-1942) is credited with first using lacquered eggshell panels in furntiture and bindings.

I was lucky enough to be around to see one of my old teachers make a
panel, and consequently I have another trick I can use.(thanks Mark!) Glue the eggs on to
a rough black paper, grout it with black gesso, sand, and sand, and sand, until the surface is as smooth as glass, or thereabouts...
Part 2 will include colouring the panels , sealing with a lacquer, and mounting as a recessed onlay onto the cover for "The Great Gatsby".

Box challenge DAY 28

...now this is not the traditional box you will see many trade binderies producing.That box is made in 2 parts, this one is in 3.
Of course I think this box is stronger,functions better, and looks more polished.
Stress at the joints is divided by the form(inside joint) and the case(outer joint), rather than having 1 piece do all the work.
The head and tail are turned-in over a square vellum/goat head cap, forming a snug trap into which the form will be glued in.
I essentially treat the box as if I am casing-in a leather case binding.
That is, when "putting the back in", I set the joint with a backing board, and leave in a "fence" in order to keep the board at 90 degree angle to the form.
One word about the joints.....
I want to put the joints down with the board open at 90 degree angle to the spine...just as in casing-in a leather bound book.
The boxes left overnight to dry can be cased-in the following day,trays, joints, linings etc....
I have found that putting the joints down this way increases the flexibility of the box, whilst also relieving the tension at the inside joints.This will also prevent the boards from pulling off the spine and pulling the box open when cased-in and standing up.
Boxes with the joints put down in this manner, can be opened all the way backwards so that the foredges of the board touch with no danger that the joint will split.
Now no-one is going to be opening boxes like this, but the added flexibility is a bonus, and can only extend the life of the box.
NB ...also this is the last point you will have to make sure your boxes will stand-up straight, catch the ones that are going to be a problem and fix them.If you don't see it now, you won't discover it until the box is finished.....and thats never good!
so to recap....casing in this way will ensure your boxes stand-up straight and stay shut!!!
Which is what we all want ...basic requirement!

Box challenge DAY 21

...........62 trays cut and covered-31 rounded forms covered in goat split to 0.3, with 31 spine pieces cut-62 boards cut , back-cornered, and sanded-31 covers split to o.75 , cut and pared.
Case making to follow, but somehow I appear to be a week behind!

Box challenge DAY 14

Day 14...board linings and rounding Spine forms.

......the boards cut from an 80pt, or 3mm board, are lined with a smooth bristol board on the outside using PVA.
Now, because we're using these for making leather cases, and because those cases are covered in onlays, I paste and stretch an acid neutral cotton fibre 25lb bond paper across the board, which initially pulls them inwards, but will later help the boards set rigid and flat.
I can't cut the material for making the rounded Spine Forms without first lining the boards as a true measurement can only be taken with the trays between boards.
I use BINDERS BOARD to make the rounds!!!Not Balsa, Not paper,not toilet rolls!!!
It is readily available, easily sculpted in the right hands, and provides a good solid back to the box,structurally sound and good for tooling.
Different strokes for different folks!!
The base board is cut to the width of the trays between boards, then built up by successive possibly thinner boards, in a pyramid.These are glued together, then rather perversely I hand plane them into curve using a kraft knife.
Its not for everyone, but I do like the control it gives me.
After planing, they are then sanded with a 30, 50, or 80 grit sand paper.Use a heavy paper and wear a mask.
These will then be covered, and after that the spine pieces for the cases can be cut, and cases made....over 30 of them......easy, right????!!!
The bristol board and lining paper is available and affordable from Hollinger's, I will post a link in the list of freinds.