{"id":572,"date":"2023-05-07T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-07T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelosttrail.com\/?p=572"},"modified":"2025-08-16T06:43:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T06:43:09","slug":"the-letter-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelosttrail.com\/?p=572","title":{"rendered":"The Letter Box"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Large letter box made with maple and walnut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Over the years, I’ve saved the cards and letters from “She Who Must Be Obeyed” but lacked a space to put them. While I enjoy making things for her, making something for me was not on the list. Alas, despite having outlived my usefulness, my collection of fan mail offered an excuse to ruin some wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started with some 1\/4″ flat curly maple and highly figured walnut. I made four panels and the lid by backing the 1\/4″ stock with plywood and securing it all with marine epoxy. In hindsight, I should have used Baltic Birch as the stuff I chose had large voids. Once dry, I trimmed the panels to size and used curly maple for the corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the box built, I cut the lid off on the table saw and capped the interior edges with thin walnut strips. I have a love-hate relationship with Brusso quadrant hinges, but once the inner box revealed itself, there really wasn’t a choice. Can’t be having beautiful wood and cheap hinges. If you do these, go slow, use a drill press, and very sharp chisels to cut your holes. They make templates for these but I’ve tried two and fitting by hand gives me the best results.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Custom escutcheon by
AB Craftworks, Croatia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Add a solid brass half mortise lock set and then the escutcheon. There is some symbolism in our relationship, my wife and I, so a custom piece was in order. Etsy was my friend with this and I hooked up with Boris, a craftsman in Croatia (AB Craftworks). Several design mods back and forth and he cut a coin that turned out far better than I had hoped. It’s solid brass, so no plating to worry about. I cut the key-way first because of where I wanted it to be on the face, then cut the mortise for the coin. Since the dogs are not yet reading at grade level, I’ve no real need to keep prying eyes out of the box but the lock works and I like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanded everything out to 320 and finished in 8-10 coats of tung oil varnish. The sides are only moderately polished, but the top got the full “instrument” treatment. After several weeks to cure, I cut the finish down to 3200 and polished with cutting wax and finally polish. (These are hand finishing products but I’ve been watching some Blacktail Studios stuff for years; Cam has broken the code on mirror finishes which I may try.)<\/p>\n\n\n

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Once finished, the interior was lined with suede cloth on MDF thin stock, solid brass handles were added, and small rails for the inner box\/tray. the rails are waxed with carnuba to allow the the inner tray to slide without sticking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, I think this came out well. The chatoyance in the maple is amazing and the walnut isn’t bad either. Other than the plywood choice, I’d do it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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