Wax It With The Nugget

I did not know what to say when my younger brother asked me to create a shoe shining box for him. I was even more in shock when he told me how big he wanted it, 14"X16"! When I hit the drawing board designing the box I decided that a frame and panel was the only option for the top. The entire piece was constructed of solid wood and designed to endure lifetimes of use. The box was constructed with Black Cherry and Yellow Poplar. I chose to challenge myself and try hounds-tooth through dovetails for the carcass construction and they turned out spot on. The fish shaped structure on top is a foot prop. I know that my brother will be able to fit everything that he will ever need for shoe shining (and maybe even the shoes themselves) for the rest of his life. By the way a nugget is a ball of wax for shoe polishing.

Herwiggy Up In Smoke

The Herwiggy Nation can now smoke in style. Mark Lobsinger commissioned this custom humidor with the Herwiggy logo front and center. The humidor is 9" X 12" X 5" and will hold 25-30 cigars for premium ageing. The entire piece was constructed of solid wood and was designed to endure lifetimes of use. The main box or carcass is Black Cherry. The Bird’s Eye Maple handle is mortised into the lid. The carcass was constructed with miters reinforced with keys and pinned at the corners. The keys are Bird’s Eye Maple and the pins are cherry. Holly inlay was set into the background of the lid. The Spanish Cedar interiors are intentionally left unfinished. The aroma of the cedar adds to the taste of the cigars as they age. The interior sidepieces were not glued in place and lock in when the humidor is seasoned. The exterior was finished with a Watco Danish Oil (Natural Color). The entire piece has been top coated with paste wax. This was a deviation away from my typical dovetailed carcasses using a birdhouse jig to shoot the long miters for the corners. The humidor also has a significant amount of hardware that is associated; humidifier, hygrometer, lid support, and the normal hinges. I guess I cannot speak to how well the humidor works till I sample from its storage.