The cracked wood box is widely credited to the late Judson Beaumont. He was a furniture designer and artist who continues to inspire woodworkers such as myself with his crazy and seemingly impossible ideas. So I’ve given it a try, using some 2×4 off-cuts which would otherwise have been discarded.
You could use a nice luxurious hard wood but I love creating things from scraps of wood left over from other projects. And these boxes don’t have to follow a set design, which means you can work with the features of whatever wood you’re using. You can have curves and cracks wherever you want!
You need a bandsaw, some wood glue, and a steady hand. And if you can cut the shapes out correctly and then stick them back together nicely you can create magic.
The bit I least enjoyed was the amount of sanding required, especially as I was using wood that had been bashed around. But if you want a great finish you just have to suck it up. (But not literally, wear your dust mask.)
And here’s the completed cracked wood box. Finished with oil and wiping varnish, with a bit of wax around the drawers for a smooth slide. If you’d like to make one of these, or have one made for you, feel free to contact me. Or you can receive my newsletter to get the latest news, updates and projects straight to your inbox.
If you can draw and design it, you can build it. I love it when someone tells me, ‘You cannot build that’ or ‘No one would want that’. These words only encourage me more.
Judson Beaumont