Did you know that wood is the traditional gift for a 5th wedding anniversary? With that being the case I was trying to come up with something impressive that could be given as an anniversary gift. So I thought I’d use the techniques from my curved box to create a wooden heart box. And I wanted it to have 2 hearts. Why? Well it’s easy to get a box shaped like a single heart. But 2 hearts, joined together as one flowing piece of wood, not so easy to find.
How I made the wooden heart box
First I made a template. I used a heart shape from google images, then played around with the layout in Photoshop. It’s a bit rough so in future I plan to do a proper PDF template.
I then glued some planks of scrap wood together as shown here, and transferred my template onto it.
Next I cut out the necessary shapes with the bandsaw. I replaced my usual 6mm blade with a 3mm in order to navigate the tight curves.
I then glued the necessary pieces together, and you can see the wooden heart box now starting to take shape.
This entire project required some hardcore sanding. I did most of it by hand because of the awkward curves and angles. It was tough, I could barely pick up my toothbrush the next day!
Thinking about quitting
Glad I pushed through
And this is the wooden heart box after sanding, it actually looks like the design on my template! I was so happy I just sat there for 10 minutes cradling it like a little wooden baby.
Next I made the drawer handles. I used a 13mm dowel, drilled a hole in the centre of it, and inserted a 6mm dowel. I then glued this into a 6mm hole I drilled in the front of each drawer. This gives a nice neat finish, and a strong connection.
Finishing the wooden heart box
For the finish, I applied the following:
- 2 coats of boiled linseed oil to highlight the grain of the wood
- 3 coats of polyurethane varnish thinned with white spirit so that it could be wiped on
- Wax to fill in any tiny indents and give a deeper shine
The end product
And here’s the completed wooden heart box. It makes a great gift for occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays or valentine’s day. Or it’s just a nice way to show someone you care.
