Day 47, Brass Gauge Blocks With Box
When you get a table saw, it's convenient to have a collection of brass setup blocks so you can set the height of your blades accurately. Despite just being a small chunk of brass machined to a precise dimension, they are actually not super cheap, with even basic sets costing upwards of $20 for a basic set of five.
Anything that costs that much deserves a proper box to hold them, and this was one of the first boxes I made. I don't think I even clearly had this use in mind when I made the box: it was the first one that I made with a sliding lid that fits into a rabbet, and as such it's pretty crude, and I screwed up the front a little bit as well, so its not the prettiest thing, and frankly it's a bit large for the bits that I put into it, but it works and in the four years or so I've had them, I've managed not to lose any of the blocks, which is a plus.
One thing I've also found is that putting a label on boxes is a good way to help you organize things. I don't have a laser engraver or the like, but I was experimenting with different methods of labeling boxes. I used a technique to transfer a laser printed graphic onto wood. The basic technique is to use a laser printer (I have a cheap Brother all-in-one unit) onto the backing sheet (the waste part) of some printer stickers sheets, and then coat the wood with Polycrylic polyurethane. You then press the sheet into the wet surface, and roll it down to remove any bubbles. You then let it dry, and then you can peel the backing paper off, and finish it by coating it with more Polycrylic.
Here's a youtube video that has the technique in more detail:
I got better at this kind of thing, and used it to make some personalized boxes, such as this one I made from walnut as a retirement gift for my friend Tom.
Hope you all are having a good Sunday.