Spike Box

The lid for this box came from an interesting board out of Eutaw Alabama. Though the board was wide, maybe two feet or better, it was badly warped with numerous small cracks.

The grain, spalting, and color were the payoff for such a difficult piece. Blind cutting along the edge at a 5 degree angle produced a raised panel.

The handle is a very old rail spike that was heavily textured from decades of rust. Wire brushing brought it to a black patina after which a coat of lacquer to prevent further rusting.

The base is some salvaged walnut paneling planed to 1/2 inch thick. The corners are joined with box joints (similar to dovetails. Each finger in each joint is reinforced with solid copper nails and is chamfered by using a small plane and chisel.

The box sits atop a base, the ends of which are cut at a 15 degree angle. This unique piece is approximatey 13 1/2" x 5" x 4 1/2"