Little Box of Oddities

A few weeks ago a new customer reached out to us and asked us to build a set of keepsake boxes for her children to keep on their dressers, a place for them to keep a the little treasures and oddities children collect. She wanted something special and she needed something that wouldn't blow up the Christmas budget. 

After a little bit of discussion about cost we settled on pine - UNTIL I talked it over with our resident woodworker and discovered pine was a terrible choice for a project like this. While it's tempting to think pine would be perfect (who hasn't heard of a pine coffin?), the texture of pine is far too soft for this kind of small scale work. And, as he pointed out, as a soft wood, pine (particularly the Eastern White Pine that is available in our region) will show every bump, bruise, and ding that comes along. 

Mr. Smarty Pants (who is actually quite smart, much to my chagrin) said he would use oak instead. Is it an upgrade from pine? Yes and no. Yes, it's an upgrade in material and cost for us. No, being honest and trusting a customer to see value and quality work isn't an upgrade. It's just how we roll. 

So, why oak? Oak is a much harder wood than pine and it rarely splinters or breaks while being worked with. The edges are clean, the bevels are smooth and it's an overall better product - one that will last a lifetime. 

And in the end, that's what our customer asked for. She didn't ask for a junk box, she asked for a piece her children can keep and pass down one day to the next generation. 

So, what's next? We're adding feet and a soft lining (probably cork) along the bottom of the box to protect the items going into the box. The boxes will then be engraved with the children's names and sent to their new homes. 

This is why we do what we do.