Question for you wood workers....

[Richard]

Update and then wood question....

Bible is in my hands. She didn't see eye to eye. Several stories to indicate this bible would go to me on the passing of Dad. At funeral, I asked if she was ok if I went to get it. (quote) Richard, I PROMISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS that you'll get the bible but (and some comment about not being ready yet, as she was blowing tears) Tears I might add that I didn't see at the funeral nor, did I see at her very mothers funeral. Crocodile tears? I don't know.

Drove 8 hours on Friday to meet her and my sister. Visited, chatted (Saturday morning). Got up, walked in other room, picked up Bible, brought it to living room and said "Let's talk about the White Elephant"....and set the bible on the table.

I asked her "do you recall at the funeral, saying to me.... (the quote above)

Her comment? I never said that. (at this point of a blatent lie, she lost my attention) but she went on to say something like "what I said was I wasn't ready to make decisions, wah wah wah.... I didn't really register what she was saying.

Given this was a blatent lie to my face, I'm concluding she'll say anything to get what she wants. I just nodded, picked up the Bible, walked towards the bedroom from where I got it.....but, turned left, walked out the front door with bible in hand, got in car and drove home.

My sister who witnessed all this (she also knows I'm supposed to get the Bible because our father made a deal with us that she would give me the Secretary if I'd let her have the bible....so we're both on same page....until little sticky fingers gets involved.

I just have to say one more thing.... I told my wife/sisters, this would be like Camilla (wife of King's name?) what if HE died and Camilla said about the Crown Jewels.... "I'm still processing things.... I'm not ready to give them up"

Excuse me? All heck would break loose....those belong to the Royal Family, not her, the second wife to decide the fate. (this is my dad's third wife)


I digress.

Bible is here in my house.

What I'm wondring are wood types. Basically a flat/base portion and a removable box with the clear top (think like a cake plate)

I can do the cuts. What I really suck at is the artistry of what wood to use.

Oak? Walnut? How about Walnut for base, Maple for the box with the clear top?

Olive wood?

I've got a nice piece of Zebrawood

I fall flat on my face here. If someone said this & that would go well.... I can make it happen. I get stuck and indecisive when I go to the wood place and see 325 different sizes and types of wood.

Cherry?

So if you think two pieces, flat bottom and the removable sides (with the clear top on it), what wood might look classy, timeless (since this is a bible, it's got me thinking the olive wood)

100% one wood? (walnut base & sides?)
Split it? (Walnut base, zebrawood sides?)

Paralasis by analysis.... helppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp!!!

 

[Richard]

Piece of paper in there with 1888 written on it by Dad. Implication is he spoke to someone or otherwise ascertained or guessed that was year it was made, if so, it's 137 years old.

 

[civilian]

Glad you got the family bible. Sorry for all that happened before you actually have it in your possession. Remind us, do you want the bible open in this wood case? Then a certain page could be viewed without opening the box. Maybe if passages had a meaning for the time/day. You change accordingly. Not sure what woods I would choose. Any wood/lumber from the homestead? Maybe a species that your dad liked? Jon

 

[bigtiller]

I think keeping it simple with just one wood type would be nice for an old bible like yours. Red Oak would be my choice with an oil base finish.

Also, leaving an old book open can put stress on the spine and potentially cause damage. It's better to store old books flat and to handle them gently when reading.

 

[dstig1]

The wood should fade into the background. You are displaying the bible, not the wood. Keep it simple and plain. Just about anything common without any wild grain will work. You mentioned walnut, cherry, oak, maple. Any will work. I might suggest walnut given how dark the bible is, so it won't stand out but rather blend into the background. Simple clear finish like a few coats of wiping poly. You definitely want a curing finish (varnish/poly) for this so there is no chance of an interaction with the bible. Give it a month to cure before you put the bible on it so you don't risk it sticking to a partially uncured finish.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'd be tempted to make a Bible pedestal like this, easy if you have a router. Then you could make an acrylic or glass top which would be just a cover to go over it. If Bible is 12"×14"×10" cover would be, say, 13"×15"×11"

 

[Richard]

Glad you got the family bible. Sorry for all that happened before you actually have it in your possession. Remind us, do you want the bible open in this wood case? Then a certain page could be viewed without opening the box. Maybe if passages had a meaning for the time/day. You change accordingly. Not sure what woods I would choose. Any wood/lumber from the homestead? Maybe a species that your dad liked? Jon

Quick answer is I don't really know. This is a clean sheet of paper to design.

I envision an open book on a stand... I envision a grandchild or in time, great grandchild with chocolate melted on hands, curiously looking at that book....and creating a mess. The first (and to be hones, only) idea that ever came to me was the "cake plate" idea. Bible in an enclosed box, clear top. Therefore, it would HAVE to be removed to be viewed which I suppose, would mean more hand interaction than a fixed base.

 

[Richard]

Maybe a species that your dad liked? Jon

Missed this first time. It was actually a funny thing you said....but I realize you don't know Dad. Asking him what his favorite wood is (he would have none) would be like asking about the health of a twig on a tree that is on the other side of the earth at midnight while it's raining.

leaving an old book open can put stress on the spine and potentially cause damage. It's better to store old books flat and to handle them gently when reading.

I went through it last night. Pulled out a number of obituaries. Interestingly, I found TWO napkins in there. Embossed they each said "Bob & Doris" (my mother) I've never seen these. I'm guessing they are from their wedding. I wonder if his third wife who breaks to tears because this is so important to her, even knows they are in there lol. Having found them, I might make/buy a shadow box for each of them and give them each to my sisters. I have two napkins and two sisters! Or maybe I could send them to his wife #3 since she didn't want to let anything go.... lol.

You are displaying the bible, not the wood

This struck a chord in me. I agree and I think in that instant, tilted to using walnut.

 

[Richard]

Question (background first)

I've been (carefully) going through this bible. There are obituaries in there dating back to 1898 and births noted in there going back to 1886. This is on dedicated pages in the book to commemorate these events.

I then have some loose papers, maybe a newspaper obit that was cut out or something. Not a lot of them but it's interesting to look at this stuff.

One to my question.... I'd like to keep all this together without sliding all the loose papers into the Bible itself. That got me thinking.

Maybe make the base say, two inches tall..... inside the base, have essentially a drawer that would slide out and in the drawer, lay the papers. Now they're all together but not stuffed into the Bible itself.

Which brings me mechanically to how would I cut the drawer out? My vision was it would be cut out of the base so it would be perfectly matched wood. Don't think I could cut (for lack of better word) a "slot" that the drawer would slide into. Maybe I could take say, TWO ONE inch pieces. Cut drawer slot out of one of them then sandwich pieces together and now have a drawer opening. I suppose I'd have the cutout piece that could be routed/machined into being at minimum, the drawer front.

Just for kicks, imagine the base part having to be about 16x20. The drawer would be pretty thin... maybe 3/4 to an inch in depth (there are not a lot of papers with this) Otherwise, able to handle 8x11 sheet of paper.

How to approach making a drawer for this.....then, how to latch it. I was thinking put a simple hook or maybe hide it by putting a threaded brass rod in one side, passing through and threading into a receiver on other side. This way the drawer (hopefully) won't just slide out if tilted in an errant direction. Meantime, casual eyes might not realize there's something hidden beyond the brass knurls.....

Side note, it's amazing how creative my wife can be in coming up with projects for "us" to do. Heck, I hardly had time today to mow the field but for some of her items. No moss grows on her, she never stays still. She will probably be one of my larger challenges to deal with to get some time to focus on doing this box!!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Lots of choices. There's a metal (brass) Basilica stand, from basic to ornate. The basic one could be fabricated easily with brass parts like a lamp base, the top if you know a metal fabricator or buy ready made.
Attached to a walnut wooded base, basically a box with drawer.
Over the years I've repurposed so many things, I'd be checking out antique stores for a drawer base the right size, most have a key lock for drawer.
Just a thought...