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Bob Roemisch (verified owner)–
I took up wood working about 3 years ago and wanted a project to challenge myself so I selected the jewelry box to make for my daughter-in-law. I primarily work with power tools and the idea of using hand tools and making hand cut dovetails was to say the least nerve-racking. Following along with Marc’s tutorial I gained the confidence I needed to complete the project. Marc explained the objectives clearly and showcased the various techniques for completing in a way which was easy to follow and complete. Although making a few mistakes along the way, I accepted this as a great learning experience. I would highly recommend this project to anyone who is willing to challenge themselves and increase their capabilities.
Padraic Mulligan (verified owner)–
Like so many others I made this as a 5th anniversary gift over a year ago now. This was my first purchased guild project and when I took this on I would say this project was WAY outside of my skill level. I had done some test dovetails, made the free stepstool project, etc. but there were a ton of techniques in here I had not done at all (half-blind dovetails, raised panels, hinge installation, drawers, stopped dados) and the ones I had performed I was certainly no expert. To say I loved this class would be an understatement. Mark taught everything in a way that was easy to understand and very approachable for someone to duplicate. I made a ton of mistakes along the way and it took me some time to finish it but in the end I came away with an amazing jewelry box that people hardly believe I made. Also I used it as an excuse to purchase some new tools…
Personally I feel the price I paid was worth it just to watch the videos for as much time as I got out of it. I have since purchased two projects that I’m not even building right now just because I loved watching them and they did not disappoint.
Side note I followed everything in the video as presented even though, as I said, some of the techniques were outside of my skill level. It took time and patience but it was all pretty forgiving. Nobody notices any of my errors unless I point them out.
andrewmlee (verified owner)–
Made this as a 5th anniversary present for my wife (since the 5th is wood, it just made sense). It was my first guild project and my first real fine woodworking project as well. Made a lot of mistakes along the way but I had a great time learning all the techniques that Marc uses in the videos, particularly the alternatives for joinery. The plans and instructional videos from Marc were excellent and really helped me to stay on track with the project. I used the Bell Forest kit for the box since I don’t have a jointer or planer, and it was a lifesaver for me to able to get this finished.
Overall, a great project and a great start for someone looking to delve into fine woodworking. I will definitely move on to some other guild projects now.
Mike Flaminio (verified owner)–
I made this as a birthday present for my wife. My biggest regret was not making a second for my daughter! I made mine with birds eye maple fronts/panels and cherry frame. It turned out very nicely and was a great exercise in details. I was most concerned about curving the front doors by hand and that turned out to be my favorite part of the project!
The plans and video instruction were great. It was the first time doing a few of this project’s techniques and the videos did a great job breaking down the tasks and demonstrating the approach.
EricLew (verified owner)–
I just finished this jewelry box, I used maple and sapele. Everyone who sees it, loves it, especially my daughter, who was the recipient. Don’t be fooled by the “small size” of this project, there is a lot of woodworking packed into it. This was the first time I did hand cut dovetails, and couldn’t do the double recessed half blinds at the front of the drawers, so I ended up just doing matching single dovetails front and back.
I have built a lot of big furniture, but this little guy was the most complex project I have ever done. The difference is, I am used to doing one or two operations on each piece, and then moving on. On this project you do many operations on most of the parts, which can get scary because you don’t want to make a mistake on a part you have worked on for days. Marc’s videos are great, this was my first guild project, and I watched the whole series start to finish a few times before I started. That was very helpful because Marc actually made a mistake on one operation, and later made a small change to the drawer pulls. Watching all the videos first allowed me to avoid those situations, and also use his idea to inlay a mirror in the lid which was not in the original design.
This project was a lot of work, but when you finish it, the sense of accomplishment is great, as is the reaction from people who see it.
brookk (verified owner)–
Ordered this series early on when the cultist and Bell Forrest kits were still work in progress. There were multiple discrepancies at first, but nothing that could not be overcome with a little patience and ingenuity. Overall the video instruction was awesome and made this otherwise daunting project very manageable. I made a few modifications mostly out of fear, but some were stylistic. I used a porter cable miniature dovetail jig and used half blinds for the drawers and the side cases. I tried hand cutting and got frustrated too easily. I also opted to skip the curved front and used 45 degree chamfers instead of round overs on the edges and bevels on the side panels instead of using a cove bit. The biggest problem I had was wood movement (cupping). The 3/8 thick carcass components would be slightly different every day. This made getting the drawers to fit just right a challenge. I chose the milled Cherry and Curly Maple combo from Bell Forrest and finished with Danish Oil. Shortly after I began the project the cut list and sketchup files were updated, so no major issues in that regard. I have purchased a few of these projects from the guild and will be back. Marc has a great style, is very clear and concise in his delivery and is a great instructor.
I took up wood working about 3 years ago and wanted a project to challenge myself so I selected the jewelry box to make for my daughter-in-law. I primarily work with power tools and the idea of using hand tools and making hand cut dovetails was to say the least nerve-racking. Following along with Marc’s tutorial I gained the confidence I needed to complete the project. Marc explained the objectives clearly and showcased the various techniques for completing in a way which was easy to follow and complete. Although making a few mistakes along the way, I accepted this as a great learning experience. I would highly recommend this project to anyone who is willing to challenge themselves and increase their capabilities.
Like so many others I made this as a 5th anniversary gift over a year ago now. This was my first purchased guild project and when I took this on I would say this project was WAY outside of my skill level. I had done some test dovetails, made the free stepstool project, etc. but there were a ton of techniques in here I had not done at all (half-blind dovetails, raised panels, hinge installation, drawers, stopped dados) and the ones I had performed I was certainly no expert. To say I loved this class would be an understatement. Mark taught everything in a way that was easy to understand and very approachable for someone to duplicate. I made a ton of mistakes along the way and it took me some time to finish it but in the end I came away with an amazing jewelry box that people hardly believe I made. Also I used it as an excuse to purchase some new tools…
Personally I feel the price I paid was worth it just to watch the videos for as much time as I got out of it. I have since purchased two projects that I’m not even building right now just because I loved watching them and they did not disappoint.
Side note I followed everything in the video as presented even though, as I said, some of the techniques were outside of my skill level. It took time and patience but it was all pretty forgiving. Nobody notices any of my errors unless I point them out.
Made this as a 5th anniversary present for my wife (since the 5th is wood, it just made sense). It was my first guild project and my first real fine woodworking project as well. Made a lot of mistakes along the way but I had a great time learning all the techniques that Marc uses in the videos, particularly the alternatives for joinery. The plans and instructional videos from Marc were excellent and really helped me to stay on track with the project. I used the Bell Forest kit for the box since I don’t have a jointer or planer, and it was a lifesaver for me to able to get this finished.
Overall, a great project and a great start for someone looking to delve into fine woodworking. I will definitely move on to some other guild projects now.
I made this as a birthday present for my wife. My biggest regret was not making a second for my daughter! I made mine with birds eye maple fronts/panels and cherry frame. It turned out very nicely and was a great exercise in details. I was most concerned about curving the front doors by hand and that turned out to be my favorite part of the project!
The plans and video instruction were great. It was the first time doing a few of this project’s techniques and the videos did a great job breaking down the tasks and demonstrating the approach.
I just finished this jewelry box, I used maple and sapele. Everyone who sees it, loves it, especially my daughter, who was the recipient. Don’t be fooled by the “small size” of this project, there is a lot of woodworking packed into it. This was the first time I did hand cut dovetails, and couldn’t do the double recessed half blinds at the front of the drawers, so I ended up just doing matching single dovetails front and back.
I have built a lot of big furniture, but this little guy was the most complex project I have ever done. The difference is, I am used to doing one or two operations on each piece, and then moving on. On this project you do many operations on most of the parts, which can get scary because you don’t want to make a mistake on a part you have worked on for days. Marc’s videos are great, this was my first guild project, and I watched the whole series start to finish a few times before I started. That was very helpful because Marc actually made a mistake on one operation, and later made a small change to the drawer pulls. Watching all the videos first allowed me to avoid those situations, and also use his idea to inlay a mirror in the lid which was not in the original design.
This project was a lot of work, but when you finish it, the sense of accomplishment is great, as is the reaction from people who see it.
Ordered this series early on when the cultist and Bell Forrest kits were still work in progress. There were multiple discrepancies at first, but nothing that could not be overcome with a little patience and ingenuity. Overall the video instruction was awesome and made this otherwise daunting project very manageable. I made a few modifications mostly out of fear, but some were stylistic. I used a porter cable miniature dovetail jig and used half blinds for the drawers and the side cases. I tried hand cutting and got frustrated too easily. I also opted to skip the curved front and used 45 degree chamfers instead of round overs on the edges and bevels on the side panels instead of using a cove bit. The biggest problem I had was wood movement (cupping). The 3/8 thick carcass components would be slightly different every day. This made getting the drawers to fit just right a challenge. I chose the milled Cherry and Curly Maple combo from Bell Forrest and finished with Danish Oil. Shortly after I began the project the cut list and sketchup files were updated, so no major issues in that regard. I have purchased a few of these projects from the guild and will be back. Marc has a great style, is very clear and concise in his delivery and is a great instructor.