Shou Sugi BanD Saw Boxes

Use the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique on bandsaw boxes.

Tools

• Bandsaw (may be able to get by with a jig saw)
• Propane/fire source (*)
• Router (optional)
• Sander (optional)

Materials

• Tree branches
• Glue
• Acrylic Paints
• Sand paper
• Denatured Alcohol (optional) (*)

(*) Hey anything involving fire and alcohol has to be fun

This will be the base of your box.

We're basically going to hollow out the inside, so get a good size.

The starting branch here is a little to long, so . . .

If your branch is from the wild and is kind of long, use your band saw (or other means) to cut it down to the rough size for your box.

Here, I'm using a 14" bandsaw with 6TPI blade.

There are a million ways to cut logs on a bandsaw, one way is to use the Carter AccuRite Miter Mill for Logs shown here. It's basically a sled that holds the branch as you slide the whole thing through the blade.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much.

Usually trimming the box down to size winds up making a not-so-level-looking top and or bottom, so . . .

One way to flatten is first to prop up your branch with clay or shims until it looks level.

Here, I used some clay under the branch to prop it up until it was sanding straighter. Then . . .

Put the rails on the router table and raise the blade to just near the high spots on the branch. In the second photo you can see how the branch is tilting to the left and the right underside has the high spot.

Now . . .

Run the rail sled over the router and raise the blade and repeat until the bottom is even. Here is a video demonstrating this.

Pull off the rails from the branch.

This is a video demonstrating this.

You can repeat the router process to even out the top side of the branch, but you could also push the branch through the band saw with the bottom end flush against the band saw fence. Either way you are now ready to start the Band Saw box part of the project . . .

This is one of the more confusing steps in making bandsaw boxes, but trust the art.

Sketch a rough line around the branch at about a half inch below the top.

Then line the branch up against the bandsaw fence and carefully push the branch through the blade.

Trust the art.

Admittedly not as dramatic, but repeat by slicing off about a half an inch slice from the bottom.

We're going to use these again later, and it's very easy to get them mixed up.

I recommend marking the outer and inner sides of both top and bottom.

You can add a set of magnets to the top of the box and the box lid to help keep the lid in place.

First, tape a couple of straight pins or nails flat on the top of the box, then place the lid on the box and squish down.

... this will put indentations on the top ledge of the box and on the underside of the lid which allow your magnets to line up

For 6mm (aka 1/4i in) mini-magnets, I found a 15/64 bit worked pretty well. Drill the holes down a little deeper than the height of the magnet so glue and the magnets will both fit in the holes.

Remember to glue the magnets that are inlaid into the top edge of the box should be one polarity facing up, and the magnets on the lid should be inlaid with the opposite polarity facing up. Otherwise the lid will slide off. Yep been there, done that.

Sand the box and the lid with 150 then 220 grit sandpaper.

Be sure to put on earplugs and N95 mask. But put them on YOU.

hee

Now the fun part. Use a propane torch to lightly burn, like a well-done piece of toast, the box and lid.

Wipe down loose soot with alcohol of your choice.

I used a variety of acrylic paints, water-based dye, and alcohol. Oh, scratch that, I didn't used the Merlot.

I recommend applying the paint like you would stain: with a cloth. Note that gloves are really expensive these days so as a tip: buy XXL gloves, they are easier to remove and you can re-use them several times.

As the paint dries, it will look chalky and ugly.

These photos show a box after its paint has dried and after polycrylic was applied. The poly will bring out a deeper, richer color.

Enjoy!

Even more credit if you actually know what a Shrinky-Dink is.