David and June's Firewood Box

$7000.00

This large cherry firewood box measures 24" deep, 36" wide, and 53" tall. The piece has two doors for versatile access to the firewood. The top door opens upwards allowing the top logs to be removed from a comfortable height while giving you access to an interior shelf large enough to accommodate kindling and matches. The bottom door swings downward allowing you access to lower logs. It is quite a large piece and is able to hold a great deal of firewood which means less frequent trips out into the cold as your wood pile dwindles in chilly weather (as I write this it is 15 degrees outside on a February night.)

Below is the front on view of the cabinet. From this vantage point it is easier to see the shiplap frame and panel doors. We angled the shiplap on the top and front doors to create a diamond pattern. The angle of the shiplap is a subtle but important detail that gives the piece much of its mood. Too harsh an angle and the diamond becomes a heavy handed square and if too obtuse an angle you would be left with an insipid zig-zag look. Also, from this vantage point you can see how the barrels on the top door are closer together then the barrels on the bottom door (It isn't the perspective doing that). Little details like this to give texture and interest to an otherwise large empty plane of wood.

Next is a photo with the top door lifted open. You can see the kindling shelf and the interior of the piece. The interior is lined with galvanized steel which metalworker Everett Booth was kind enough to help us with (many thanks--we owe you one, Everett!)

The top is held open with traditional folding stays.

Now a picture with the bottom door open. We didn't use a stay on the bottom because with most of the loading and unloading occurring through this door, we want no obstructions. The inside of the bottom door is also lined with galvanized steel to protect the door from the inside. (Sorry that the inside of the case is so dark; poor photography on my part.)

Here is a detailed photograph of the dovetails that hold the carcass together. As usual, we put a little tension in the dovetails and you will notice that they vary in size, becoming larger towards the center of the piece. This variation really helps create interest in otherwise broad flat expanses of wood. We decided to leave the scribe lines from our dovetailing for the same reason. This carcass bottom is a three-board glue up (meaning we edge-glued three boards together in order to create the larger boards which we the dovetailed), and the same three boards wrap around the entire piece giving grain continuity throughout the base.

And it wouldn't be a fine furniture photo-shoot some rodents in the picture to help you understand the scale of the piece. Here you can see three guinea pigs in their natural habitat. It looks as if two of the guinea pigs are perched atop the firewood box, perhaps watching for predators or attempting to scout new grazing ground. However, it seems as if the guinea pig on the bottom of the piece has been left behind... could this be natural selection at work?

Notice how these guinea pigs are appreciating the fine finish on this piece. They know that it took 2o coats of thin shellac (dissolved from flake) applied by hand (no spray equipment,) scuffed every four coats, rubbed down with extra-fine steel wool, and finally buffed with a thin coat of natural wax to create a finish this fine. They know that by applying the coats of shellac thinly and scuffing regularly, we are left with a finish that is both close to the wood and protective. We can only assume that it is because of the guinea pigs' own dedication to high quality craftsmanship they have decided to have this piece of furniture become part of their own habitat.

And here we find the three little rapscallions nestled together on the kindling shelf. They will be able to survive the cold New England winter with their large supply of firewood and enough room for some wood-chips and food pellets.