Making Heirloom Boxes

Superb boxes. Original designs. To follow the plans takes a bit more than beginner's knowledge, I think. Good to read anyway, for a woodworker. Oh yes: watch the metric/English measure conversions. Page 26: 1500 mm (= l.5 m) = 5 ft (60 in.), not 5 in. Page 91: 550 mm = 22 in., not 220

Even if you don't plan on making any boxes, this book contains beautiful and amazing pictures. It contains thorough instructions even saying where to get the wood and how to season it before using it. It would make a great gift for an art lover or to have around to entertain guests. I wish there was a hardcover edition.

Peter Lloyd is a noted British box maker who has a unique style all his own. Although, if questioned, I believe that Lloyd would claim that his style is the wood's own, since his work is an interesting combination of the use of natural wood in his work often with a deceptively rustic touch. He will often use shaping to highlight the interesting features of the wood, with attractive details like wood hinges. In "Making Heirloom Boxes" Lloyd focuses in on several of his characteristic works and takes a deep dive in the making of each one. While I don't always 'like' what Lloyd does, his integrity of design and approach are admirable. As you dig into his processes you get glimpses of the mind behind than. In the end you get both a set of advanced lessons in box making, and a good study of what it means to be an artist and craftsman. Despite Lloyd's comfortable writing style, I found myself in difficulties a few times due to subtle differences in language use. Occasionally you will find yourself staring at a sentence or the title of a photograph with no immediate clue of what is going on. It takes a bit of study and contemplation before all becomes clear. There is an accidental benefit to this, because the reader is forced to think out the work, which is something we do all to rarely. This is also an excellent study of one man's workshop, one that came into being slowly and makes use of 'found' or made tools, rather than the more common habit of equipping a workshop with a lot of expensive gear. On several occasions Lloyd will be describing how he sets up to do one thing or another and you will find yourself amazed at the lengths Lloyd will actually go to not have a $1500 router table. I can't say that I blame him in the least - I'll be paying for my workshop all the way into my next life. Taken in all this is an excellent look at the philosophy, style, and processes of one of box making's shining stars. Something of a practical autobiography. I didn't any brilliant design ideas from it simply because Lloyd's style is very individual. But I picked up a lot of little clues that will help me work out my own style.

This book contained a lot more information than I first thought it would. Mr LLoyd is an accomplished box maker and doesn't hesitate to share his hard learned lesson's. Anyone who thinks making decorative, art or jewelry boxes is easy, is someone who hasn't done it yet. Mr LLoyd goes into a lot of detail on all aspects of making fine boxes. Tools, selecting and caring for your wood, design/layout, cutting/shaping, fitting and finish. It is all in here. He offers hand and power tool techniques, and stress's that you can get by with a bare minimum of tools. The sections on making wooden hinges,an art in itself, justified the cost of this book. I have had this book for a couple years now, and find myself returning to it for ideas alot. I, like Mr LLoyd , enjoy using wild grained woods and adding profiles to enhance the natural look of the finished product. The projects included in the book are beautifully done and photographed, with plenty of detail supplied to allow you to make beautiful boxes yourself.Highly recommend for boxmakers of all skill levels.

This is a wonderful book with 14 "how-to" projects. The author takes you through step-by-step in some very nicely illustrated explanations. The full-page color photos of each finished project are gorgeous! Some of the techniques (ie cutting half-blind dovetails with a router) are probably more for intermediate and above woodworkers but certainly a beginner would be inspired and learn quite a bit. I've made two projects from this book and been quite pleased with the results. A nicely done book!