This is one of the boxes currently being built.  It’s made in my signature style I refer to as Slanted Dovetails.  The materials on this one are quarter sawn White Oak and Black Walnut.  Tried a  different technique for the handle by running it opposite of the way you usually think a handle should run.  When it’s on the box you see three bands of the Walnut separated by two panels of the Oak.  We’ll see how the public likes it!

The other box I managed to finish today is this one, it’s made of Leopard Wood and what I think is Sapele.  The Sapele is lighter than most but pretty sure that’s what it is.  Love the grain pattern in this wood.  On this one, the handle is oriented in the expected way.

 Do you wonder what the dry heat notation is all about in the blog title?  Well, here in the desert southwest we’re experiencing quite the heat wave.  I applied the first coat of Danish Oil on these two boxes this morning around 6am and it was 95 degrees in the shop already!  Here’s a shot of my thermometer with the maximum temperatures for yesterday.  The upper number is from a sensor I have outside.  It’s located on the backside of a shed between it and the house and never gets direct sunlight, yep, that’s 122 degrees!  The lower number is the max it reached inside the shop.  Needless to say, my day’s out there have been shortened even though I’m drinking at least 100 ounces of water daily.