Things don’t go exactly as planned.  In fact, when bending wood, it happens more often than with most other operations.  I’ve come to take a fatalistic approach to bending projects, failures are to be expected, and allowed for.

The photo above shows the aftermath of a minor explosion.  When I inserted the tapered core into the band of my largest attempted bentwood box, the stressed wood split and sprung apart with a small bang.

I’ve been learning a lot about these little boxes.  Each one requires its own variation of technique to bend, secure and fasten it into the proper shape.  Small ones require a nimble dexterity to get the tiny tacks in place, while the larger take a firm hand and all the digits that you can muster to keep them together without splitting out between wooden fingers.

I spent most of my shop time last week roughing out stock for dozens of these boxes.  My work is cut out for me, and my education continues apace.

Cheers,
Tom