Graeme Ainsworth, Armidale, NSW

Snowboard Instructor - His
Huon pine, Red cedar
Dimensions: Box 172 x 90 x 56mm
Base 430 x 110mm at widest point

Materials:
The box and lid are from Huon pine and the ‘snowboard’ base 3 laminates: Australian red cedar (from Far North Queensland 25 to 30 years ago) between Huon pine.

Method of Construction:
The Huon pine board was dressed to 10mm and then pieces for the box base, box sides and lid were cut in such as way as to include a small knot as a feature in the lid piece.
The base piece was then split down the middle using a bandsaw, and each piece attached to a backing board using hot melt glue and thicknessed to 2mm. The red cedar was thicknessed to 1mm.
The laminates were clamped into a mould of scrap radiata pine without glue and the clamps slowly tightened to bend the ends around to snowboard shape. After a few days the clamps were released (laminates held about half the shape). After applying Selleys PVA exterior glue it was re-clamped to the full curve of the mould and left for two days.
Dovetails were cut using Gifkin’s jig and A20 template. Inside faces were sanded, glued and lightly clamped. Dovetails were trimmed and corners rounded over using a router. The outside of the box was then sanded and butt hinge recesses cut.
The snowboard shape was penciled onto the base using a set of plastic ‘French curves’. The shape was cut using a fretsaw and sanded. A similar procedure was followed on the lid to echo the shape of the base.
The box frame was glued to the base and sanded through the grades to 400 grit.

Finishing:
Wattyl spray on Estapol was used to give a sheen similar to snowboards with light sanding between coats. The lid was then hinge fitted and the base of the box lined with velveteen.

Concept:
The box is a 21st birthday gift for our son, currently a snowboard instructor. This season in the US he gained full US accreditation. At each level (3) he received a badge. The box is to display and house these badges. The box design (including the rounded corners) tries to reflect the smooth curves of a snowboard and snow covered landscape. Huon pine (sourced from Island Speciality Timbers, Tasmania) was chosen to reflect the light, bright colour of such landscapes.

Final Dimensions:
The snowboard base is 430mm long and 110mm wide at the ends. The box is 172mm long, 90mm wide and 56mm high including thickness of lid and base.

Photos: Graeme Ainsworth