INCRA :: Perry's Tool Zone :: Classified Information

- CLASSIFIED INFORMATION -

I first made Harold Brooks' acquaintance in 1994 at an INCRA Seminar held at Paxton's Beautiful Woods in Ft. Worth, Texas. He was an engaging fellow with a friendly South Texas Drawl and lots of thought provoking woodworking questions. It was clear early on that he would soon have plenty to show for his effort with his newly acquired INCRA Tools and plenty to share with others as well.

Like many of us, Harold was a bit of a late bloomer, having worked for a large aerospace firm for most of his career, he didn't get the "fever" for woodworking until he was 54 years old, just 5 years before his retirement. With the help of his INCRA Ultra 16 and his creative instincts, his box-making skills quickly elevated his works to the realm of desirable and his free time was soon consumed with the many requests from co-workers and friends to make boxes for their special collections. You can see some of his exquisite creations on his gallery page, but the one that caught our attention was his "B-2 SPIRIT BOX".

Harold's final years for Northrop Grumman were spent on the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Project. In the process of manufacturing the aircraft a considerable amount of memorabilia and collectables were created by Northrop for each of the 21 aircraft that were eventually built. The collectables were given as gifts or sold in the company store and included Sterling Silver coins, pins, plaques, patches, and service awards along with items that were flown in the first B-2 flights. Harold also collected items from other projects including the F-16, F-22, F-117A and the SR-71 programs. Of course Harold was not the only one collecting these items, but he was the only one who truly knew how to display them and so his B-2 Spirit Box was born. Between 1998 and 2001, Harold designed and built 21 boxes (one for each of the B-2's built) and finally, one for his own collection.

Built in the vein of the famous Studley Tool Chest, Harold's B-2 Spirit Boxes feature trays of sandwiched Sterling Silver coins nested on top of inlayed pin display trays, nested on top of drawers with even more sliding trays underneath. The final creation is a masterful work of organization, and showcases not only a unique collection, but the maker's talent.

The box shown was dubbed the "Spirit of Texas" and was crafted of Spalted Maple and Gaboon Ebony. At 22" wide, 10-1/2" deep and 8-1/2" tall, the Spirit of Texas hosts an amazing array of memorabilia.

For the corner joinery, Harold selected the Cornerpost Double Dovetail technique as described in the INCRA Projects and Techniques Book using the IDDD Template. The Ebony trim provides a striking contrast to the lighter tones of the Maple while complementing the dark lines of spalting. The grain matched drawers were first ripped from the box front with a series of 6 cuts at the tablesaw. The last couple inches from each of the drawer pieces are crosscut off and the drawer fronts are numbered and set aside. The cutoffs along with the rest of the ripped pieces can then be re-assembled to create the perfect sized openings for the drawers. The re-assembled plank is run through the thickness planer for smoothing followed by a squaring crosscut from each end.

The end result is a single piece with 3 rectangular openings that is ready for joinery, a very interesting technique worthy of exploring on a future article.

One of the most interesting aspects of Harold's construction is the use of
a sliding version of the INCRA Double Dovetail for full extension drawer slides.

Wooden dowels through slotted holes in the center section anchor it first to the drawer and then to the inside of the chest. This creative use of the double dovetail allows the drawers to slide completely out of the case to permit easy removal of the display panels.

The coin display panels themselves are well thought out. Harold was sure that someone might want to handle individual coins for cleaning or inspection so he designed the displays for easy access. Made up of 2 solid panels that are drilled and counter bored to hold the coins in place, the edges are then dovetailed and held together with sliding dovetail frame pieces.

This unique assembly allows for the panels to be completely disassembled to re-arrange or remove and inspect the various coins.

Finishing details include Ebony drawer pulls and lift handles on the sides of the chest. The corner feet mimic the profile cuts used on the lid frame and the lid is hinged to the chest with 3 Spalted Maple hinges made with the original INCRA Hinge Plans. Of course the newer INCRA Hingecrafter now offers the ability to make 4 different size hinges at virtually any length. The inlaid Brusso lid stay is a nice touch.

Harold spends his time these days keeping up with his home and woodshop in Weatherford, Texas. In addition to woodworking he enjoys golfing and traveling the country in his motor home with his wife Gayle. We look forward to seeing more from our friend Harold Brooks in the future.

Keep us posted on your unique shop layout or any special project you may be working on by dropping me an email: perry@incra.com.

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