I’ve been busy in the shop this past month building another toasting box for my friend Jay. The box is built out of solid mahogany; there is not plywood or laminates. There is a humidor compartment that is lined with Spanish cedar and held closed by maple toggles.
This is the first time I have used mahogany in a project. It has its challenges: open grain and it splinters and splits easily and it also loves to cup. It is a softer wood and so easier to work with hand tools–I met little resistance while sawing and chiseling the dovetails. When you add an oil finish, the results are stunning.

Just waiting on a few final bits of hardware and this one will be all wrapped up.