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Nasty Boxes

Nasty Boxes (post #141319)

060785s on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 18:38

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In an old issue there was an article on making African Nasty Boxes.

I am unable to find the article. The box is about 1"wide x 2 1/2" high x 3 1/2" long. The top has a sliding door. Pulling the door open a nasty carving, a snake or criter pops up and taps your finger, suprise.

Any reference would be appreciated.

Edited 11/23/2009 1:26 pm ET by 060785s

(post #141319, reply #1 of 8)

by joinerswork in reply to 060785s [original] on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 19:21

06,

Roy Underhill describes the making of one of these snakebite boxes in one of his books, in a section on toys.

Ray

(post #141319, reply #2 of 8)

by 060785s in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 21:39

Thanks

Roy Underhill books took me to Jack McKee's Woodshop for kids, book but the index nothing close to a nastybox or snakebox.

(post #141319, reply #3 of 8)

by joinerswork in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 16:18

06,

Underhill's book is The Woodwright's Eclectic Workshop, a brief description of the box's mechanism and a multiple -exposure photo of the thing in action is on pp 170-171.

Ray

(post #141319, reply #4 of 8)

by 060 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 12/11/2009 - 15:22

Got the book and the snake box is basically the same as that which was (I believe) was in a Fine Wood Working issue sometime ago which I'm looking for.

Thanks for your help.

If you have any suggestion regarding the Fine Wood Working issue I would appreciate it.

(post #141319, reply #5 of 8)

by joinerswork in reply to Anonymous [original] on Sat, 12/12/2009 - 00:17

060,

I'm glad that I was able to help you.

No clue about the FWW article; I (as they say in congressional hearings) have no recollection of that event. :-)

Good luck with the project, I have made a few of these boxes. Somehow, they always end up in the hands of pre-adolescent boys, who are compelled to carry them around group gatherings, saying, "Here, open this! HAHAHAHA! " I did have one acquaintance (lady) pick one up off a kitchen counter, open it, and drop it on the floor. I heard her scream from the basement. She was terrified of snakes. HAHAHAHA!

Ray

edit: Interestingly, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Museum (Folk Art) in Williamsburg, VA had an exhibit of antique toys a few years ago that displayed a few of these boxes.

Edited 12/11/2009 6:19 pm ET by joinerswork

(post #141319, reply #6 of 8)

by WillGeorge in reply to Anonymous [original] on Sun, 12/13/2009 - 03:38

She was terrified of snakes. HAHAHAHA!

You just brought a smile to my face. My wife was also! We live off-base then. She was a Chicago city girl that probably neve saw a snake except of a common garden one we had..

I was stationed at Fort Hood Texas then. 2nd Armord, 16th Artillary. 1960?

I came home one night and she had two large Diamondbacks she caught in a big cardbord box. She told me one of them ate my new kitten in the yard.

I never asked her how she got them into the box without being bitten. I would suppose she was just mad as hell...

I took the box of two snakes a few miles away and let them go into a field. I told her I chopped them up.. She was happy. I left it at that.... She really loved that little cat.

If a spider did in the little cat I would thinK she would have hid in the closet?

Have a great day.. Life is wonderful even if you are having a bad day!

(post #141319, reply #7 of 8)

by joinerswork in reply to Anonymous [original] on Sun, 12/13/2009 - 16:08

Will,

Good story about your better half and the rattlesnakes. How did she get those snakes in a box? Never underestimate the powers of a female when she is angry!

I hope you and yours have a good Christmas.

Ray