Making a Hope Chest

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post or not, but my family and I are all making our own hope chests. The wood we are using is from my late grandfather's old bar that has fallen over a few weeks ago. We believe that the barn is 180 years old. We are not sure about the kind of wood it is, but we are thinking it is walnut and oak (we are not carpenters, so we are at a loss). I only have the sides up. I made the frame and am building on the inside of the frame. A lot of the boards that I am using were very rough in condition, so I planed them down. I wish I would made them all the same thickness. The nails I am using are just ones that have been laying around in my grandpa's attic. Then the cherry stain is whatever is leftover from my aunt's home renovations and the walnut stain is from my grandmother's renovation. We are all making our own boxes and this is just how far I am right now. I need to add the top, bottom and legs onto mine.
The cherry wood stained pieces are from the barn's flooring. Then the walnut stained wood was actually a structural piece that I cut down (it was 4" x 4" x ~20' I believe). I want to burn a design and a quote or something on the inside of the lid, but I have no idea what to put. Anyone have any suggestions?

Are you a Christian? I can think of lots of good quotes if you are, and that if that is the sort of thing you are looking for..

If you are not Christian, what were you hoping for? something about family, hope, marriage? Something else?

Very wonderful that you are making a hope chest. I think that they are lovely things. It s a great use for the old barn.

just a tip. practice several times b4 you burn the actual piece. If you use the right font, a last name looks good

vbob99 said:

just a tip. practice several times b4 you burn the actual piece. If you use the right font, a last name looks good

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Thanks! I've looked into designs of nature and definitely wanted to make a stencil of sorts as well if I did that. But, I think I have some spare pieces that are from the lid's wood that I could play around with burning to get the position of my hand just right. Thank-you though for the really helpful hint!

Alaskan said:

Are you a Christian? I can think of lots of good quotes if you are, and that if that is the sort of thing you are looking for..

If you are not Christian, what were you hoping for? something about family, hope, marriage? Something else?

Very wonderful that you are making a hope chest. I think that they are lovely things. It s a great use for the old barn.

Click to expand...

I would like something about hope maybe. Or a timeless quote that is inspirational. I am Christian though and never thought to look to the bible for a quote. I'm not sure why!

OK, here are a few I found

Psalm 147:11
the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.



Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.



Psalm 39:7
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.


Proverbs 23:18
Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Psalm 71:14
But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.

Psalm 71:5
For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.


“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson



“Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering 'it will be happier'...”
― Alfred Tennyson


Hope is a waking dream
--- Aristotle