| Overall Box Construction Technique | | | | it would be is an ordinary box. This is accomplished |
| Boxes can be any creations that have three or more | | | | by cutting the linings 1/2" taller to allow them to stick |
| sides and are meant to be displayed either laying flat | | | | up inside the lid 1/2" when closed. The lid is also |
| on a 180 degree surface or standing or hanging in a | | | | recessed 1/2" to allow the linings and the lid to fit |
| 90 degree horizontal upright position. | | | | together tightly. |
| Johnny's wood box creations can take 175-250 | | | | If a cigar humidor is opened and closed {used} |
| separate steps or procedures from start to | | | | frequently, there will be no problem with mold. |
| completion. His more intricate jewelry box creations | | | | Because Johnny's humidors are a fully self contained |
| that have partitioned trays, a musical movement, are | | | | separate environment, there is no air exchange what |
| lined with velvet, have partitioned lids with stained | | | | so ever between the outside and the inside |
| glass and mirror panels take over 250 separate steps | | | | environments. If not opened and closed {used} very |
| or procedures to complete. | | | | much, they should be opened every two weeks or |
| Johnny selects the wood for each and every one of | | | | so for a couple of minutes. |
| his creations, based on its grain, figure patterns | | | | Spanish Cedar, the traditional lining for humidors, is in |
| {reading the wood} color, and how much it moves in | | | | the minute wood movement category, it does not |
| service {expands and contracts} with temperature & | | | | expand and contract as much as the majority of |
| humidity changes. Lumber is checked with a moisture | | | | woods do. Johnny either leaves the Spanish Cedar |
| meter, only lumber with moisture content of | | | | linings floating or he slots the linings and uses stainless |
| 6%-12% is used. Lumber in this range is extremely | | | | steel screws to affix them so as to allow the two |
| stable. | | | | woods to slide along one another resulting in no |
| Each box creation and all its wood components come | | | | damage to the humidor when it expands and |
| from either one individual piece of wood or from | | | | contracts. To leave floating, Johnny cuts the corner |
| woods in the same movement category thus allowing | | | | joints at 45 degrees making them fit somewhat |
| the whole unit to move the same amount. The sides | | | | snugly. Humidors are kept at 70% humidity. Most |
| of the boxes, trays and Spanish Cedar linings {cigar | | | | houses and his shop are kept at 50% or less |
| humidors} are cut in an order which allows the figure | | | | humidity. At 70% humidity, the Spanish Cedar linings |
| and grain patterns of the wood to be continuous | | | | will then expand a little more, thus making the linings |
| {wrapped around.} All corner joints have hidden | | | | fit even more snug. |
| biscuits and are cut at a mitered angle appropriate to | | | | Spanish Cedar gives off a fragrant scent, because of |
| the number of sides the box creation has. 3 sided - | | | | the oil inside which can also ooze out {sweating} of |
| 60 degrees, 4 sided - 45 degrees, 5 sided - 36 | | | | the surface and appear as a sticky resinous type |
| degrees, 6 sided - 30 degrees, 7 sided - 25.71 | | | | substance. This is not good if it gets on the cigars. |
| degrees {26 is close enough}, 8 sided - 22.5 degrees, | | | | Johnny checks and makes sure that the Spanish |
| 9 sided - 20 degrees, 10 sided - 18 degrees, 11 sided | | | | Cedar that is used for linings that go into each of his |
| - 16.36 degrees {16 is close enough}, 12 sided - 15 | | | | humidors do not have the oils oozing out {sweating}. |
| degrees, 15 sided - 12 degrees, 16 sided - 11.25 | | | | Johnny has lined, custom made humidors with |
| degrees {11 is close enough}. This technique, | | | | Aromatic Cedar, because the client did not want their |
| produces a very strong joint. | | | | cigars smelling like Spanish Cedar. He has also lined the |
| Box Construction Technique Featuring Stained Glass | | | | entire inside of a humidor with velvet, because the |
| & Mirror Panels | | | | client wanted their cigars to smell natural. |
| Any box creations with back to back wood and | | | | Whether Aromatic or Spanish Cedar wood linings are |
| stained glass, wood and mirror glass or stained glass | | | | used, Johnny leaves them unfinished, because any |
| and mirror glass panels are done utilizing a technique, | | | | type of coating would seal the wood thus stopping it |
| which separates the two panels with a soft cushiony | | | | from giving off the fragrance. Also, the finer the |
| type material that under normal use, absorbs the | | | | sandpaper used to sand the linings, the less fragrance |
| impact of any sudden jar and will keep the glass | | | | either wood will give off. |
| from breaking. | | | | Wood Finish Technique |
| Music Box Construction Technique | | | | There are numerous techniques and finishes for |
| With music box creations, if the wood is left | | | | finishing wood, a true wood artist develops their own |
| unfinished there are woods such as Mahogany, Alder | | | | techniques and finish to bring out the beauty of their |
| and Spruce that will produce a richer sound {tone} | | | | works. |
| than others. When left unfinished, harder woods will | | | | Johnny's technique for finishing wood {small pieces |
| not absorb the repercussions of the notes as much | | | | that are not handled or used a lot} is not to fill the |
| as softer woods, therefore producing a fuller, louder, | | | | pores, thus showcasing the intricacy of his designs |
| richer and crisper sound {tone}. When the wood is | | | | and the natural character, distinction and depth of the |
| finish coated with lacquer, shellac, polyurethane, | | | | wood making each piece one of a kind, just like your |
| etcetera, it will cause the sound to bounce off the | | | | own fingerprint does for you. |
| coating instead of the wood, so even softer woods | | | | Wood is such a beautiful medium to work with he |
| will have a richer sound {tone}. A softer finish coating | | | | does not wish to hide its natural beauty by utilizing |
| such as Tung Oil will produce a mellower sound than | | | | numerous coats of lacquer, shellac, polyurethane, and |
| lacquers and shellacs. To make the sound | | | | etcetera. He handcoats and rubs in the first coat, |
| repercussion even richer, Johnny surrounds the | | | | then adds two more handcoated topcoats using a |
| perimeter of the musical movement with wood, | | | | clear marine grade polyurethane spar varnish which is |
| leaving the top open, so the sound is bounced off | | | | impervious to most liquids including body oils and |
| the perimeter sides {funneled} to the top and then | | | | some mild acids. It also has ultraviolet inhibitors in it to |
| out. | | | | repel the suns UV rays. Johnny adds a couple of |
| Cigar Humidor Construction Technique | | | | other ingredients to make it easier to apply and be |
| His cigar humidor lids, have to be slightly pressed | | | | worked into the wood with a cloth thus allowing the |
| closed the last 1/2" or so creating the swoosh effect. | | | | finish to penetrate the wood but not thick enough to |
| This indicates and insures the humidor has an airtight | | | | take away the three dimensional look of the surface |
| seal thus making the inside a fully self contained | | | | or giving an effect of looking like a piece of plastic. |
| separate environment. Without the swoosh effect, all | | | | |