# Cleaning a Pencil Box

# Table of Content

- [The old pencil box ](#the-old-box)
- [Cleaning the box](#cleaning-the-box)
    - [Detaching metallic parts](#removing-metallic-elements)
    - [Grinding](#material)
    - [Varnishin again](#varnishing)
- [Final result](#zoom)




# The Old Box

This is the old box, made of pine wood.
You can easily spot why I don't like the color.
The wood is not regular, which lead to a white area where the fox is.
Plus the brown-gray color which was not my taste.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/005_big.jpg)

Additionally, because I was less experimented in the past, there are visible mistakes.
Varnish-run mainly:

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/003_big.jpg)


But also varnish in the inside, which prevented me from opening the box.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/001_big.jpg)


# Cleaning the Box

## Removing Metallic Elements

Masking metallic element with tape is time consuming.
If you can remove them directly, that much easier.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/006_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/007_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/008_big.jpg)

Same for the front:

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/009_big.jpg)

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/010_big.jpg)

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/011_big.jpg)

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/012_big.jpg)

## Material


We use a Bosh hand grinding machine, which perfectly does the job.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/014_big.jpg)


![](/assets/images/pencil_box/015_big.jpg)


## Grinding the Bottom

Now, we can remove the varnish.
It is always recommended to start with the bottom, because it is the less visible piece.
This allows you to try the grinder / varnish / whathever without your trials been visible.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/016_big.jpg)

First pass:

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/017_big.jpg)



![](/assets/images/pencil_box/019_big.jpg)

We won't remove all the old varnish.
Only the main cover because otherwise we would need to remove more wood.

Difference between the cleaned bottom (right) and the uncleaned top (left).

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/020_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/021_big.jpg)


## Grinding the Top

There are many more drawing on the top.
They were made in pyrography.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/028_big.jpg)

When grinding, the intensity of the drawing diminish, to the point that some disapear because the wood was lightly burned.


![](/assets/images/pencil_box/030_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/032_big.jpg)

The solution is to burn it again, to revive the color strength

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/031_big.jpg)

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/033_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/034_big.jpg)



![](/assets/images/pencil_box/037_big.jpg)

# Varnishing

Now, we just have to put a better varnish.
After applying the first layer:

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/038_big.jpg)

After the second layer:

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/039_big.jpg)

This is very shinny:

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/040_big.jpg)


We still have color differences. This is because of the wood.
Nevertheless, they are more random, this is not as before a large discontinuous spot in the middle.

We just have to put back the metallic pieces.

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/045_big.jpg)

And we're done !

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/050_big.jpg)

# Zoom

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/046_big.jpg)

## Patterns

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/047_big.jpg)

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/048_big.jpg)

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/049_big.jpg)


## Attach

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/043_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/044_big.jpg)

## Opened

![](/assets/images/pencil_box/051_big.jpg)
![](/assets/images/pencil_box/052_big.jpg)