Project by Jim Finn | posted 06-01-2016 02:55 AM | 1582 views | 1 time favorited | 9 comments | ![]() |
![]() |
I have a friend visiting here from Vermont for about a year and I have been showing him the little I know about woodworking. His latest project is this 3/8” Mahogany box that measures 16”x 6” x 8” tall with hinged lid and box joint corners. We made this in order to try making box joint corners. We did this with a shop made jig and with a dado blade in my table saw.
-- No PHD just a DD214 Lubbock Texas
9 comments so far
BB1
home | projects | blog
1885 posts in 1823 days
#1 posted 06-01-2016 03:19 AM
Like this very much! Could you share your source for the hinge, front clasp, and handles? All look to be a great match.
johnhutchinson
home | projects | blog
1243 posts in 2605 days
#2 posted 06-01-2016 04:33 AM
FANTASTIC !!!
I’m a big fan of anything WITHOUT [email protected]#$*%^ dovetails. :-)
-- John - Central Ohio - "too much is never enough"
Jim Jakosh
home | projects | blog
25756 posts in 4081 days
#3 posted 06-01-2016 11:54 AM
Very nice box and good looking box joint corners!!
Jim
-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!! Variety is the Spice of Life!!
Jim Finn
home | projects | blog
2866 posts in 3897 days
#4 posted 06-01-2016 12:21 PM
Thank you for the kind comments. He bought the hinges, handles and hasp at Home Depot. The hinges came in black. He had to paint the hasp and handles. They only had brass plated at home Depot. I have tried dovetails and do not think they are worth the effort. I feel the same way about these box joints. I made the jig years ago and soon learned that I did not like to bother using it. It works well but is just not worth the effort to me. My friend , on the other hand, likes this look a lot. Different strokes….
-- No PHD just a DD214 Lubbock Texas
drewpy
home | projects | blog
1046 posts in 2332 days
#5 posted 06-01-2016 08:36 PM
Simple clean look. Turned out great and they did a fantastic job.
-- Drew -- "The greatest wealth is health".
Mean_Dean
home | projects | blog
7057 posts in 4123 days
#6 posted 06-01-2016 11:53 PM
That’s a great looking box! The mahogany is beautiful, and the box joints look very well done!
-- Dean -- "Don't give up the ship -- fight her 'till she sinks!" Capt James Lawrence USN
Boxguy
home | projects | blog
2890 posts in 3243 days
#7 posted 06-03-2016 05:50 PM
Jim, your friend made a nice box. It has great proportions and a fine finish. I like the rounded corners and attached top. The mahogany is beautiful. Though I am not a great fan of hardware, this does look nice and you did a fine job of coordinating the look.
Just as a suggestion, I would have included a box joint or two in the lid. It would be much stronger than just glue and a 45. I agree that box joints and dovetails are too much work. I do like splines though, and they add a lot of strength to the corner joints since they are side grain to side grain glue-ups instead of end grain to end grain glue-ups. Keep teaching and keep posting.
This is the look I am talking about.
-- Big Al in IN
Jim Finn
home | projects | blog
2866 posts in 3897 days
#8 posted 06-03-2016 08:27 PM
Boxguy; Your box is beautiful! To include a box joint in the lid would require a lid about two inches deep. This would made the hinged box lid quite heavy and the box would tip over when empty and opened. We made this lid one inch deep, avoiding this issue. I make lots of boxes and always use 3/8” thick stock to keep the whole thing light. I normally make splined corners on boxes this large and internal gussets in the corners, but my friend wanted me to teach him how to make box joints on this project.
-- No PHD just a DD214 Lubbock Texas
Boxguy
home | projects | blog
2890 posts in 3243 days
#9 posted 06-04-2016 05:46 PM
Jim, your logic is impeccable and makes perfect sense. I know what you mean by having a heavy lid tip the box backward. Most of my boxes of this size are 5/8 thick. 3/4 looks too thick. I find 5/8 works better for the cut-down piano hinges i use, and it lets me apply hinges internally. This is what I mean. Your approach of having 3/8 inch sides may be a better idea.
Your mahogany box is beautiful work. It has a nice look and sense of proportion. Thanks for the honor of a reply. Keep boxing and keep posting.
-- Big Al in IN
Have your say...