| Project by ChuckV | posted 04-24-2011 07:19 PM | 4739 views | 41 times favorited | 26 comments |  |
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This box is a birthday gift for my sister-in-law. It is based on a design in the book “Box-Making Basics” by David Freedman. I made it from curly maple and black walnut. The dimensions are about 10” by 5” and 4” in height. I finished this box with Danish Oil.
The plans in the book use biscuits to join the carcase pieces to the legs. I used mortise and tenon joints instead. Here are some pictures of the joinery that I used. The pin in the first photo is used as one of the two hinges for the lid.
The legs are tapered on the two outside faces. I rigged up a shooting board to make the tapers with a hand plane. Here are some pictures of the contraption that I came up with. After fine-tuning it on a test piece, this method worked very well on the small legs.
When it came time for glue up, I realized that clamps might not work well because of the tapered legs. I could have made some more tapered pieces as shims to create flat clamping surfaces. But, I decided that I should not need all that much pressure when gluing. If I did, that would mean that I messed up something earlier. I had good results using eight rubber bands.
Locating the holes for the pins in the sides and lid was the most exacting part of building this box. Since the lid is meant to be flush with the carcase top and there is a reveal all around, there is no where to hide a misalignment. The goal is 1/32” reveal on the sides and 1/16” on the front and back.
-- “Big man, pig man, ha ha, charade you are.” ― R. Waters
26 comments so far
bigike
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4057 posts in 4254 days
#1 posted 04-24-2011 07:23 PM
very nice work, I love how you added the blog into the post great work.
-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://[email protected]
MShort
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1798 posts in 4384 days
#2 posted 04-24-2011 07:32 PM
What great birthday present. Thanks for the pictures of assembly.
-- Mike, Missouri --- “A positive life can not happen with a negative mind.” ---
blackcherry
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#3 posted 04-24-2011 07:49 PM
Exceptional build and just a beauty of a box. Well done on posting as well…BC
a1Jim
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#4 posted 04-24-2011 07:54 PM
Super birthday present, beautiful
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
longgone
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#5 posted 04-24-2011 08:50 PM
Well done and a first class birthday present…
Eagle1
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#6 posted 04-24-2011 08:55 PM
Well done there. Let me see when is my birthday?
-- Tim, Missouri ....Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened
robert triplett
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#7 posted 04-24-2011 09:30 PM
Wow, that is nice. I have some parts cut with a similar box in mind. The description of your process will help a lot. thanks
-- Robert, so much inspiration here, and now time to work!!!
rance
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4274 posts in 4126 days
#8 posted 04-24-2011 09:32 PM
Very nicely done. And oh, my favorite clamps-Rubber Bands! :) Nice B/D present.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
SPalm
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5337 posts in 4847 days
#9 posted 04-24-2011 09:42 PM
Very very nice. I really like it. Simple yet funky.
Thanks for the step by step. I agree with you clamping strategy.
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
Dusty56
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#10 posted 04-24-2011 10:12 PM
Well done ! The wood combo is beautiful : )
-- I'm absolutely positive that I couldn't be more uncertain!
hjt
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#11 posted 04-24-2011 10:30 PM
What can I say that has not been said already except to tell you that you missed my birthday (April 3rd.) Guess I can be expecting one in the mail soon.
Your comment up the gluing explains why I need so much clamping pressure – I seem to screw up in the beginning, middle, and at the end!
-- Harold
Ken90712
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17919 posts in 4154 days
#12 posted 04-24-2011 10:35 PM
What a great job on this… Love the finish you did and your pics are great. Well done.
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
CharlieM1958
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#13 posted 04-25-2011 02:02 AM
Great design, construction, and wood selection!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
WoodGuyNC
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#14 posted 04-25-2011 03:37 AM
Beautiful
-- You can't buy salvation, it's a free gift from God.
Monty Queen
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#15 posted 04-25-2011 05:09 AM
Awesome job on the box, beautiful craftsmanship
-- Monty Q, Columbia, South Carolina.
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