Project by maxomatic | posted 12-27-2011 04:54 PM | 2211 views | 16 times favorited | 9 comments | ![]() |
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A sewing box for my wife’s birthday. Her mother has one like it that always intrigued me, even before I ever really thought about woodworking. I used photos of that one as a model for mine. The boxes are made of maple, bottoms and tops are baltic birch ply, and all the rest is walnut. Finished with enduro-var. Several firsts for me: box joints, resawing, and making something with moving parts. In all it seems to work pretty well…a Christmas miracle, perhaps?
-- I cut it three times and it's STILL too short!
9 comments so far
terrilynne
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#1 posted 12-27-2011 05:27 PM
Well done! I like the contrast of the woods too.
-- Terri, Rocky Mountain High Colorado!
OhhCrap
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#2 posted 12-27-2011 09:55 PM
Reminds me of one my mom had. Thank you.
-- Quality: There is hardly anything in the world that some men cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price are this man’s lawful prey.
a1Jim
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#3 posted 12-28-2011 02:45 AM
Very nice sewing box ,I’m sure your wife loved it.
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
WoodJediNTraining
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#4 posted 12-28-2011 09:32 PM
Nicely done!! I’m in the process of making a sewing box for my grandfather to give to his significant other. the lids on the top, did you make the pivot point from dowel? I’m thinking about using brass rod.
-- Newbie, aka Wood_Jedi, http://www.asimpledesignofocala.com
maxomatic
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#5 posted 12-28-2011 11:37 PM
newbie – i used screws with washers for all the pivot points, including the lids. I imagine brass rods or dowels would work fine too though.
-- I cut it three times and it's STILL too short!
vipond33
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#6 posted 01-08-2012 10:27 PM
This is a delightful project, very nicely made and one that I would like to copy. A couple of questions though.
In the photo’s, the trays stop with space in between though I cannot see why. Is it because of the middle screw on the middle hinge strip?
How did you determine the exact position of these pivot points? I’m guessing that they’re critical to it working at all.
Could you give overall dimensions?
Again, very fine work.
-- [email protected] : dovetail free since '53, critiques always welcome.
maxomatic
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48 posts in 3585 days
#7 posted 01-09-2012 04:01 PM
Thanks, vipond33!
The trays are only holding in that position because of friction. They would go all the way and touch if I pushed them all the way open. Since then I have loosened up the screws a bit so it’s easier to open and close.
The pivot points are important, but what is most important is that the stretchers are parallel. I just measured to get the position of the long middle stretchers, then used a stop block on either side to position the smaller ones, and clamping them in position drilled holes through them and into the side of the box (with a stop so as to not drill all the way though the box). The holes need to be on the same planes as each other horizontally and vertically, forming a sort of grid. I didn’t do it perfectly though, I was off by at least 1/8” on a couple and the box still opens and closes fine.
The dimensions are 12”W x 20” L x 8”H, not including feet and handle. I made a sketch up drawing before building, the handle and feet are different but I’d be happy to share it with you if you’d like.
-- I cut it three times and it's STILL too short!
vipond33
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1405 posts in 3508 days
#8 posted 01-12-2012 02:52 AM
Thank you ever so much for the detailed answer. Now things are clear. PM.
-- [email protected] : dovetail free since '53, critiques always welcome.
Mark Shymanski
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#9 posted 01-27-2012 07:01 PM
Nicely done.
-- "Checking for square? What madness is this! The cabinet is square because I will it to be so!" Jeremy Greiner LJ Topic#20953 2011 Feb 2
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