Cutlery Box

[SteveF]

How would you fit the base?
I know this sounds a bit dumb, but humor me please
my box has corner posts which stick out past the sides back etc (similar to a garden planter)
my base will be a picture frame....I don't want the extra weight of a solid base
would you use screws from below?
I am concerned that if I just glue it down it may move over time or even lift a bit leaving a gap
in an ideal world I would rebate the base and sides to allow movement without showing the gap but I do not have this luxury
my other thought was to mount the corners in lathe and turn a spigot on one end to drop into a hole in base

open to any suggestions

Steve

 

[SteveF]

a bit of progress
first time using router table
first time sliding dovetails
3 sides and drawer front ready
base next

Steve

 

[RogerM]

Looking good so far Steve. No need to be frightened of dovetails. In fact I have a low boredom threshold, so every time I plan a new project I make sure there is some new skill to learn. This often justifies buying a new toy :-" . This old dog is still learning new tricks, and would work faster if I could just remember where I put down my T-square!

 

[SteveF]

Looking good so far Steve. No need to be frightened of dovetails. In fact I have a low boredom threshold, so every time I plan a new project I make sure there is some new skill to learn. This often justifies buying a new toy :-" . This old dog is still learning new tricks, and would work faster if I could just remember where I put down my T-square!

Thanks Roger

this is all new to me
making "proper" drawer boxes instead of screwed plywood
deciding where to put the wood drawer slides
making an inset lid
fitting decent hinges
fitting a lock and something to lock the lower drawers, I have seen a few idea for this which seem to be hinged flaps that are trapped by a pin in the lid
maybe splines for my mitered lid \ base

all good fun

Steve

 

[SteveF]

more questions
more progress
I have now thicknessed and glued up drawer bottoms, sanded and ready to dimension
drawer box thicknessed and ready to dimension and join
I have also prepped the lid materials
these are all oversize at moment but the weight without cutlery is getting out of control, even though the drawer bottom is just under 6mm and drawer boxes are 8mm
it does not have a base or dividers yet
the original plan was a box to carry to the table, this is now not feasible
I have 2 choices:
give up as a really bad planning idea, and learn from a costly failure in design
fit legs to it so it stands against wall

if I go down the leg route, I don't have a clue how to fit them, having never made a table before
anyone point me in the right direction please and to what thickness they would need to be?

Steve

 

[custard]

It's looking good Steve, don't apply glue all along those dovetails as that would stop the sides moving with the seasons (the corner posts are long grain, so won't move), just glue an inch or two at one end.

I wouldn't try to force fit legs onto that design. But, if you've given up on the mobility plan, why not build a simple table out of the same timber? About 30x30mm or 32x32mm would be appropriate leg scantlings, that's a common leg size for occasional tables, you don't actually need it for strength but drop below 30x30mm and you'll find it starts to get tricky tenoning the side rails into the legs.

Good luck!

 

[SteveF]

you are a godsend Custard
I would have glued them full length without thinking about it
they are fairly tight but I did allow for glue room
only issue I have now is a way to pull them in tight now I don't have that full length glue option
I guess I could rebate the base to control that
The table idea is just fantastic, finger crossed I have enough wood left, I will go search tomorrow
my timbers are only 18mm thick so I could glue either up an L shape with a slight taper to reach the 32mm suggested or laminate to get required dimensions
the pomelle corners were the closest match to mahogany I had available in size I needed, I just hope it won't contrast too badly with table legs

Steve

 

[monkeybiter]

Thanks for the WIP SteveF, good and motivational reading.

 

[SteveF]

Thanks for the WIP SteveF, good and motivational reading.

not quite a WIP MonkeyBiter, more of Steve asks loads of questions :?
anyway as your watching I thought I would add the component pics
Pine drawer bottoms
beech drawer box
mahogany lid surround
beech lid insert (undecided on this yet)
I saved all the bits of mahogany from resawing as could possibly use for the dividers
next job is the base
I guess it will then be time to start the build

Steve

 

[Dalboy]

Looks interesting Steve watching how you progress with this build. Some nice wood there.

 

[SteveF]

I have never asked so many questions, and getting a bit embarrassed of my lack of knowledge
I got the base made today...no pics yet as not planed and sanded
I spent plenty of time to ensure the mitres were in-line with corner posts and just put a domino in to help align for glue up
I am at a quandary with the lid, I scrapped the spalted beech idea as it was too busy
I think I am happy with my new plan, but another question
would a tongue and groove \ butt joint look really wrong?
everyone seems to do mitre splines and I just want something different
or I could do mitred lap?
is this a;; just personal taste?

Steve

 

[SteveF]

I have more questions lol
if you look at my pic on page 2 i have corner posts..bad design, but it is set in stone now
how would you fit the bottom for the top false drawer?
it cant be slid into a groove because of the sliding dovetails,yes it could be done but glue up would be a nightmare
so I am thinking of battens around the sides that have a rebate to drop the bottom onto
I wont see the bottom as will have dividers in it and a suede lining

Steve

 

[SteveF]

Wow
it is 2 months since I started this
I thought it would be a couple of weekends work
I have the drawers made although slow progress and reckon I have 1 weekend left before I have to sort the drawer interiors (not including a finish, which I a planning to do with garnet shellac)
still got to turn some knobs but that is straight forward
my suede has been folded in a large envelope
do you hang it or iron it?

Steve

 

[Jacob]

I saw a neat display box which'd do for cutlery. The sides and bottom were joined with large dovetails - one at each side joint and the bottom to side joints with just two or three. Roughly equal sized pins/tails if you see what I mean. I should have taken a photo it looked quite clever with strong repeating pattern.
NB 12mm is very thick for small boxes but as Custard says it depends on the fittings - buy them first!

I have never asked so many questions, and getting a bit embarrassed of my lack of knowledge

The very best source of woodwork knowledge is actual woodwork itself so for your project the first object to look at should be the old box.
Just noticed this is an oldish thread and you've more or less done it. Ignore the above!