Small box - where next?

[wobblycogs]

Having finally got the P/T set up I thought I'd have a crack at making something. From doing up the house I had a bunch of pallets kicking about with a couple in fairly good condition so I attacked them with the jigsaw and ran a few bits through the P/T (taking care to remove any staples and grit first of course). This is only my second go at dovetailing and I'm pretty pleased with how it went .

One thing I would do differently is be more careful with the marking gauge, I could probably sand out the marks but they are a bit deep - I was struggling to see them at first now they stick out like a saw thumb.

So, after a little sawing, marking, chopping and sanding I had this box:

The best corner:

The worst corner:

Now I'm left with a bit of a problem. I expected it to be firewood when I'd finished so I didn't consider how I would fit a lid to it, however now I'd like to use it for something. In terms of size it's almost exactly the size of an A4 box file with sides that are about 12mm thick - would I be able to get hinges to hold in that much wood? What type of hinge would you use? What finish would you recommend? I was thinking Danish Oil as it will probably live in the workshop.

Finally, does anyone have any idea what species of wood it is? It's about the colour of newly cut pine but it's much harder and has far fewer knots. Ash maybe?

 

[woodbloke]

Good first crack at the old d/t's...I'd use in the 'shop to store sheets of sandpaper. No idea what the timber is - Rob

 

[RussianRouter]

Finally, does anyone have any idea what species of wood it is? It's about the colour of newly cut pine but it's much harder and has far fewer knots. Ash maybe?

Was it a Stringer pallet or Block pallet?

Stringers are made of Softwood
Blocks are made of Hardwood.

 

[wobblycogs]

...quickly looks up pallet types.... wow a whole new world that I knew nothing about

It was a block pallet so I'd guess it's hardwood (it was actually the pallet that the P/T was delivered on). I'd be really surprised if it was softwood because it just doesn't feel like it when cutting, it has a fairly even density, and it's not at all resinous.

As for fitting a lid I think I'll leave it for now and do as suggested - use it for sandpaper. It was only ever meant to be an exercise and that means I can get on and start other more exciting projects.

 

[RussianRouter]

I'll probably kick meself for asking this when I get the answer but....
What a P/T ?

I don't like Dovetailss in small boxes a they just don't look nice,linen chest yes but small boxes nah.

I have a set of these when/if Imake a small box,easy as pie and look nice providing the finish is perfection.

 

[Chems]

Planer Thicknesser.

Looks like quite sappy coloured Ash, ash smells quite nice when you cut it, very different to pine if thats any help.

 

[wobblycogs]

P/T is Planer / Thicknesser. Hope you don't kick yourself too hard.

I'm quite a fan of dovetails. They aren't right for every situation but you can't beat them for strength. The only problem I have with them is how long they take to cut and fit. Even though I'm new to woodwork I reckon I could get a mitred box built in a fraction of the time I could get a dovetailed box built.

 

[RussianRouter]

How did you do the DT's

Hand or Route?

 

[wobblycogs]

100% by hand. I sawed down the edge of the pins and tails and then chopped out the waste with a very sharp chisel. I then very carefully cleaned up the pins and tails with a chisel to give a good tight fit. On the first close up (the good joint) you can see I slipped with the chisel while tidying up the bottom half pin. The gap in the second close up (the bad joint) is because I failed to clean up the corner of the tail fully, there's a tiny sliver of wood holding it open.

I plan on building a couple of jigs that will mean I can clean out the bulk of the waste with a router and straight bit but other than that I think I'll probably be cutting DTs by hand for a long while yet.

I'd just like to say as well that I mainly used the equipment I got in my secret santa last Christmas so thanks again jlawrence.

 

[jlawrence]

Glad it came in useful wobblycogs.
There's something therapeutic about hand cutting dovetails. Mine rarely come out as well as yours though - but still very enjoyable to cut.

 

[studders]

There's something therapeutic about hand cutting dovetails. Mine rarely come out as well as yours though - but still very enjoyable to cut.

At least you two have a go at it. I keep chickening out and find another way.

 

[Mike.C]

Glad it came in useful wobblycogs.
There's something therapeutic about hand cutting dovetails. Mine rarely come out as well as yours though - but still very enjoyable to cut.

I can't wait until I get Steve Maskery bandsaw DVD's and give bandsaw dovetails a go. David Charlesworth wrote an article about his bandsaw in Popular Woodworking, and he claims that they cut dovetails perfectly square every time.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/artic ... _Band_Saw/

Thankyou to Mr Ed for the original link.

Cheers

Mike

 

[wobblycogs]

Oddly enough the only other thing I've dovetailed was cut on a bandsaw. It was certainly faster and it only required a very simple jig to set the correct angle. If I had a bandsaw I'd probably give it a go again.

 

[devonwoody]

Pleased to hear it went well, if it was me I would put a divider inside the box so it would accommodate two tissue box containers and have a push on top to hold the lid. :x

 

[woodbutcher453]

If I'm making a box, I make a fully sealed unit, then cut the lid off. This guarantees that the top fits the bottom perfectly

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

If I'm making a box, I make a fully sealed unit, then cut the lid off. This guarantees that the top fits the bottom perfectly

Paul

...but only if you can plane the mating edges with some precision, if not both halves will be in 'wind' :x - Rob

 

[Sportique]

If I'm making a box, I make a fully sealed unit, then cut the lid off. This guarantees that the top fits the bottom perfectly

Paul

...but only if you can plane the mating edges with some precision, if not both halves will be in 'wind' :x - Rob

Rob - please explain why"both halves will be in 'wind'"?? Hope that's not a dumbo question?

Dave

 

[andersonec]

Looks like Sycamore to me. Glue three pieces the same thickness and with a rebate on the bottom inside edge to the top, then you can make a lid which slides in and out.

 

[frugal]

If I'm making a box, I make a fully sealed unit, then cut the lid off. This guarantees that the top fits the bottom perfectly

Paul

...but only if you can plane the mating edges with some precision, if not both halves will be in 'wind' :x - Rob

Why not spraymount 4 sheets of sandpaper onto a board of MDF to give a big sanding block much larger than the box, then run the freshly sawn edges of the box over the sanding board. That way you are sanding all 4 sides at the same time and you know that when all of the sanding marks are gone that all of the edges are flat and in the same plane.

 

[Sportique]

Frugal - thanks, now I understand what Rob meant by "in 'wind'".

I have used your suggested technique on smaller boxes with success.

Dave