Black and White Dots inc. Basic Mitred Box

This is an earlier project of mine that also neatly shows one of the simpler box making techniques I use, that of the mitred box with drop-on lid. First we see the basic components:

On the left are the four sides, each with a 3mm slot routed in near the bottom to hold the base. The base is bottom right and is two layers of 1.5mm birch aeroply. The top is the last piece, top right. This particular one is a three layer sandwich; 3mm design, 3mm ply and 3mm maple (this bottom 3mm will locate the lid on the box.

First you mitre the corners of the box sides. Sand the insides of the box and apply sanding sealer to all but the top 6mm of each side. Lay them out, in order, above a 50mm strip of masking tape (sticky side up), below which is a straight edge to line the bottom edges up on. Lay them onto the tape.

Place the top and bottom (this one in the slot) on one side and wrap the sides around them. Check for size/ gaps and adjust top or sides accordingly.

Apply PVA glue to the mitred edges and the top 6mm only of the sides. Close the box up again using the tab left over (to the right, Step 3) to hold the box closed. I used to just use this to hold the box whilst the glue dried but found that the last joint was never as tight as the other three. So I put together a windlass clamp.

This is four identical pieces of softwood with a right angled notch in one end and a hole for some string to hold them together with. Oh and a pencil or stick to tighten it up with. So

Tightening the pencil provides even inward pressure on each corner of the box whilst the glue dries. When its has remove it and all the tape and sand the top down flat (theres always a slivver of something out of line).

Next we need to cut the top off.

This is done on a router table with a 3mm slot cutter bit. Cutting through the last 1/2mm with an xacto knife until you have a seperate top and box.

Sand the top of the box and all outside faces to finished.

Apply sanding sealer and polish.

The wax polish I’ve been using for many years now is by Organoil, an Australian company. Beautiful finish and nice spicy citrus smell (my customers enjoy smelling the boxes as welll!). Next line the bottom. I use a foam called Funky Foam. Comes in various colours and easy to cut with a knife.

So here we have it the completed Black and White dots box.

The overall box dimensions are 96×96 x 50mm. The materials are Purpleheart, Ebony and Maple. No dividers in a box this size as there doesn’t seem much point. Oh and no slipfeaters in the corners. If it can’t stand my 76Kg (160lbs odd) of weight standing on it, and this did, only then does it need them.

Simples!

-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging.