| Project by Dorje | posted 366 days ago | 877 views | 3 times favorited | 26 comments | ![]() |
Saw this in the living room and figured I could post it. This was one of my first projects (probably made it 3-4 years ago) when I was excited to get my shop-made box joint jigs in order! This project also allowed me to do small time re-sawing (other than firewood at the time) and book-matching.
I picked the maple chunks up from the scrap bin at the neighborhood cabinet shop and put this simple box together. The top has some blotchy-wavy figure in it – but not a ton. I still don’t really know if it’s “pretty” or not. I like figured woods, but don’t really have any experience working them.
I hear Don likes small wooden boxes…
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Your Online Shop - Your Support Is Greatly Appreciated - Your Woodworking Showcase - 3 Ways To Help, Financially - Your Woodworking Community

























26 comments so far
Bob Babcock
home | projects | blog
1809 posts in 474 days
posted 366 days ago
Nice book match on the top. I like boxes like this. It has the look of something you might find in a grandmothers attic with old buttons stored in it.
-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1694 posts in 385 days
posted 366 days ago
For Bob:

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
BobR
home | projects | blog
125 posts in 373 days
posted 366 days ago
Dorje, it looks as though your jig worked just fine. Like a lot of nice things; simple, functional, and attractive.
-- Bob
Don
home | projects | blog
2585 posts in 565 days
posted 366 days ago
Wow, Dorje, I just love small wooden boxes! And this little box is nothing to sneeze at.
So many boxes are made with walls that are just too thick. This one has a delicate look and is being used for a perfect application – a button box. I stopped designating a purpose for the boxes that I make. I no longer call them ‘jewelry boxes’ – just ‘small wooden boxes’. It’s up to the owner to decide their best use.
Curious about the lid; how does it locate?
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1694 posts in 385 days
posted 366 days ago
Don – the buttons were from my daughter’s craft supplies! That shot was just for fun! (See Bob’s post above) My wife pretty much uses it to collect and hide little junk in the living room…I think there was actually scissors, post its, a baseball, some yarn and and various other things stowed in there at present!
You’re a very astute observer to comment on the delicate nature of the box. I have attempted to be intentional with proportions in my work. For example, on my case topper, 3/4” stock felt too thick for the fairly small piece, so the main case and drawer fronts were milled to 5/8”, while the drawer sides and drawer backs were milled to 3/8”.
I believe all parts of this box are 1/4” thick. The top locates in a fitted manner (I think that’s how you referred to it in one of your posts?) – just a rabbetted underside.
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
David
home | projects | blog
1801 posts in 527 days
posted 366 days ago
Dorje -
Very cool box and a great button collection. I just love small boxes like that – makes me think of what I could store in that box.
-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1694 posts in 385 days
posted 366 days ago
And, what are you thinking?
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Don
home | projects | blog
2585 posts in 565 days
posted 366 days ago
Quote Dorje: ”My wife pretty much uses it to collect and hide little junk in the living room…I think there was actually scissors, post its, a baseball, some yarn and and various other things stowed in there at present!”
Dorje, you’ve made my case: “It’s up to the owner to decide their best use.”
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/
jockmike2
home | projects | blog
3814 posts in 635 days
posted 366 days ago
Nice box regardless of what it is for. You could store bugs in it or butterflys, or nothing at all, just for looks. jockmikie
-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com
CharlieM1958
home | projects | blog
3502 posts in 606 days
posted 366 days ago
I really like the box joints. I’ve been using dovetails on most of my boxes, but I’ve been meaning to try making a jig for box joints.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Bob Babcock
home | projects | blog
1809 posts in 474 days
posted 365 days ago
Lol…..just like grandma’s
-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org
oscorner
home | projects | blog
4576 posts in 699 days
posted 365 days ago
Nice box joints. Can we see your box joint jig?
-- Jesus is Lord!
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1694 posts in 385 days
posted 365 days ago
Sure oscorner – I’ll post pics in a blog…
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Karson
home | projects | blog
11538 posts in 789 days
posted 365 days ago
Nice box Dorje. And great first attempt at box joints.
I also like resawing wood to get matched wood, where necessary.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Jeff
home | projects | blog
941 posts in 482 days
posted 365 days ago
Very nice Dorje! It looks to be a great size for stashing things. Simple pleasures…
My love of the box joint is to that of Don’s love for the small wooden boxes. I remember making my first jig and then cutting my first box joints on a project for my sweetie. I’ve since made a couple of different jigs varying in complexity. I checked out your jig in the blog and I don’t know why the differently sized slots in the front piece never occurred to me. This is a good example of why we appreciate this community so much. Thanks for posting this box which resulted in another post giving me some new insight into a modification I can make to my original jig.
-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
10975 posts in 549 days
posted 360 days ago
my daughter got several boxes of buttons for her birthday last year – due to her emotional connection to the aroma of her Grandmother’s button box… (Jenn has a sensitive nose and the smell reminds her of her times on the farm and helping Grandma with sewing etc).
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Steffen
home | projects | blog
229 posts in 424 days
posted 336 days ago
Very nice Dorje… I like simple “looking” things like this though I know a lot of thought went into it. It’s beautiful.
-- Steffen
Blake
home | projects | blog
1802 posts in 262 days
posted 208 days ago
Great looking box! The proportions and thickness are really nice. I like the bookmatched top and subtle color. It is nice to see a box that is not so flashy and contrasty sometimes.
-- Dust collectors suck.
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1694 posts in 385 days
posted 208 days ago
Why thank you – I appreciate these comments coming from a fine box builder…
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Mark Mazzo
home | projects | blog
281 posts in 301 days
posted 208 days ago
Dorje,
I had not seen this before. Very nice box – simple and delicate design with a lovely bookmatch for the top. The box-joints looks o be very well done, as well!
-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com
Douglas Bordner
home | projects | blog
2256 posts in 452 days
posted 208 days ago
Missed this first time out. Good one, Dorje. Not sure where some of my first boxes ended up, so in the living room and used by your family is a testament to the job you did. Seeing it filled with buttons was a joy too. My seamstress Grandmother had a button jar – it was pretty magical to a young kid some fifty years ago.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Blake
home | projects | blog
1802 posts in 262 days
posted 177 days ago
I had to stop by again and add this to my favorites… I really like this one.
-- Dust collectors suck.
rikkor
home | projects | blog
6465 posts in 263 days
posted 177 days ago
Glad Blake dredged this from the archives. I’ll add my kudos for a nice, functional box.
-- Maplewood, MN
jm82435
home | projects | blog
145 posts in 130 days
posted 101 days ago
I like it too. I like the nice square pins/ corners. Aren’t box joints fun to cut with a jig? I think that is my favorite jig to use; quick and easy.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever... - Keats
Scott Bryan
home | projects | blog
7762 posts in 210 days
posted 100 days ago
Hi Dorje,
You posted this one long before I came on board. I am glad it came back up on my review list. This is a nice box and I like the box joints. It looks like Bob nailed this one in his comment. I have been meaning to do something like this (provided of course that I can find enough time away from the computer).
Thanks for the inspiration.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1694 posts in 385 days
posted 100 days ago
Thanks guys – I see the quick switch to fill it with buttons after Bob made his comment got another unsuspecting viewer!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA