Magazine and Mail Box/Holder

Cole, Welcome to Lumber Jocks. It looks like you have a good sense of design. What you built is very functional and useful. Nice job.

I am the wrong person to help you with dovetails. I simply don’t find they are worth the time. However you could master corner splines with the tools you have. But, you may need to buy a dado blade if you don’t have one. Check this blog item by clicking herehttp://lumberjocks.com/Boxguy/blog/30068. A planer will open new possibilities for your work.

-- Big Al in IN

What is the difference between dovetails and splines? I notice that splines are no more than a mere saw kerf wide. And dovetails are much bigger. But i do not understand the purpose of either. And just so everybody knows, I had to use the bottom as Plywood due to the fact that i am on a VERY tight budget and my woodpile was running too low to put towards a floor.

Cole, a spline is a saw kerf, however it can be widened by using a dado cut to be quite wide. I have put 1/2 wide splines in some boxes.

Dovetails are traditional joints and are angled about 7 degrees. Because they are angled they will lock together and won’t come apart. Look at a drawer in a piece of quality furniture or quality cabinets and you will see a dovetail joint holding the front on the drawers.

If you click on these blue links it will take you to two possible books.

You seem to need such a wide range of basic information that I would suggest you buy a book by any number of authors. This is my favorite.

Or this one- 1&keywords=basic+box-making. This is my second choice.

Your local library my have some books or be able to get one for you for free. I will be glad to answer specific questions as you go, but you really need to get a book that will help you fill in all the blanks you have at the moment. I am sure there are You-Tube videos on cutting dovetails, but I would suggest a good old fashioned book would serve you better at this stage.

-- Big Al in IN

Nice work, Welcome!

-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"

Cole, you’re off to a great start. Boxguy’s book suggestions are a great next step, or brows your local library (or Amazon) for something more your your liking. There are a ton of resources for beginners. The web also has some great information: just type “how to …”.

Quick response to your questions: dovetails are a series of interlocking notches which allow you to join two board faces at right angles. If you look at a picture of the joint (lots here on LJ) you’ll see why the name: the “tail” notch fans out like a bird’s tail. Splines are typically used to strengthen a mitre joint (where the two joining board ends are cut at 45*). The dovetail joint is very strong, and very visible. Mitre joints cannot be seen but without reinforcement are not very strong.

-- From such crooked wood as that which man is made of, nothing straight can be fashioned. Immanuel Kant

Great job on the box if you are doing great work like that at your age I think you have a bright future ahead in woodworking

-- A tube of calk and a gallon of paint will make a carpenter what he ain't