Reply by KenBee

I don’t use pine for any of my projects even though I have seen some very nice projects out of pine. If I understand you correctly you want to use wood for the lid that when finished will look like the carcase pine? If that is the case why not just use pine? It is plentiful in various thickness X widths and is cheap.

I build boxes and clocks and most of my boxes I use either 1/2 or 5/8 inch stock for the carcase and the top is usually 3/4 inch. I feel 3/4 is overkill for the box carcase but not the lid. If I build a box with drawers the drawer framework is usually 1/4 inch ply and the drawer front is 1/4 or 3/8 inch contrasting wood. I have built a couple with 3/8 inch carcase and 1/2 inch lids, so for some reason or other my box lids are always thicker than the carcase.

Just my less than 2 cents worth.

-- If it won't fit get a BIGGER hammer.