Its that time of year again: HOLIDAY PROJECT TIME! So this year, I decided to make a few little keepsake boxes, thanks to some advice from The Great WOODini. I also took inspiration from a box Nicole keeps on her nightstand and developed a new design that is much more practical for the average woodworker to make. The boxes feature a secret locking pin. Once removed, the lid slides off on a sliding dovetail. And as always with these holiday gift projects, you can modify them by trying different sizes, shapes, and wood species to make your own one-of-a-kind box. And since they are so easy to make, its no problem batching out a bunch of them in a single weekend. If you decide to make some, please send me pics of your variations.
Topics Covered:
- Creating sliding dovetails
- Using a dowel-centering pin to locate holes
- Cutting a recess with a pattern bit
- Sanding end-grain
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com






















29 comments so far
a1Jim
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16514 posts in 468 days
posted 21 days ago
Interesting project always a professional production well done Marc
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
Cory
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196 posts in 310 days
posted 21 days ago
The project is cool, but the mustache makes it. I’m thinking that should be a permanent fixture on all future episodes!
-- Premium firewood created daily.
thewoodwhisperer
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319 posts in 1075 days
posted 21 days ago
lol consider it done! :)
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
thewoodwhisperer
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319 posts in 1075 days
posted 21 days ago
Guess I can’t delete this double post…. bummer.
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
jockmike2
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7296 posts in 1137 days
posted 21 days ago
Very cool box. Worth making some. Thanks
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
RexMcKinnon
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643 posts in 86 days
posted 21 days ago
Another winner Marc.
-- If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!
Brad_Nailor
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1210 posts in 848 days
posted 21 days ago
I think the great woodinis’ magic carpet landed on his upper lip…
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
Bob Kollman
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98 posts in 82 days
posted 21 days ago
Now I have an excuse to by the rockler circle cutting templet!
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
TopamaxSurvivor
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2980 posts in 567 days
posted 21 days ago
I’d like for the Great Woodini to visit me to grant a few wishes :-)) Did he come from a wooden box in the forest? Great show ol’ chap!! I’m a great fan of sliding dovetails instead of hinges for most everything from small boxes to the patch boxes on Kentucky rifles.
-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.
Julian
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686 posts in 416 days
posted 21 days ago
Thanks Mark for posting this. I like the idea of this as a gift!
-- Julian, Park Forest, IL
Gary
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572 posts in 324 days
posted 21 days ago
What if I can’t grow a mustache??
-- Gary, DeKalb Texas
john
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1183 posts in 1272 days
posted 21 days ago
Great job on the video Marc !!
-- John in Belgrave ,(Slideshow ) http://cid-69bce320c6d8b119.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Extreme%20Birdhouses/P1030026.JPG?ref=2 (Website) http://www.extremebirdhouse.com
Arnold
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107 posts in 453 days
posted 21 days ago
Love the brief interruption to educate us on how to repair sudden unforseen scratches that may surface. Has “Someone” found out yet?
thewoodwhisperer
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319 posts in 1075 days
posted 21 days ago
Hehe, well she knows now! lol
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
Woodwrecker
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487 posts in 466 days
posted 21 days ago
Great video Marc.
Thanks for the holiday gift project suggestion!
-- Eric
John_Sr
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8 posts in 533 days
posted 21 days ago
Love the video but a sponge Bob square pants towel :)
Mike
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140 posts in 274 days
posted 21 days ago
That was pretty cool Marc! Like the Genie
-- Mike, VT
newTim
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245 posts in 497 days
posted 21 days ago
Great project and video. Another home run. I’m curious why you didn’t just tape the pinned triangle to the corner and drill it from the opposite side using the through hole as a guide? I’ve used those dowel centers and they work great, but it seems that since the triangle sits on a narrow point it would be easy to misalign.
-- tim hill www.newcalshop.com
thewoodwhisperer
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319 posts in 1075 days
posted 21 days ago
Where were you three weeks ago?
lol
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
Betsy
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2388 posts in 787 days
posted 21 days ago
Thanks Marc – another great project.
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
John's Woodshop
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126 posts in 907 days
posted 20 days ago
Thanks Marc,
Great gift Idea! And a great video!
John
-- John -- Racine, WI -- Woodworking..."It's not just a Hobby, it's an Adventure"
nmkidd
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372 posts in 64 days
posted 20 days ago
Nifty boxes. The video was very informative….....thanks.
-- Doug, New Mexico.......the only stupid question is one that is never asked!........don't fix it, if it ain't broke!
CaptainSkully
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468 posts in 449 days
posted 20 days ago
Very nice gifts! If I make a couple, I’ll go ahead and incorporate another project: the double dovetail puzzle.
http://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-projects/dovetail-puzzle-plans.html
-- You can't control the wind, but you can trim your sails
WispWoods
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41 posts in 317 days
posted 20 days ago
Nice box. What did you get paid by Sonic for product placement? Ha Ha, Just kidding. Thanks for the edutainment.
-- - You begin thinking less, and feeling more.
Ryan Brown
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35 posts in 81 days
posted 20 days ago
The “dog house” shirt is quite ironic!
-- If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem. Roanoke, VA
woodsmithshop
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288 posts in 436 days
posted 19 days ago
Marc, I like your boxes, if you check out these projects you can see a jig to make the corner cuts on the lid much easier, ”Spline Jig”, ”Brothers’ clocks” the same type of corner is made on these clocks.
sorry, I don’t know how to make this so you can click on it to make the projects show up.
-- Smitty!!!
Bob A in NJ
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521 posts in 890 days
posted 19 days ago
Marc and Nicole,
Hi, another great project and video. I’ll have to make at least 3 of these starting with at least a 19” long board.
One thing I would do different would be to cut the longer board to small lengths AFTER cutting the dovetails. Placing small blocks of wood into the router table or table saw gives me the heebie jeebies. For example, seeing your hands that close to a raised table saw blade when making the male dovetail set off an alarm. Too much of a possibility of the block tilting and creating a wicked kick back.
Thanks for another great idea!
Bob A
-- Bob A in NJ
Dave Durham
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43 posts in 246 days
posted 18 days ago
Marc, very nice as usual. I think I will try a couple of these as gifts. They’re a great idea. But I must say, my favorite part was how deftly you slid info repair mode after you dropped your inspiration piece. That was worth the price of admission.
Please continue inspiring.
-d
Mike
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140 posts in 274 days
posted 18 days ago
This just goes to prove never toss out those scrap pieces of wood…....... Ask the Genie before you do…
thanks Marc!
-- Mike, VT