Tiny boxes...

I am getting ready to start a book about making tiny boxes. Tiny boxes in my mind are not scaled down to a size in which they are useless. I simply use the term to describe a range of size smaller than what box makers normally make. They can be used for any number of things, but because they as so small, they invite close examination, and thus require a higher degree of precision in their making.

As with my other books, Tiny Boxes will offer a variety of boxes using a variety of techniques, ranging from the known to the unknown, from the simple to the complex, from the easy to the more difficult, and from the concrete to the abstract. So, in that I believe that you can discover just as I have that the principles of educational Sloyd can apply to more than just woodworking education.

A box making article in Fine Woodworking by my editor friend Matt Kenny has raised a controversy as to whether or not mechanical fastening of some kind is required on small boxes. Matt contends that if miters are sealed with a diluted wood glue allowed to dry before a box is finally glued together, the miters will hold for years without additional keys or splines or other forms of reinforcement. He published an article in the last issue, that raised challenges from readers that were addressed by him in the most recent issue. Of course the answer to whether or not glue alone will suffice, is  it depends, on size, on what factors it will face in its life, and how long you want it to last.

Of course what happens during the life of a box, in terms of what kind of conditions under which it is used, the expansion and contraction that takes place under varying humidity, have effects on the integrity of the joints. Matt insists that he has made boxes using his preferred technique that have lasted 10 years. Is that enough? We each make the decisions that match our own objectives.

I should note that size matters. Small boxes suffer less strain from expansion and contraction of wood.

Make, fix and create...

rabbetted bottoms

I am working on boxes for Freobel's gifts 5, 5b and 6.

One of the easiest ways to install a plywood bottom in a box is by using a router table and rabbeting bit to route the space for it to fit. Unfortunately, most rabbeting bits are large and while they can be adjusted to cut a small rabbet for small boxes, that requires adding a large bearing which keeps it from routing into the corners.

Amana has made a small rabbeting bit that is perfect for making small boxes. It has a bearing diameter of 3/16 in. and routes a 1/8 in. rabbet, which makes it perfect for use with the Froebel boxes I'm making for gifts, 5, 5b and 6.

In the photos above and below, you can see it in use.  When the rabbet has been cut, simply measure the inside space, cut the bottom to the same size and then round the corners.

For a single box, shaping each corner with a disk sander makes sense as it can be quickly done. In a production setting, many can be routed at the same time on the router table by standing them on edge and using a round over bit of the correct radius.

Make, fix and create...

frame clamps

I have been getting inquires on the red corner clamps used in my new book Beautiful Boxes, Design and Technique.  Here's the scoop. Those beautiful red clamps are available in limited supply from Van-Ton Machine in Kansas City, 913-909-2793 

Lee Valley has similar clamps in their catalog that have a quick adjustment feature.

Call Van-Ton if you want red, or Lee Valley  if you want quick adjustment. Both are highly recommended. The photo at the top went out in an email from Taunton Press.

Make, fix and create...

ltray lift template...

A woodworking teacher asked if I could help his class understand how to make the tray lift mechanism for Lucy's Jewelry box in my book Simply Beautiful Boxes. So I did the drawing here to help readers determine the exact size and arrangement of the parts. In order, left to right are shown, box side, tray side, back support arm, front support arm, and groove cut in box lid ends.

Click on the image to be able to see it in a larger size.

Make, fix and create...

the start of boxes...

Walnut and linden resawn and ready for final planing

This time of year, I usually receive an order from Appalachian Spring Gallery that sets my box making in motion. It came yesterday.

I've spent enough time at school relocating my school wood shop, that my classes are going OK and my students are having fun and learning.

Folks have asked how I find a balance between writing, teaching and woodworking, and it is simply a matter of attending the squeaky wheels. Each part of the triad, writing, teaching and woodworking in my own shop is kept fresh by regular rotation. Keeping these three things in rotation keeps me productive and prevents boredom from getting in the way of my work.

First I compared the new order with what I already had in stock, and noted the kinds and sizes of boxes in the order that I could not ship. Then I set to work on those, making them in multiples, so that I'll have enough to fill the order and replenish my inventory.

The first step is to rip walnut and linden (basswood) into widths about 1/4 in. wider than the finished stock. Then I resaw that material into thinner stock that can be planed to final thickness. Then after one edge is jointed straight and smooth, the stock will be cut to finished width before being cut to final length. I keep the prices reasonable on my boxes by working in multiples, as many as 50 or 60 at the same time.

Make, fix and create...

less than perfect miter?

A reader offered a question that is really baffling him...

"I am trying to cut simple miter joints on several boxes I am working on but am having an ongoing battle with slightly open joints. I do a test cut just like you show in your box making video, using a substantial piece of wood and get a wonderful outcome - no light between the test gauge and the wood - but after cutting the box's sides I end up with an open miter.  There may be a slight error at each corner which accumulates in one corner when I hold the box together by hand, or there may be one joint that is open.

"I use a miter sled fashioned pretty much like the one you use. One factor that has just occurred to me is that I am now using a thin kerf saw blade.  Do you suppose there is some deflection in the blade that introduces a slight bit of error into each cut? In the past I can't remember having this problem - and I am pretty sure I was not using a thin kerf blade at that time.  It is a pretty new acquisition. It was recommended by the Freud dealer for box and other small woodwork projects because of the superior, smooth surface left by the blade. It certainly does that well. My thinking is that when you are nibbling off the miter cuts at the end of each box piece there isn't anywhere near an equal pressure or resistance from wood on each side of the blade, perhaps allowing it to deform every so little. Maybe I need to build a new miter sled?"

I think there can be some noticeable deflection in a thin kerf blade. I've noticed it myself. Also, I've noticed that if any of the parts are not held tightly enough to the surface of the sled, and they are allowed to rise up slightly during the cut, it can lead to a slightly open miter. Not all woodworkers have the same strength in hands and the pressure from the blade during a miter cut seems to create a bit of lift, rather than just downward pressure that would find in a 90° cut. While I normally keep the blade as low as possible to make the cut through the wood and no more, raising the blade slightly may give it more of a downward force. Try it and see if it improves the fit of the miters.

Also, I assume that you are using a stop block to control the length of your parts. There are two things that normally go wrong with miters. Either one piece is cut to the wrong length, keeping miters from closing, or the angle is off.

I use a thin kerf blade for resawing stock and for making inlay, but for most cuts I use a full thickness blade with 1/8 in. kerf.
 

I'm not sure if a new sled is necessary, but they are easy enough to make.


Make, fix and create...

Using a table saw for finger joints...

A reader asked about the right kind of blade for making 1/8 in. finger joints:

My grand daughter appreciated the Walnut top Lift Lid box I recently made for her and now has requested that I make a pencil box for her. Every box brings it's own challenges/opportunities and I am looking forward to making it. I was wondering, do I need a special saw blade to make the box joints or will an Alternate Tooth Bevel blade give me the cut I need. I see in your book on page 38 you recommend a dado blade. Perhaps I need to get this type of blade for this joint. Thanks.

Check out a Freud ripping blade. Some have a three way grind, with teeth that alternate between beveled and flat. Some combination blades also have this feature. You can use an alternating bevel blade but it will leave small gaps. My favorite blade for this is a Forest Woodworker II with a #1 OD special grind. It costs about $10.00 more than a regular grind Woodworker II. But if you do a lot of this kind of work, the extra cost is miniscule.