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Step 2The Box
With the idea in mind that I would need a box to mount these parts on, I started looking around my workshop for something suitable. I had plenty of plastic and metal project enclosures, but nothing had the right look. Finally my eyes came to rest on a sheet of oak craft board that I had sitting next to my scroll saw.
The board was 5.5" wide, just big enough to mount the two fixtures side by side. I measured off a piece 4" long and cut it. Then I measured a set of pieces a nudge more than 1" long, and cut those off. Two of them I left 5.5" long, two of them I cut down to 4" long.
I measured and marked the location of fingers for box joints, marking on the inside surfaces the order in which they assemble. This is important: while they are all measured the same way, they only go together in one order, as slight errors occur from freehand cutting.
I cut the slots out with my scroll saw. To make these square cuts, start by cutting two slots straight in, keeping the blade on the waste side of the line. After cutting to the final depth, back the blade straight out. Once both slots have been made, put the piece back into the blade at an angle, cutting through the waste piece while turning, reaching the bottom about half-way between the two slots. At this point, the blade should be facing in the right direction to finish half the cut, resulting in a nice sharp corner. Then just make another cut, starting from where the last cut began, but in the opposite direction, making another sharp corner.
The mating pieces will usually not fit the first time you try. I used the scroll saw to take off paper-thin curls of wood until the parts fit. You could do the same, or if you are not as comfortable with scroll saw operation, you could file them down with a wood rasp.
After the box was ready to assemble, I marked and drilled all the mounting holes.
The board was 5.5" wide, just big enough to mount the two fixtures side by side. I measured off a piece 4" long and cut it. Then I measured a set of pieces a nudge more than 1" long, and cut those off. Two of them I left 5.5" long, two of them I cut down to 4" long.
I measured and marked the location of fingers for box joints, marking on the inside surfaces the order in which they assemble. This is important: while they are all measured the same way, they only go together in one order, as slight errors occur from freehand cutting.
I cut the slots out with my scroll saw. To make these square cuts, start by cutting two slots straight in, keeping the blade on the waste side of the line. After cutting to the final depth, back the blade straight out. Once both slots have been made, put the piece back into the blade at an angle, cutting through the waste piece while turning, reaching the bottom about half-way between the two slots. At this point, the blade should be facing in the right direction to finish half the cut, resulting in a nice sharp corner. Then just make another cut, starting from where the last cut began, but in the opposite direction, making another sharp corner.
The mating pieces will usually not fit the first time you try. I used the scroll saw to take off paper-thin curls of wood until the parts fit. You could do the same, or if you are not as comfortable with scroll saw operation, you could file them down with a wood rasp.
After the box was ready to assemble, I marked and drilled all the mounting holes.
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