I’ve been coming to Instructables for ideas and inspiration for a few years now but have never submitted an Instructable myself. Then this contest shows up. I have a left-over 2x4 from a previous project, so I figured why not. I was thinking about what to make and I thought I could make a band saw box, but I wanted to do something a little different from a little jewelry box. After a little more thinking, I decided to make a band saw box that is a desk caddy. This is what I came up with.

Supplies

Materials

One pine 8’ 2x4
Wood glue
Glue stick or spray adhesive
pre stain and stain of choice
Clear Polyurethane
Flocking glue and fibers (optional)
Clock insert (optional)

Listed below are the tools I used for this project. Other tools may be used as a substitute, for instance, instead of using a miter saw to rough cut the lumber, a simple hand saw could be used.

Whatever tools you use, always use proper safety precautions when working with machinery and hand tools. WEAR YOUR PPE!

Safety glasses
Dust mask
Miter saw
Table saw
Planer
Bandsaw
Clamps
Lathe (optional)
Drill press (handheld drill will work too)
¼” drill bit
2 3/8” forstner bit (optional)

Step 1: Design

I chose a simple design due to the limitation of material in this challenge. But with some creativity, you can come up with an attractive and functional piece. If you decide to make one of these, play around and make something that works for you. I through this together using PowerPoint, but a pencil and paper will work just fine. This is the design I came up with. There’s a secret compartment in it as well. The whole thing is 10" W x 51/4" H x 4" D.

Step 2: Creating the Blank and Glue Up

Cut 2x4 into 8 – 11” pieces
On the table saw, rip ¼” off both sides of boards to remove rounded edge.
Glue four pairs together along the long edge. You will have four separate pieces.
Once dried, remove the pieces from the clamps and plane them down to 1” thick
Glue two pieces. These will become the two middle pieces.
Once dry, cut out the pen/pencil holder using a copy of your pattern as a guide
Glue on the front and back pieces to finish the blank. Be sure the tops are flush.

Step 3: Cutting It All Out

Now that the glue has dried, remove the blank from the clamps and remove any dried squeeze out from the edges.
Using a glue stick or spray adhesive, place a copy of the pattern on the front of the blank. Align the top of the pattern to the top of the blank.
Take the blank over to the bandsaw and cut ½” off the back of the blank. Take your time and let the saw do the work. Lightly mark the top of the cut-off so you can realign it later when it is glued back on. Set this piece aside.
Place the blank on its back and cut the drawers out. Set the drawers aside for now.
Glue the back piece on. Clamp it up and set aside to dry. (clean as much squeeze-out in the drawer cavities while the glue is wet)
Now for the two small drawers:
On the bandsaw, cut about ¼” off the front and back. Keep these pieces.
On the middle piece, take a pencil and mark out the drawer cavity, keeping the walls of the drawer at least ¼” thick.
Cut out the drawer cavity. Set aside scrap
Glue the respective front and back on to the middle piece.
Repeat process with the remaining drawer.
Set drawers aside and let the glue dry.
Once the glue has dried, sand the drawers to remove saw marks
For the large drawer with the Secret Compartment:
On the bandsaw, cut off the front of the drawer only and set aside.
Cut out the secret drawer, set aside.
Cut off the back of the main drawer and set aside
Cut the drawer cavity on the main drawer piece. Set aside scrap.
Glue the front and back of the main drawer on to the main piece.
Cut the from and back off the secret drawer.
Cut out the drawer cavity.
Glue the front and back on to the secret drawer piece.
Once the glue has dried, sand the drawers to remove saw marks
Now for the main body
On the band saw, cut out the outside of the desk caddy
Sand piece to remove saw marks.

Step 4: Making the Drawer Pulls

Using the scrap piece from the drawer cavity, mill a turning blank for the lathe
Put the blank between centers on the lathe and turn a drawer pull of your design. I made little knobs with a ¼” diameter tenon a ¼” long.
If you do not have a lathe, use your imagination and create a drawer pulls of your own design.
On the front of the drawers (not the secret drawer), drill a ¼” hole to receive the tenon on the knob.
Glue the knob on to the drawer.

Step 5: Finishing

I chose to stain this desk caddy. You don’t have to. If you want the natural wood, skip the next two steps.
Since this is pine, in order to get an even finish, apply a pre-stain.
Once dry, apply stain and wipe off excess. Allow to dry completely.
Once dry, apply a few coats of polyurethane, sanding between coats.

Step 6: Dressing It Up

(These steps are strictly optional, I had the stuff to do it from previous projects so why not)

Flocking the drawer interiors:
Apply flocking glue to drawer interiors to all four drawers.
Load the flocking applicator and get to flocking.
Allow to dry overnight and vacuum the excess flocking fibers.
Installing the clock insert: (Since I already had one from a project that I ended up not doing)
Mark out and drill the appropriate hole at the required depth. This particular clock required a 2-3/8” hole at 11/16” depth.
Install AAA battery and set the time
Place clock in to the hole

This was an extremely fun project and as a bonus, I didn’t have to buy anything extra for it. I hope you all like it and maybe want to try your hand at making one.