Tobacco (or Anything Else) Wood Box

by deluges

8.6K14511

Intro: Tobacco (or Anything Else) Wood Box

Hey everyone,

Here is a quick (one day) project I made on a sunday. It's my fist box and I wanted to make it quite nice.

I think it'll be used for pipe tobacco if it keeps the humidity well enough (which it probably won't) but could be used for anything else.

As per usual, no measurements because I'm really bad at making plans ahead of time and mostly make as I go. Roughy, the box is 135*60*75mm (I think).

Alright, let's do this !

STEP 1: Tools and Mateeeeeriaaaals

Not a bunch of pictures here as the tools I used were quite common. The only thing worth noting is that I made and used Linn's box joint jig (add one day to project) to make my joints. It's really easy to make and is sooo nice to use. Kudos to her on that design.

The box design (and dimensions) came straight from the piece of wood that I used as a lid, I built everything around it.

Tools

The afore-mentioned box joint jig

Handsaw

Hacksaw

Sand paper rough and fine (120 through 400)

Belt sander (optional)

Hammer and chisel

Screwdriver

Measuring tape

Square

Drill and drill bits

Dremel (optional)

Materials

Nice thin hardwood

Wood glue

Finishing nails 10mm

Screws 2,5*10mm

Small brass hinges

STEP 2: Joints

I made the joints as explained in Linn's instructables. Credit goes to her and this is where you should go for instructions.

I made the joints as small as I could, that is the thickness of my granddad's circular saw blade : 2,5 mm.

STEP 3: Add a Bottom So Things Don't Fall Out

Pretty straightforward. Out of the same kind of wood as the back board, I simply nailed / glued it to the bottom and belt-sanded it flush to the sides.

STEP 4: Add a Lid So Things Don't Fly Off

Thieving magpies might want to dive in and steal your shiny possessions from the box. Let's add a lid so that doesn't happen.

I first pre-drilled the holes for screwing the hinges so the wood wouldn't be split. I then marked where the hinges would be on the lid and chiseled a notch out so the brass and wood would be flush.

My screws were too long but I knew they would be all along so I decided that I would cut the extra bit and flatten it into a nice metal circle on my lid. I think it gives it a nice look, to have a little bit of metal showing there.

Until the lid was firmly set, I kept it a tad wider than needed to allow for the wiggling room and sanded it flush once attached.

STEP 5: Sanding and Finishing

I sanded it with 400 grit sandpaper, wetted a little bit with a moist rag and let it dry to make the wood split a little, then sanded with 400 again and repeated a second time. I then finished the box with a 1:1 mixture of paraffin oil:hexane, two coats of it.

There you have it! A nice little box with a protuberance on the lid that makes it easy to open with your thumb.

Thanks for reading, please share if you make a similar box and let me know should you have any questions, I'll be happy to help!

Deluges

11 Comments

Signready 1 year ago

Love this. Definitely something I want to make. As far as the humidity, try a little black blimpie thing for the box just run it under water for a couple seconds and dry it off and throw it in with the tobacco. Most smoke shops will carry this little blimp. Thanks

BaznSuz 4 years ago

I know this is quite some time after your 'ible, but for tiny brass screws, try clockmakers parts suppliers

JON-A-TRON 8 years ago

Nice work man! I love the natural bump in the lid acting as a hand-hold. Solid finger joints too- well done.

pfred2 8 years ago

When I make a box like that I glue the top, and bottom on, then I cut the box open. That way I have a lip on the top of the box. Or sometimes I make a framed top. Often if you just have a plain piece of wood for a box top the wood might move on you, and you end up with maybe a shunken top, or a warped one. Plus as you noticed sometimes the thin top is just too thin for much of a screw to attach to. But that is something to try on the next box you make.

deluges 8 years ago

Hey pfred, thanks for the comment ! i actually thought of doing that but with the live edge I wanted to have it just by itself and i didn't find the screws to be that annoying after all. I like the metal/wood contrast but the next one I make will be made that way for sure, it looks way easier.

pfred2 8 years ago

Woodworking often boils down to just making boxes. So there's always a next one.

beardedchipmunk 8 years ago

deluges, what a cool solution to the too-long-screws problem. Do you think that step necessitates safety goggles?

deluges 8 years ago

It sure does. Sparks went flying ! I had my goggles on. And regarding the wood species, sadly I don't know what it is ! It spawned from a friend of my granddad and no one knows what it was. Could use that info if anyone recognizes it!

tardyjohns 8 years ago

Awesome

sixsmith 8 years ago

assuming the lid lies solidly along all edges when closed, it ought to behave decently for tobacco storage, if that's walnut It might even help regulate humidity due to the porosity of the grain. . .or it might dry it out faster. I still haven't determined for sure exactly what makes a wood good for a humidor. . although, insect prevention is one of them.