My youngest son (33) has a few watches and requested a shelf on which to display them. He has just moved back to NC from CA and is in transition as far as a permanent living space. A shelf would be nice but only a temporary solution. What he really needed was a portable shelf. We discussed a design and finally decided on a stand-up case with cubbies and a see-through door. Since he'll be adding to his collection he decided on 20 cubbies. This was the perfect solution. It was something he would always be able to have with him wherever he lived.

Supplies

All pieces sanded up to 220 grit

1/8' 1 x 4 oak for the body of the case

1/2 x 4 dividers, 3/2' and 2/3'

1/4" plywood for backing

5/4 x 6 for base. I used scrap, but you can get by with a 4' piece

Two 1/2" magnets

Two hinges

A 1/8" thick sheet of Plexiglas herein called PLEXI

Finish as you'd like. Here is what I used.

Tung Oil

Paste Wax

and Dark Walnut stain for the base to add contrast to the lighter case

I'm going to be 75 so don't talk to me about Metric measurements. They tried to teach us that way back in the 50s and it didn't go anywhere. There are plenty of conversion programs on line.

Step 1: THE PLAN

I drew this design and he OKed it.

Step 2: WATCH STAND

He bought 10 acrylic watch display stands to start.

Step 3: NOTES ON FINISHING

NOTES ON FINISHING: I sanded all parts up to 220 grit. The case was finished with Tung Oil and buffed with Paste Finishing Wax. This made the case feel silky smooth.

Step 4: THE CUBBIES

Constructed out of 1/4" oak, I cut slots halfway through each so they would slide together paying close attention to the opening size of each cubby. And as Bob Ross said: there are no mistakes, only happy accidents. I trimmed these boards to a bit over 3" wide and marked one end of each just to keep them oriented in the same direction as I worked with them.

Step 5: TESTING THE SIZE OF THE CUBBIES

The watch displays fit perfectly.

Step 6: FINISHING THE CUBBIES

I applied Tung Oil to the cubbies' parts.

NOTE: Every time I picked up the assembled cubbies they came apart. To secure them, I hit several intersecting spots with a thin line of clear Gorilla Glue which held them together solidly.

Step 7: THE DISPLAY CASE

I constructed the case out of 1 x 4 oak. I cut a rabbet in the back, carefully mitered the corners and cut the case frame pieces to size using the cubby grid as a model. I finished the pieces with Tung Oil, found a nicely grained piece of 1/4" plywood for the backing and assembled it using Titebond Glue.

Step 8: THE BASE

I made a base out of pieces of 5/4 x 6 decking I had on hand and stained it dark walnut.

Step 9: THE DOOR

I ripped oak to about 3/4" square. For the 1/8" plexi, I cut a slot in the pieces. The kerf of my table saw blade was the perfect thickness for the plexi to slip into. I cut the plexi to size on my table saw and didn't remove the protective covering until the case was ready to present to my son. I finished the parts with Tung Oil and paste wax. I mitered the corners using the assembled carcass as a size guide, making sure the assembly was square. I I let the glue cure over night.

Step 10: HINGES AND MAGNETS

I installed hinges on the left since my son is right-handed. I added two magnets to hold the door closed and super-glued them in place. The only thing left to do was to present it to my son.

Step 11: THANKS FOR STOPPING BY

Well, my son was very happy with the results. He loaded his watches in it right away and is now talking adding to his collection. Funny thing, I don't even wear a watch. I hope you enjoyed this Instructable and got something out of it to use in one of your projects. As usual, I really appreciate comments and will answer any and all questions asked.