Awesome Wooden Trunk W/ Rosewood for Camera Gear

I wanted to make a classic wooden trunk to hold some analog camera equipment while traveling. This is basically a large box utilizing box joints for construction, some leather straps for extra security, some nice locking clasps and a leather handle. Obviously the size can be adjusted to make it fit whatever you're looking to store. Make sure to check out the video for the whole build process!

Step 1: Size

To determine the size of the box, I laid everything out on a table that I wanted to keep inside and then I measured accordingly. For materials I decided to use 1/2 inch white oak for the sides and 1/8 inch rosewood for the top and the bottom panels.

Step 2: Construction

I cut the wood up to size, and then I used my box joint jig for the table saw to cut box joints (plans available here if you'd like to build the same jig: http://www.darbinorvar.com/misc/box-joint-jig-plan ) You could also hand cut box joints, or use a router for example.

Step 3: Glue Up

Once the joints were cut I glued them together with clamps, taking extra care to ensure the corners were square.

Step 4: Top & Bottom Panels

To create the top and bottom panels, I glued up some 1/8 inch rosewood, and added some wooden straps for extra glue surface.

Step 5: Glue-Up

Once the panels were dried, I glued them to the oak case using many clamps to ensure a good connection.

Step 6: Tablesaw Cut

At this point we had a closed box, and it was time to cut it open on the table saw! To do this, I first cut three sides, then attached a small spacer with tape inside the cut, and proceeded to make the final cut.

Step 7: Routing

To create a rounded edge on all the corners, I used a handheld router.

Step 8: Fabric

Since the top and bottom panels are so thin, I was concerned that perhaps they could crack if the case was accidentally dropped. So to ensure more strength, I decided to glue some canvas to the panels using some water based contact cement.

Step 9: Locks

For locks I decided to use vintage style combination locks. To attach these you first have to cut some mortises which was done using the handheld router.

Step 10: Hinges

I added some nice, matching brass hinges in the back.

Step 11: Sanding

Finally, sanding to make sure everything was nice and smooth.

Step 12: Leather Straps

To provide extra security (and looks!) I cut some leather into straps, added snaps to one side, and then glued the straps all around the box using contact cement. At that point I added the second part of the snaps to be able to close the straps.

Step 13: Handle

For a handle, I made a thick leather handle using the same material as the straps that I sewed together. Then I drilled a hole in the sides of the handle as well as the box and secured it with some brass bolts and nuts.