I’m in 11th grade and I’m doing this project for my engineering class. I’m doing this to because I want to but I’m also doing this because I have to because it is a grade. I’m into woodworking so I’m going to try and apply my interest to doing this project.

I’m going to create a box but it’s going to have a Halloween theme to it. This box will display creativity and precise handy work.It’s going to be a relatively small box, its just going to be big enough to put things like change, candy and other small things.

Step 1:

Find the kinds of wood you want, you will want two kinds of wood. Preferably a light wood and a dark wood.

When you find the pieces you want you plane them down to ¼ of an inch thick and then use the jointer to get flat edges on the sides.

Step 2:

Then cut 2 pieces that are 6 ½” long and 2 other pieces that are 4 ½” long but you should cut them in an alternating fashion so the grain runs together and it has a better look to it. The width of the pieces should be 2 ½”. These will be used for the sides of the frame.

Then to put the side together you should cut lap joints out, alternating top and bottom so when you are done all the pieces can go together.

Step 3:

Then cut 2 pieces that are 6 ½” long and 2 other pieces that are 4 ½” long but you should cut them in an alternating fashion so the grain runs together and it has a better look to it. The width of the pieces should be 2 ½”. These will be used for the sides of the frame.

Then to put the side together you should cut lap joints out, alternating top and bottom so when you are done all the pieces can go together.

Step 4:

Then take the other piece of wood (I used light wood here) that you have planed down to ¼ of an inch and cut it to the same size as the bottom, or maybe just a little smaller to remove the lid easier.

Step 5:

Then take all these pieces and sand them down, from 80 grit sandpaper to about 220. Then raise the grain (rub down with wet rag), and when dry sand with 220 grit sandpaper again. When you’re sanding down the frame if there are any spaces in between the joints, take super glue and fill the cracks and sand over it so all the dust goes into the cracks and fills up the crack. Sand until you can’t see anymore of the glue.

Step 6:

Take the frame and glue little slips of the same kind of wood to the very bottom of it.

After those dry put the bottom pieces through the top and glue the bottom to the little slips.

Step 7:

While that is drying go online and find a scroll saw book, or draw your pattern. Print it out if you got it off the internet. I got mine at http://www.freesawpatterns.com/?page_id=6.

Step 8:

When you get the pattern you put masking tape on the top piece of wood and take spray glue and glue the pattern to the top. You want to make sure that the pattern is in the middle and you're not cutting too far out, so center the pattern in the 4 inch by 6 inch space.
Once you have it glued, get a drill and a small drill bit. Drill holes where you want to start cutting with the scroll saw. Also, make sure all the parts of your pattern connect to the outside so you don’t end up losing parts of the design.

Step 9:

After you have completed the design, you can glue the design to the piece of wood that is a different color. What I did was I spray painted the lighter colored wood on the part that would be touching the top piece so it would display the design I picked better.

Step 10:

When the paint dried I glued the two pieces together. After the glue dries you need to apply some kind of finish. I used mineral oil, let that dry, then applied wax. Finally, I went to the buffer and buffed the project to finish it out.