Introduction: Wooden Box With Sliding Lid

How to make a simple wooden box with sliding lid.

Materials:

X2 12mm pieces of timber (I used jarrah), 100mmx400mm

X1 3 12mm pieces of timber, 100mmx105mm

X1 12mm piece of timber, 90mmX105mm

*timber should have 3mm groove cut down the length. The bottom grooves should be 10mm from the edge

X8 small nails

X1 3mm piece of MDF, 390mmx110mm

X1 3mm piece of MDF, 380mmx110mm

X1 12mm piece of timber, 45mmx30mm (or any other off cut from the sides)

PVA/Wood glue

Lacquer, optional

Tools:

Small hammer

Drill and bit, 3mm (or size of nail)

Nail Punch

4 clamps, need to be able to span 130mm

Sand paper, 80, 120 and 240 grit (optional)

Wood File (optional)

Mitre Saw (if timber is not already cut to length)

Spray Gun or Brush for lacquer

Safety glasses and any other safety equipment necessary whilst using different tools in the workshop

Step 1: Getting the Pieces Ready

Before beginning the assembly, prep the pieces of wood. Be sure to know how it is all going to fit together, and cut any pieces that are too long. Cover any holes with wood putty, and sand the pieces of Jarrah with the 80 grit sand paper to smoothen it a little.

Step 2: Glueing

After sanding the pieces, glue them together. Put a small amount of glue inside the grooves of the Jarrah, then fit the 380mmx110mm piece of MDF inside the grooves.Squeeze it tight, ensure that all edges are flush, then clamp the ends. The two short pieces of Jarrah should fit inside the two larger ones. Wipe away any excess glue while it is still wet.

Tip: To ensure that the Jarrah is sitting flush with itself, use a set square.

Step 3: Nailing

Once the glue has dried, the box can be nailed together. Pre-drill the holes for the nail, setting them 20mm from the top and bottom of the box, and 6mm from the edge. Be sure to only drill as far as the nail will reach, and to drill straight downwards. Once the holes are drilled, use the small hammer to nail in the nails. Hit the nails in until only the heads are slightly sticking up, then use the nail punch to make the nail heads sit flush with the wood without denting it.

Tip: Take care when hammering the nails. If a nail is bent, pull it out straight away, before to hole gets bigger.

Sorry about the blurry picture

Step 4: Sanding

Now that the actual box is assembled, sand it. This will bring out the grain, and make it smooth to the touch. Begin at 80 grit, being sure to sand out any pencil marks, then progressively move up to the 120 and 240. Be sure to sand in the same direction as the grain, this will remove any scratches in the wood.

Step 5: The Lid- Assembly

Now that the box is complete, you can move on to the lid. Taking the 45mmx30mm piece of jarrah, or whatever off cut you used, sand it with the 80 grit. Once sanded, mark where you want it on the 390mmx110mm piece of MDF (I went 35mm from the edge and 40mm from the front). Glue it on, and carefully wipe away and excess glue. Leave it to dry.

Step 6: The Lid- Sanding

Once the glue has dried, sand the lid. Take away any glue trails and pencil markings with the 80 grit, then just do a quick sand of the MDF. As with the box, work your way up the grits on the handle, going with the grain.

To ensure that the lid actually slides in the box, you may need to taper the edges. This allows for a smoother, looser slide. To do this, either use sand paper or a wood file/rasp. Just bring down the edges of the lid, working on the bottom.

Notice how the edge closest to the handle hasn't been tapered. As this edge doesn't not need to fit into a groove, it can be left, with only the other 3 edges being tapered.

Step 7: Finalising and Touch Ups

Now that the box and lid are complete, do any final touch ups necessary, e.g. sanding away any scratches, rounding off corners and edges, making the lid slide smoothly. Once the box is perfect, clean out any dust. This can be done with an air compressor, or even just by blowing on the box.

Step 8: Lacquer

Now that the box is perfect, either spray or paint it with lacquer. This will make the box look nicer, and help to protect it. Be sure to apply the lacquer evenly, and avoid bubbles. Leave it to dry.

Step 9: Finished

Your box is now complete.

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