Issue 37 - Contemporary Box

[Gill]

The contemporary box project on page 25 of the current issue (issue 37) shows the bottom of the box being attached to the sides using double sided tape. An alternative method is to glue the bottom to the sides using normal woodworkers adhesive but sliding a piece of newspaper in between. When the bottom is removed with a chisel at step 3, less force will be needed to separate the pieces, there will be less chance of damage and it will be easier to tidy up.

[handibunny]

There's any easier way to handle cutting the bottom of the box, which avoids the whole problem of attaching it temporarily for cutting. If you have the Fall, 2008 SSW&C, the procedure is detailed in the "ribbons and bows" box article. If not, here it is:

1. Glue the pattern to the blank as usual. Cut out the INSIDE of the box, as directed. Sand the inside smooth, especially the lower edge.

1A. If you do not have a band saw, which means you can't cut the lid liner from the waste from Step 1, here's the way around that: turn the piece you cut in Step 1 upside down on a thin piece of stock (1/8" - 1/4") and trace the inside of the box. You can use this piece as your lid liner as directed in the article. Proceed to Step 2.

2. Glue the box to the thin piece you are using for the base, clamping it firmly all around to get a good join. Clean up any squeeze-out inside the box, since this is difficult to sand off after the glue dries. Cut along the outer line, cutting through both the box and the bottom. Voila!

I believe this is the technique that Diana Thompson uses in her box book, and it avoids the tricky step of detaching the taped up pieces.