A Wood Shop project class to build a box with sliding lid to learn basic joints and tool usage

Just a heads up to anyone following this thread that the class is now on the DMS events calendar.

I’d like to be in on the next one! Keep 'em coming! Thanks.

I’m unfortunately not able to attend the class this Saturday. Cancelling my RSVP now.

@mkart - Can you give a little more information about what wood size(s) would be appropriate for the splines (especially the thickness)? I may thickness my splines at home since they are likely to be smaller pieces.

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Chris, Matt gave me a 1-1 class the other night on his box making. The one I made with him had splines that were about 1/8 inch thick. Essentially, they were the width of the saw kerf. They are also very short as they just need to cut the corner of the box without being seen from inside the box.

I have used veneer stock for this type of build quite successfully on even moderately large boxes. The width of the stock is really just an aesthetics issue.

If everyone can’t find something in this stack to make a box out of they are too picky!

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I think I’ll choose one of the ones that is shaped like a box with a lid.

Short class…

i’d like to do a full hands on class if possible, i don’t learn as well without doing it myself :confused:

tuesday class is already full :cry: i can’t win…

Boxes are fairly easy to make. You’ll find a lot of great videos on YouTube. After watching a few, you should be able to produce a nice box utilizing the tools at hand.

Yeah, if you’re experienced enough with the tools to spot when someone is doing something unsafe on YouTube, then I’ll agree with you, but a lot of us don’t have a great deal of experience with the tools in Wood Shop which is why hands on project classes like this one are so valuable to us. A newbie armed with a little over-confidence and a YouTube education can easily spell disaster.

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This class was really great! As always, Matt provided great instruction, patience, and a lot of good tips. It was an opportunity to put my hands onto the controls of many of the major woodshop tools, which was particularly useful for me. Everyone came away with a beautiful nearly-finished box (the splines had to glue overnight). I highly recommend this class!

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Can ya’ll post pictures of the boxes? I’d love to see your creations.

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This was a great class and a fun project. Here is my box. It is aromatic red cedar - the only box that didn’t use an “exotic” wood. I wrapped the grain around the box, so I had to make a minor adjustment in the cutting procedure to accommodate that. Working the soft cedar presented some minor challenges (especially the lid) but it smelled wonderful. The splines are, ummm, some old turning stock that was sitting around my garage - ignota ligna, I believe.

Once we had the wood prepared, the actual construction was fast. You could knock out several boxes in an afternoon if you had your wood already prepared.

As always, Matt was phenomenal! I highly recommend you take this (or any of his classes) if you can.

So c’mon guys … I know everyone else got their box finished or nearly finished. Let’s see some other pictures …

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OMG I want to make one!!

I have cancelled tomorrow evenings class due to the jointer being down. I will reschedule after the holidays. I don’t know a way to give the students in the cancelled class first opportunity at signing up for the second class but if it exists I think that would be nice.

@AlexRhodes - maybe you can answer this … Since @mkart had to cancel the class due to an equipment problem not of his doing - could he set-up a new class and select “attendees require approval”? And under the circumstances (again, not of his doing) could he still get the honorarium that way?

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Here is the box I made. Very happy with how it turned out. Matt is a really good teacher. Can’t wait to make some more!

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Here are a few of the ones I made

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