Complete Starter Guide to Making Wooden Boxes E-Book

Albert Kleine

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 184

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Complete Starter Guide to Making Wooden Boxes: Learn to Build Beautiful and Practical Containers for Everyday Use is more than an introduction to woodworking. It's the perfect companion for your first foray into greater craftsmanship--taking the knowledge you learn from making small wooden boxes and invigorating your love for working with wood! Author Albert Kleine, a longtime woodworker who teaches woodworking to beginners, presents projects by featuring more easily executed first, such as one made with a simple butt joint and progressing through more advanced such as a desk try with marquetry bottom. You'll learn everything from cutting dovetails to adjusting hinge mortises for a lid that fits just right. With Complete Starter Guide to Making Wooden Boxes, you'll get everything you wanted from a woodworking introduction - all without breaking the bank on a lot of expensive wood and supplies before you earn your first stripes. Join Kleine as he teaches you the fundamentals of wooden box making and learn why so many woodworkers find it be an enjoyable and rewarding endeavor.

Leseprobe

© 2025 by Albert Kleine and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

Complete Starter Guide to Making Wooden Boxes is an original work, first published in 2025 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.

ISBN 978-1-4971-0504-1

eISBN 978-1-63741-490-3

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Because working with wood and woodworking tools inherently includes the risk of injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that creating the projects in this book is safe for everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages caused in any way by the content of this book or the reader’s use of the tools needed to complete the projects presented here. The publisher and the author urge all readers to thoroughly review each project and to understand the use of all tools before beginning any project.

Introduction

Making boxes presents two huge advantages to the beginner hobbyist woodworker: 1) boxes are generally small projects that can be completed in short time spans, and 2) since they are usually small, the cost of materials is generally low. So, when I started my woodworking journey, instead of throwing all of my free time (and disposable income) into a couple of large projects, I chose to focus on boxes as my entry point into woodworking. It took me too long to figure this secret out, so I hope this book can spare you some of the time and effort.

When I first decided to jump into woodworking over a decade ago, I had absolutely no idea where to begin. As someone with no formal education in the craft, the variety and breadth of subjects under the general umbrella of “woodworking” was daunting. I also wanted to make sure that my time was well spent. I was intent on becoming well-rounded, and that meant taking on projects that would further my skill set. With a full-time job and intentions of starting a family, I needed to make sure all my shop time was productive.

After wandering aimlessly from project to project with no direction (my early work truly is quite bad), I eventually realized the value of focusing on boxes for my woodworking education. I found that making numerous and varied boxes—each one introducing new techniques and styles—has helped me become a well-rounded woodworker. I was able to learn many different joinery methods, how to turn on a lathe, how to effectively resaw lumber, and much more, all with limited money and time.

Further, since the time and money investment in box-making is so low, it encourages experimentation. Even if you take a leap that ends up not working, the pain of starting over is minimal. And the payoff of discovering a new technique or design aspect to incorporate into your work is thrilling. Making boxes introduced me to carving, string inlay, marquetry, and many other techniques that I truly don’t think I would have explored otherwise. This has helped me immensely in developing my own signature style instead of just copying the work of others.

This book is an attempt to put my own journey with box-making into print. We’ll start with an in-depth look into joinery, the basic building block of any wooden box. Obtaining a solid foundation in joinery is absolutely essential if you intend on making your own boxes, so make sure you spend a lot of time getting comfortable here. From there, we’ll move on to the box-making itself.

The projects are arranged roughly in order of difficulty—the first is one that a beginner should be able to pick up quickly, and the last few are for more seasoned woodworkers. As you progress through making the boxes, you’ll pick up essential skills that can be applied in numerous other woodworking projects. And while this book is primarily focused around the projects, the techniques are presented in such a way that it can act as a reference that you’ll employ throughout your woodworking career.

My hope is that, by the end, you will feel comfortable applying the techniques you learned here to your own box designs and move away from relying on project plans. In that vein, I’ve tried to keep the projects as straightforward as possible—you should feel free to experiment and add your own imprint whenever you feel comfortable!

Table of Contents

Introduction

Getting Started

Preparation and Safety

Materials

Tools

Joinery

Projects

Simple Pine Keepsake Box with Lift Lid

Cherry Keepsake Box

Bubinga Gift Box with Framed Lid

Curly Maple Trinket Box with Ebony Pull

Salt Cellar with Finger Joints

Two-Tone Sliding Lid Dovetail Box

Miniature Dovetailed Chest

Catchall Tray with Marquetry

Asymmetrical Band Saw Box

Padauk and Curly Maple Turned Ring Box

Beyond the Basics

Splines

Dovetails

Angled Walls

Decorative Elements

Beyond Boxes

Project Plans

About the Author

Getting Started

Before delving into discussions on joinery and box-making itself, it’s important to get organized, prepared, and have a working knowledge of the tools and materials you’ll be handling. Knowing what you need, how to use it, and having it readily available will make your shop time much more productive and allow you to focus all your attention on your projects. This chapter is meant to provide general advice on how to go about doing that.

Preparation and Safety

The best way to start any box-making project is to assemble all your materials prior to starting. This is important not only for the sake of efficiency, but also for ensuring your box-making is a success. Running around trying to gather the things you need while working can quickly put you in a headspace that simply isn’t going to produce good work. Do yourself a personal favor and gather everything in the project materials list before you attempt anything—you’ll thank me later.

An example of auxiliary safety devices available: featherboards and push blocks. These are vital for keeping your hands and fingers away from sharp, fast-moving blades.

Another extremely important part of preparing for any woodworking project is safety. Woodworking is a wonderful hobby that can unfortunately leave you with devastating injuries very quickly if you are not attentive. Always make sure to outfit yourself with proper PPE whenever in the shop—dust masks, ear protection, and eye protection are a must when working with any power tools. Additionally, many power tools have safety guards installed on them and the ability to expose only the amount of a cutter that you need (e.g. you can drop the blade guard on a band saw to just above your stock to avoid catastrophe if the blade breaks). Learn how to use these safety features before using the tool—and never remove them, even if that “expert” on YouTube says it’s fine.

Safety concerns don’t go away when the power tools go off. Speaking from experience, it’s very easy to hurt yourself quite badly with a hand tool. One thing I’ve found helpful is to constantly be aware of where both of my hands are whenever using a hand tool. My friend and fellow woodworker Vic Tesolin often says to make sure there’s no “meat” in the path of a cutting edge. Beginners will often use a tool like a chisel with one hand, leaving the other vulnerable to the sharp edge should the chisel slip or wood break unexpectedly. Staying focused, present, and mindful is key to avoiding injury when using hand tools.

There are, of course, improvements you can make to your shop to ensure it remains injury free. Investing money in good dust collection will not only make your work safer by keeping your space clean, but your lungs will also thank you in the long term. Additionally, plenty of manufacturers make add-on safety devices like featherboards, push sticks, and jigs that I find also make my work much more accurate.

The point here is that safety should not be considered an afterthought in woodworking; it’s an active process that requires you to be mindful about every task you are completing. Mitigate risks with proper equipment and training, and if something feels unsafe to you, don’t risk it!

Materials

All the projects in this book use solid wood as the main box material. Solid wood is not dimensionally stable. Fluctuations in humidity and temperature can cause already prepared boards to bow, cup, or twist. This is a particular concern when a box lid is just a free-floating piece of wood. Nothing is preventing that board from going all out of whack! Milling your stock ahead of time to the listed project dimensions and allowing the wood to acclimate to your shop will save you a ton of headaches when it comes time to actually work with your stock. You’ll notice in the projects that I occasionally make a comment about wood species or type of stock (quartersawn, flatsawn, riftsawn, etc.) to help mitigate wood movement concerns—these are born of experience so take note.

Sourcing decent hardwood lumber can be a chore depending on your local area. Woodworking stores typically stock pre-milled lumber, but the lack of variety and high prices make them not the best option. Connect with local woodworkers in your area to find out who the good suppliers are, as they can be hard to find through simple internet searches. It’s also a good idea to establish a good relationship with your supplier. My main source—Alexander Brothers in Timberville, Virginia—regularly sets aside stock for me because they know the work that I do and my material preferences. This saves me a ton of time and hassle when gathering materials for a project.

A Note on Wood Selection

One of the most overlooked aspects of woodworking for beginners is the wood itself. I deeply encourage readers to educate themselves on the basic properties of wood through both research and experimentation, using resources like Understanding Wood by R. Bruce Hoadley—a must-read for anyone interested in woodworking. When making boxes, which are typically small items, I prefer using straight-grained wood, like rift or quartersawn, for its stability and clean appearance. This choice allows me to employ techniques that are usually risky in woodworking, such as gluing a quartersawn board directly to the bottom of a box without concern for cracking. Furthermore, it’s always worth investing a bit more in high-quality lumber. Early in my career, I learned that cheap wood not only costs in terms of quality but also wastes precious time.

Plain- or flat-sawn wood is cut directly through the log, maximizing material usage and displaying attractive patterns with minimal defects. Quartersawn and rift-sawn wood offer greater stability and distinctive grain features, making them ideal for furniture.

An example of straight-grained, quartersawn lumber. Shown here are Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, and cherry.

In addition to solid wood, some of the projects also use plywood. When sourcing plywood, try to use Baltic birch, if possible. The quality compared to big box store plywood is unmatched, and it’s easy enough to get at a specialty woodworking store or online retailer.

Shop Supplies

Having a steady supply of consumables on hand is essential for a well-functioning shop. The last thing you want is unnecessary downtime because you don’t have something you need to progress to the next step. Probably the most-used consumables in a woodworking shop are abrasives. I always make sure to have plenty of hook-and-loop sandpaper for my orbital sander, in addition to standard sheets for any hand sanding. PSA-backed sandpaper sheets are also great to have around for making quick sanding blocks out of scraps of wood. In addition to sandpaper, very fine steel wool (or even synthetic steel wool) is an essential for final buffing of finishes.

Most of the projects in this book, and woodworking in general, use wood glue, so it’s a good idea to buy it in quantity. Titebond II is my preferred brand because of its short open time—the glue sets fairly quickly and allows me to progress without much downtime. If you think you’ll need a bit more time to set things properly during a complex glue up, then Titebond III is a better option. On the flip side, using a good cyanoacrylate glue (also known as CA glue or superglue) with an accelerator is great for getting an immediate grab—just don’t use it in heavily stressed areas.

An assortment of shop staples, including solvents, rags, and finishes.

You’ll also want to make sure you have plenty of supplies on hand for cleanup. Shop rags and fine bristle brushes are necessary when doing a glue up, so don’t skimp on them. Denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, and acetone are all readily available on the hardware store shelf and can be used to both dilute finishes (e.g. denatured alcohol is a solvent for shellac, mineral spirits for linseed oil) and clean up any messes.

Finishes

The vast array of finishes on the market, each with unique properties like appearance, durability, and longevity, can be daunting for both novices and experienced woodworkers. The complexities of these finishes are too extensive for a brief discussion here. In this book, I suggest using your preferred finish for the boxes, as the choice often depends on personal preferences and the desired outcome. For those starting out, here are some straightforward options:

Oil: One of the simplest and most appealing finishes for boxes is an oil finish. Options range from pure tung and boiled linseed oils to proprietary blends. I favor pure tung oil, diluted 50-50 with mineral spirits, applied with a lint-free rag. After wiping off any excess and allowing it to dry for at least 12 hours, I either apply another coat or lightly buff it with #0000 steel wool. For additional protection, you can add an oil-based polyurethane to the mix, combining all three components in equal parts for an easy-to-apply finish. Note: Be sure to dispose of oil-soaked rags properly and according to the manufacturer’s instructions, as they can spontaneously combust.

Lacquer: Although not my favorite, many prefer lacquer for finishing boxes. It can be sprayed or wiped on, but spraying light coats is best to avoid accumulation in corners and on various surfaces. You can mix your own lacquer with thinner and use an HVLP system, or simply use a spray can from a hardware store.

Shellac and Wax: I frequently use a one-pound cut of dewaxed shellac (one pound of shellac flakes per gallon of denatured alcohol) applied with a lint-free cotton rag. Light coats, buffed with steel wool between applications, create a fantastic finish. For additional sheen, a final buffed layer of paste wax can be applied. Before any glue-ups, I apply a washcoat of shellac to the interior parts to seal the grain, which prevents grain raising from glue squeeze-out and saves the hassle of re-sanding. Ensure the shellac is dewaxed if you plan to apply a different topcoat.

Finishes, such as shellac, can create a smooth and appealing look to a box.

Other Materials

Everything listed so far should be viewed as necessities for general woodworking, but for box-making and the projects in this book specifically, some extra materials are needed.

Veneers are extremely common in box-making, usually to add some decorative element to a project that is not possible with solid wood. All the veneers used in the projects are " (1.6mm) thick, much thicker than standard commercial veneer. I use thicker veneers because not only are they far easier to use and handle than commercial veneers, but I can also saw them myself at the band saw using whatever stock I want. If you are uncomfortable sawing your own veneers or don’t have a suitable band saw, finding " (1.6mm) thick veneer at a woodworking store or online is very easy.

A variety of paint is great to have on hand for adding a splash of color to your work. I like to use milk paint in my work (either true casein-based milk paint or acrylic imitations) due to ease of application, but I’ll try anything. Perusing the paint aisle at my local art supply store introduced me to metallic, glitter, pearl, and other paint types that I’ve incorporated into my work countless times. Different paint types have wildly different effects that can be helpful in getting the look you are going for, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Similarly, fabrics and thick decorative paper are used extensively in box-making to line otherwise plain Baltic birch plywood panels. A small floral pattern can brighten up a box bottom easily, and all you need is a bit of spray adhesive. Craft supply and general merchandise stores have plenty of papers and fabric scraps for sale if you need them quickly, but if you are looking for an extensive variety, a dedicated fabric store is your best option.

Additional materials used in box-making, such as veneer, fabric, and decorative paints.

Tools

Other than available space, the biggest barrier to entry for any type of woodworking is the cost of tools. Woodworking is undoubtedly an expensive hobby, and if you plan on establishing a shop of your own, you should plan to spend a good bit of money getting set up.

I do want to note, however, that it is very easy to go down the path of thinking you need to own the absolute best of every single woodworking tool available. Spending money on quality tools is very rarely a bad idea, and it will save you a lot of frustration, but avoid the ever-present impulse to become a tool collector, and get the best tools you can afford. Remember that tool companies exist to sell products, and that something billed as an “essential” tool may not be so essential outside the world of marketing copy. If you are reading this book, you presumably want to be in the shop making things—try to keep the quantity, type, and quality of tools you are purchasing focused squarely on that goal.

Power Tools

The power tools required for box-making are pretty much the same ones needed for all woodworking projects. At the bare minimum, it’s a good idea to have a jointer, planer, and band saw—these are workshop essentials. The jointer and planer are necessary for milling your own stock, and the band saw can take care of most cuts you’ll need to do. A table saw is another helpful tool to have, but if you can only choose one, the band saw is a far better choice for its versatility. Not only can a band saw do most of the operations a table saw can (albeit leaving a surface that needs cleaning), but it can also resaw. Resawing can help you save a lot of material that would otherwise be planed away during thicknessing.

Another power tool that should be considered necessary in box-making is a router table. Since boxes are typically small, routing grooves with a handheld router can be both difficult and dangerous. I rout grooves in almost every box I make, so getting a decent router table with a variety of cutting bits was a no-brainer.

A band saw can be used for a variety of woodworking projects and is particularly useful in box-making.

A router table is a vital tool for box-making, as it is often used to add grooves and other critical components.

A lathe isn’t necessary for box-making, but it can be a handy tool. One project in this book is made entirely on the lathe.

A lathe is a great accessory tool to have in the workshop. While not strictly necessary for box making, having a lathe allows you to make your own pulls and other parts that can be used in your projects. Some of the projects in this book make use of one for just that reason, and one box is even made entirely on the lathe.

You don’t need to get a full professional turner’s kit to get started. A small benchtop lathe with a starter set of turning chisels, and a few other accessories (like a four jaw scroll chuck and drill chuck) are all you really need for the projects covered here.

You’ll of course find yourself needing additional power tools as you continue working, but most of these can be picked up on the cheap as you go. A drill press, power drill, dust extractor, palm router, and random orbital sander should all be on your wish list for box-making, but don’t feel the need to grab something until you need it. And always remember that there are multiple ways of doing things—power tools can be stationary and take up a lot of space, so think long and hard about whether or not you really need to give up potentially limited real estate for that machine you’ve been eyeing.

Hand Tools

As you work through the projects in this book, you’ll notice that there is a strong focus on using hand tools. The main reason for this is box-making is a very precise task. Saws, planes, and chisels, when used properly, can give you much more accuracy and control than power tools. Hand tools also allow you to slowly sneak up on cuts and make slight alterations so that everything comes together seamlessly.

There are thousands upon thousands of woodworking hand tools, so assembling your first kit can be extremely confusing. Just like with power tools, your work and preferences will dictate what you end up needing, but here’s a list of my personal must-haves to get you started:

The three most important planes: (from left to right) a smoothing plane, a block plane, and a shoulder plane.

Smoothing plane. I use a Stanley No. 3 or No. 4. This is used to “smooth” wood by taking light shavings. It’s also used as a general-purpose plane that can do pretty much any planing task.

Block plane.