Hey Folks,

For Christmas presents this year, I made some stationery boxes.  You know, old fashioned, analog pen and paper communication devices.  Anyway, I couldn’t tell you much about them, at the time, because I wanted to preserve the surprise.  Now that it’s Boxing Day  (heh, heh), I can tell you about them.

I typically make these boxes out of whatever offcuts I have around the shop. But in the case of one of them I have been saving the wood for nine years.  Nine years ago, I built a small chest, out of Hawaiian Koa, for my god-daughter.  I’ve kept the offcuts hoping to come up with a good project for them, and decided this was the one.

The other box (top of the photo below) is for her sister, and is made of offcuts from the African Makore table that I posted about earlier this year.

Both boxes are simple mitered corner construction with runners for a small till for envelopes, etc.  The runners, and recessed top and bottom panels, reinforce the mitered corners, and a good hide glue holds it all together.  Finish is a wipe on polyurethane.

The boxes are made all of one piece, with a dado cut into the inside length of each side piece.  Once the box is assembled, I cut an intersecting dado along the outside of each side and a telescopic lid results.  A reserved key piece made prior to assembly allows for a precise location of the last cut.

As a gag, I included the following, Thank-you Note Template, in each box.  It’s totally unneeded in this case however, as both young ladies are conscientious writers.

Thank you template*

Dear (Recipient), (today’s date)

Thank you so much for the (gift), I absolutely love it. It is (insert gratuitous hyperbole, e.g., “the bomb”).

(Relate some recent interesting, humorous, and/or significant event in your life).

(Include a sincere wish for a get together at some future opportunity).

With love,

(Your name here)

(Include optional affections, e.g., 00XX, hugs and kisses, etc.)

*To be hand written

 

Although I enjoy making boxes, particularly as gifts, it’s time to get started on furniture again.

Cheers,
Tom