Making a Display Box

[BillEllis]

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This will probably only work for those of you who have some woodworking tools. You could get by with a sander, router, and a bandsaw. You would absolutely need a band saw and a disc/belt sander to do this project... I have both a vertical and horizontal sander that gets a lot of use. Here is the horizontal one I had made several years ago.
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Here is the basic frame of wood of the display box.

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I'll do this in a few stages to give you guys a chance to ask questions so I know how to approach the information for you.

 

[BillEllis]

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There are several good books to be found on Amazon on how to make small boxes. I bought a jig from Rockler to do the dove tail joints. Works pretty slick. If you're a tad dyslexic like me, it can be a bit challenging if you aren't paying close attention as to which side and what end of the wood you make the slots on. This method requires no nails, brads, screws, or bolts to secure the joints... just wood glue. If there is the slightest gap in the joint, merely put a smidge of glue in the crack with your finger and run the side of the frame against the turning sanding disc and the sawdust will adhere to the glue. Wall La! No more gap. Yes, I know I said Wall La...

Some of you wood guys should chime in with any tips you have in regards to box making, yourself, btw. If you don't want to gussy up the joints of the box, just use butt joints and put a couple brads in to hold the joint together. You still need the wood glue. Also, make sure you drill a slightly undersized pilot hole for each brad to prevent the nail/brad from deflection or splitting the wood. Use a gadget similar to this to clamp the box so it stays square while the glue dries.

I cut my wood strips right at 1/4 inch thick and whatever width and length I need for the razor to fit.


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I have a hot-wire cutter for the styrofoam, but it's just as easy to use a band saw. Put the frame over the chunk of styrofoam you surely saved from unpacking other goodies like computers, tv's, or tools. Trace lines from the inside of the box onto the foam using a sharpie. Cut the rectangle out so that it is over sized and you can see the lines of the profile that you drew on the styrofoam at the outset.

Sand carefully down to the profile line you drew on the foam. Keep dry-fitting the foam to the frame, sanding as necessary to get a perfect fit. Once the foam fits squarely into the frame, cut it to the proper thickness using the band saw. Make sure it is, once again, over sized. Put the piece of foam back into the frame and sand flush to both sides of the frame using the disc or belt sander.

 

[Alacrity59]

Ok. I very much enjoy these lessons . . .and it has been far too long since the last.

What is the wood you are using on this project?

The pins look darker than the rest . . . is the wood already stained or is it just the way wood varies from piece to piece?

Mike

 

[BillEllis]

What is the wood you are using on this project?

The pins look darker than the rest . . . is the wood already stained or is it just the way wood varies from piece to piece?

Mike

The wood is KOA. I picked it up on my last trip to the island of Kauai last year. Hand picked a bunch of it and had them ship it to me. Worked out just dandy.

I may even be using the wrong term when I say dovetail. I have always been of the mind set that a dovetail had some angles to lock one piece of material to another. Basically, on this box, the ends of each piece of wood has slots cut into them and interlock with the adjacent piece. Didn't know what else to call it besides dovetail. Woodworker guys, what's this joint called?

The darker material you see is the end grain of the adjacent side of the box frame. Each corner of the box will show them. All end grain with show up darker than the display surfaces of the wood.

 

[drifwood]

I think you'll slap your forehead when I tell you the name of the joint ...

it's called a box joint

With modern adhesives they are every bit as strong as true dovetails. The contrast between the dark end grain and the flat grain of the koa draws people's attention to the joinery. Nice box!

Cheers,
Ian

 

[BillEllis]

I think you'll slap your forehead when I tell you the name of the joint ...

it's called a box joint

With modern adhesives they are every bit as strong as true dovetails. The contrast between the dark end grain and the flat grain of the koa draws people's attention to the joinery. Nice box!

Cheers,
Ian

Ahh! smack... smack... smack.
Thanks.

Here's a deal-e-o on wiki about the joint

 

[Pumpkin]

Very nice box. I like the trick of using the styrofoam as a jig for the frame...when I've made small boxes before I've fiddled with clamps on the outside, trying to keep them squared.

 

[BillEllis]

Very nice box. I like the trick of using the styrofoam as a jig for the frame...when I've made small boxes before I've fiddled with clamps on the outside, trying to keep them squared.

Peter... my fault for not being clear with my explainations. We're not quite there yet, but the styrofoam is actually the black portion of the display box as in this pic. I'll get to 'splainin' it in a bit. More to come...

 

[Pumpkin]

Peter... my fault for not being clear with my explainations. We're not quite there yet, but the styrofoam is actually the black portion of the display box as in this pic. I'll get to 'splainin' it in a bit. More to come...

Bill, the mistake was mine...I was reading the thread on my phone and the pics didn't show a lot of detail on a 2" square screen!

 

[Jsteele]

Bill... can one be made for a 7 day set? LOL

 

[BillEllis]

Bill... can one be made for a 7 day set? LOL

Hmmm...

7-day custom set with "Sunday" being more tricked out than the rest...

Who's interested?

 

[BillEllis]

Once the wood frame is cured from the application of the glue and you have a good fit with the styrofoam, take it out of the frame and trace the outline (profile) of your razor onto the surface in the most pleasing position for viewing. It needs to be close to the profile, but does not need to fit like OJ's glove. (sorry... )At this point it's time to hog out enough of the styrofoam to hold the razor in place. I normally measure the thickness of the razor and remove about 3/4's of that... maybe a tad less. There are several types of styrofoam to choose from. Pick the hardest and most dense you can find. I use some blue styrofoam (when I can find it) that works like a champ.

Become accustomed to which side of the line the rotary bit wants to "walk" as you traverse the outline and go in the opposite direction... very slowly. Do not try to remove material to the intended depth on the first pass or two. Use as many passes as necessary to remain accurate with the removal. I use a reversible variable speed Fordom with foot control for the work, but the same quality can come from a cheapo dremel.


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Here is how it starts out.


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Once that is done, draw a semi-circle on both sides of the razor near the pivot to facilitate grabbing the razor from its nest. Make them only big enough to accommodate your fingers. You can also put these depressions anywhere along the profile of your choosing. It's only to make grabbing the razor a lot easier.

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After that is accomplished, make nice transitional bevels that follow the lines of your drawing. This is your opportunity to flaunt your artistic style. I don't get too carried away 'cause it would be embarrassing to have the box look better than the razor...

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The rotary bit you see is about 3/4's in diameter and is encrusted with diamond dust. About $25, as I recall. Can't remember where I got it... sorry.

Get some caulking and an oil paint spatula from an artist-type store as seen in the last photo, here. The caulking is pretty easy to use. Spread it to fill gaps and straighten edges that you made trying to follow the lines... Make sure you let it dry thoroughly before heading to the next step.

We're 3/4's there. Anybody intend to try this or am I just flapping my gums, as I have been known to do on occasion?

 

[Jsteele]

Hmmm...

7-day custom set with "Sunday" being more tricked out than the rest...

Who's interested?

I'm interested no doubt about that..

 

[gaj90027]

We're 3/4's there. Anybody intend to try this or am I just flapping my gums, as I have been known to do on occasion?

I am very eager to try this. I'm working on a razor storage box right now but plan on trying a display box like yours next.

Please continue

 

[Sullybob]

I don't intend to try this anytime soon mainly because the only wood working tools I have are a hammer, hand saw and some 300 grit sand paper.

I am really enjoying this tutorial though. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Bill

 

[screaming_pig]

MORE MORE MORE!!!!!!! This is excellent stuff, certainly will be trying this in the future, great insight and fantastic walk thro. Keep it up Bill!!
I suppose the sky is the limit as to how big or how many razors a box will take. Will there be a lid of some description, glass maybe??

 

[BillEllis]

because the only wood working tools I have are a hammer, hand saw and some 300 grit sand paper

Oh, my...


I was going to post some more stuff tonight, but I can't locate the pics I took of the next steps. I will have to recreate some in the next couple of days.

To continue...

 

[BillEllis]

I still gotta get more pics, but here is a site to get the "flocking" materials needed for this project. There are a lot of colors to choose from. Here are their instructions for applying it.

Oh yeah, and if you don't want to make, or have the materials to make, a box, then you can modify a bracelet box. Steal one of the old lady's, or look for them online. I'm keepin' my source for those a secret for now. There are a lot of possibilities for box types. I'll have pics of those coming up, too. And... y'all can ask Joel how he helped me with a display box with blue flocking on one of his visits to my house...

Here is another one of those "flocking" stores. And here are some instructions on the application process from that same "flocking" store. I just love almost swearing...

And, of course, there is Woodcraft to find some "flocking" supplies. While you're at it, you can get some other goodies while browsing. I should buy stock in that dang store...

 

[Seraphim]

Bill, you do the best "how to" tutorials!

 

[BillEllis]

Bill, you do the best "how to" tutorials!

Being pretty good at something is rewarding, but my goal is to have a good time while being helpful... I know how difficult and time consuming it can be if a person has to figure things out on their own. Thanks for the compliment.​

Back in the early 90's, a friend and fellow knifemaker, Mel Nishiuchi, shaved off a year's learning curve by introducing me to mosaic pins and explained how to do filework. I remember giving credit to him when Blade magazine did an article on my mosaic pins back then when I was concentrating most of my time on knives. Great guy who makes killer knives.