Coyote Jim Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 Hello wood brains! I am planning on making a couple coffee grinders for Christmas presents. I am buying the hardware from Woodcraft, but the box I will be making. I have never made a box before (still new to woodworking) so I wanted to build a prototype first. The point of the prototype is so that I can take pics, post the pics here, then all you experts can tell me how I could make it better. So please have a look. Tell me if I did not properly take wood movement into account or if you see any other red flags. Here it is with the lid dry fit, the metal grinder has not been screwed on, it is just sitting there. The wood is just some maple that got left outside in the dirt for a month or so which gave it a little spalting. The spalting is not super attractive. The box was made using miters and splines. I wanted the continuous grain look which I had never done before. Here they are dry fit together. You can see in the lower left corner there where I screwed up learned the correct way to do splines. I glued all that together then glued a bottom on it. I do not know why I thought it was important to have a rabbit in that bottom but I did it anyway. In retrospect, that was kind of silly. I also made a very small drawer that is totes cute. The drawer almost disappears when it is closed. This is the underside of the top. I did the rabbit on the top as well, completely unnecessary step. The grinder will be attached using the provided nuts and bolts. Here she is with the drawer closed and the top on. So please let me know what I should do different when I make them again for real. If I did not give enough info in this short write up then please ask away. Thanks for looking! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 Looks good to me! And that "misunderstood' spline should be pretty well hidden I don't think you need to worry much about wood movement with a box that small. I really like the mitered sides on the drawer where it meets the box sides. Nicely done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 It looks like you put a lot of work into tht. How thick are pieces making up the front and sides? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 so the top and bottom are the only areas where woodmovement would be a concern but the way to rabbeted it and if you don't glue it is the proper way to address that movement issue. As stated above your box is probably small enough to not have to worry much about it. the little drawer is awesome also the mitered splined sides are well done. Good work sir. This is something that i'm not sure i'd have been able to do as well. I will admit i don't like miters, i feel like i find every way possible to mess them up, though they look good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Jim Posted November 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 41 minutes ago, Mark J said: It looks like you put a lot of work into tht. How thick are pieces making up the front and sides? I spent an embarrassing number of hours on it for how small and simple it is. Don't care though, just getting some time in the shop learning new things makes me happy. Also, the front and sides, they are 5/8". Same with the bottom and top. I wanted it to have a bit of heft. The grinder is cast iron and I did not want the whole thing to be top heavy. 35 minutes ago, Chestnut said: so the top and bottom are the only areas where woodmovement would be a concern but the way to rabbeted it and if you don't glue it is the proper way to address that movement issue. As stated above your box is probably small enough to not have to worry much about it. the little drawer is awesome also the mitered splined sides are well done. Good work sir. This is something that i'm not sure i'd have been able to do as well. I will admit i don't like miters, i feel like i find every way possible to mess them up, though they look good. Well...I glued it. I'll cross my fingers that it IS too small to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 15 minutes ago, Coyote Jim said: Well...I glued it. I'll cross my fingers that it IS too small to worry about. It'll be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 I think the rabbets in the top and bottom are a good idea. Everything looks great to me. Your construction is sound. If I was to change anything, I would probably make it wider and deeper and maybe a little shorter ( if you can) so it didn't looks so much like a cube and a little top heavy, but that is just a personal preference. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 26, 2018 Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 I think it rocks! Good job. Maybe what Chet says. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Jim Posted November 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2018 24 minutes ago, Chet said: I think the rabbets in the top and bottom are a good idea. Everything looks great to me. Your construction is sound. If I was to change anything, I would probably make it wider and deeper and maybe a little shorter ( if you can) so it didn't looks so much like a cube and a little top heavy, but that is just a personal preference. 19 minutes ago, K Cooper said: I think it rocks! Good job. Maybe what Chet says. Hmm...it's not too late for me to shorten it. I'll give it a think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coyote Jim Posted December 10, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 This was just supposed to be a prototype but thanks to your comments and suggestions I liked it enough to make it a gift. I finally got around to taking some glamour shots. Thanks again everyone. I love how positive and helpful this forum is. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 Very nice!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan McCully Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 Beautifully done. I'm a huge coffee nut. Will have to put this on my list of future projects and possibly gifts. Love the mitered drawer, hides it nicely in the bottom. Great idea. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 I like that a bunch! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted December 11, 2018 Report Share Posted December 11, 2018 Nice and nice touch having your planes staged around it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G Ragatz Posted December 11, 2018 Report Share Posted December 11, 2018 Nice piece of work! Might want to put a little knob on that drawer - it fits so cleanly, I'd never be able to figure out how to get to my ground coffee, bleary-eyed at 6:00 am. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted December 11, 2018 Report Share Posted December 11, 2018 Great project and design. I wouldn't change a thing. I like the hidden drawer too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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