Looking for new box design/techniques for display items

[ibcooley]

Hey all, I've made a few display boxes and frames for family members and an looking for some new designs/techniques to try out. A family member asked me to remake a display box for some native American items they have, and I've already made one to replace the box it was in. My family member wants another box for the arrows seen in the images, but I'd like to try new techniques or box design or something.

Anyone have cool ideas for joinery/shape/profile/etc?


Attached are a frame I've made, previous remade box with the rattle, and worn down box with the arrows

 

[Dave Richards]

Box joints? Dovetails? Sliding dovetails?

 

[ibcooley]

Box joints? Dovetails? Sliding dovetails?

Dovetails are definitely something I want to attempt in the future. I'd want to practice a bit on scraps before making the piece with them.

In your opinion, do dovetail saws make cutting accurate dovetails easier, than say a Japanese pull saw with no back/blade stiffening reinforcement?

If so, any recommendations for a decent one, that is affordable for a hobbyist?

 

[Dave Richards]

If you've already got a Japanese-style saw, I would suggest starting with that. A Japanese-style saw doesn't need a back because the teeth cut when the blade is in tension. A thin-bladed European saw benefits from the back because it cuts when the blade is in compression.

If you're going to buy a dovetail saw, don't buy a cheap one. Buy the best you can afford. Better to buy high quality once than cheap and then spend again to get better quality. The way they are sharpened and set affects the quality of the cut and the ease with which you can cut to a line. Saws like those from Lie-Nielsen are sharpended correctly and tested before they are shipped. If you're going to hand cut dovetails you'll want some decent chisels. A good coping saw can be useful for cutting away a lot of the waste between pins but isn't absolutely required.

Practice is definitely a good idea.

 

[Darl Bundren]

One thing that might be cool is to reinforce mitered corners on the box with the arrows in it with dowels that are about the same diameter as the arrow shafts. Kind of lend continuity between items and container. You could choose contrasting wood species to accentuate the reinforcement.

 

[Kirk S]

This sounds like a fun and creative project. It would be great to see the display boxes relate to the items inside by using less sophisticated "looking" joinery or materials. Instead of a mitered corner, think half lap or instead of using manufactured metal hinges, build a wooden hinge but keep it simple looking.
Another idea might be to incorporate the beads or rawhide for the handle to open the cases.
Keep us posted on the new design!

 

[Kelly]

That is a really cool look. How did you drill the holes so uniformly ?

 

[Darl Bundren]

That is a really cool look. How did you drill the holes so uniformly ?

Not my work--images are off of the Rockler site. They sell a jig, and if I were going this route, I'd buy one.

https://www.rockler.com/rockler-corner-key-doweling-jig

 

[BKHam]

if you are willing to have either the sides or the top / bottom overhang the adjoining piece, I like a sliding dovetail that shows thru to connect parts. Shouldered sliding dovetails are taking it to the next level. If you are looking for more challenging joinery, then mitered dovetails are quite fussy.

maybe you can focus on your back panel and some interesting things there.
-veneered substrate with a design
-solid wood in a frame (the ash is actually proud of the frame like a box top)
-veneered substrate in a frame (in a groove, not proud)

I want to do a pack panel or door panel with the grain going diagonal in some project soon. I'd like to have a curved door / panel parts.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

Cutting key slots into mitered corners is a simple way to jazz up plain looking joinery. YouTube is full of videos on various ways to style and cut them. This gives you a chance to play around with contrasting woods.

Building a key slot jig fixture for your table saw is a simple project. You'll get perfect uniformity among the three cabinets you're building, plus you'll have a quality shop jig for future projects. Again, go to YouTube for designs and plans.

 

[ibcooley]

Cutting key slots into mitered corners is a simple way to jazz up plain looking joinery. YouTube is full of videos on various ways to style and cut them. This gives you a chance to play around with contrasting woods.

Building a key slot jig fixture for your table saw is a simple project. You'll get perfect uniformity among the three cabinets you're building, plus you'll have a quality shop jig for future projects. Again, go to YouTube for designs and plans.

In the box with the rattle, you can see key splines in one of the images. It was a pretty easy jig to make, and makes cutting them extremely easy. I like that look a lot.

 

[Allan]

If you've already got a Japanese-style saw, I would suggest starting with that. A Japanese-style saw doesn't need a back because the teeth cut when the blade is in tension.

Just a quick note that some Japanese saw makers do make a "dovetail" version with a back, such as this Suizan. I have a small one of these, but I have yet to use it to cut dovetails. These still cut on the pull stroke, and I think the idea of having the back is to help keep the cut straight.

(Goes to watch Third Coast Craftsman video on his collab with Suizan...) Ok. According to the video the back allows for a very thin blade. Japanese saws tend to have a much thinner blade than western style (push) saws, and the Japanese saws with a back (Dozuki) apparently have an even thinner blade (you can tell the kerf difference near the end of the video when he shows cut speed of different saws.)

Since the OP asked about affordability... Japanese saws are way less $ than most decent western saws. The Suizan dozuki 'dovetail' saw I linked to above is $45 on Amazon. Most good western dovetail saws will at least run you $100 or more (sometimes WAY more). Long term cost difference depends on how much you use it though. Japanese saws are designed to replace the blade when it dulls (which takes quite a while.) Western saws are designed to be sharpened.

 

[Bill_L]

Splines are simpler than dovetails (in my opinion) and can add a really nice contrast.

 

[Wilsoncb]

Just curious as I enjoy learning about Native American history in the various places I lived. Would you mind sharing a little more information about the artifacts you show in the pictures? Like what tribe and part of the country they originated…and any other significance you might know.

 

[jlyates777]

You could make the display box the same with the splines and then for the front panel glass inside of metal hinges do wooden hinges or a hidden wooden hinge.

 

[JNCarr]

Here's a different take on splines - resulting in what looks like dovetails. Use the same basic jig as a typical spline but cut on your router table using a dovetail bit. For the inserts use the same router bit and make two passes on the edge of 3/4" stock. Then cut the end off.

 

[ibcooley]

Just curious as I enjoy learning about Native American history in the various places I lived. Would you mind sharing a little more information about the artifacts you show in the pictures? Like what tribe and part of the country they originated…and any other significance you might know.

I don't think they're actually artifacts, more like trinkets. Replica items, just for display. My dad, whose got these, bought them some where inexpensively. They do have a little info card in the case, but nothing about the tribe or who made it, or anything like that.

 

[bob vaughan]

Here's a display box type that I did. The drop from the rabbet made an inner frame that holds the glass. The inner frame is attached with screws. The back is on with glazier's points but I could have used screws.