A.J. Hamler - Box Builders Handbook: Essential Techniques with 21 Step-By-Step Projects

BOXES, OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, HAVE been with humans since forever. Our first were boxes of diapers and infant formula. For our earlier Christmases and birthdays, we were often more fascinated by the box a present came in than the gift itself. A little bit older, and we caught frogs or other small animals and kept them in a cardboard box. As we aged, boxes stayed with us.

Any sports fan reading this is well familiar with box scores and the batters box, nobody likes to be boxed in, everyone likes to be complimented for thinking outside the box, and who wouldnt want the best seat in the house a box seat. A few have negative connotations (penalty box, Pandoras box, poor box), but by and large boxes are positive things. Its even been said that life is like a box of chocolates.

Its no mystery that boxes are among the most popular of woodworking projects, and for good reason: They can be designed and used for almost any purpose. Because they use smaller amounts of material, theyre economical. Their usually smaller size means that they dont dominate a small workshop, or demand a lot of time. They make perfect gifts.

My goal with the Box Builders Handbook is to present a collection of projects representing a variety of box styles and their associated techniques, and not to teach you how to become a woodworker. But the fact is that boxes are the perfect projects for doing exactly that. Just about all the techniques required for furniture and other larger, more-involved projects can readily be practiced and mastered building boxes.

As you look over the projects in this book, youll note that its not intended to serve as an introduction to basic woodworking techniques and tool usage; Ill assume throughout the book that you already have a general understanding of each. But before you get started I wanted to familiarize you with some of the more common methods, materials and tips that youll use repeatedly.

You can use any kind of joinery with boxes, from simple butt joints to intricately cut and fitted dovetails, and plenty in between. This is the perfect time to get up on my soapbox (pun intended) to speak out against one of the more prominent woodworking myths. Chances are good that youve been told repeatedly that butt joints are the weakest of joints and I wont argue that; they are. However, joinery has to be looked at in context other joinery such as dovetails and mortise-and-tenon are truly strong joints, but you have to consider just how much strength you need.

Sure, you cant really build a very strong table or chair with just butt joints because of the stresses to which theyre subjected during use. However, the typical use of boxes involves very little stress to the joinery. Further, wood endgrain always visible in butt joinery can often be attractive, especially for some of the more exotic wood species. For that reason, dont be afraid of using butt joints, especially as you practice your skills.

Miter joints are a type of butt joint youll encounter often in box making, and although not the strongest of joints theyre generally plenty strong for boxes as long as you cut them accurately. I recommend ignoring whatever built-in miter scale your saw has and measure miter angles directly on the blade. You can accomplish this with an ordinary protractor, but I rely heavily on a digital angle guide (photo, top left, below). With your blade set exactly, youll ensure the strongest miter joints possible.