My mind is spinning and you may be Pottzy's salvation in making me abandon posting my simple puzzles... though I will never abandon making them.
Great writeup, without giving too much of your secrets away (BAH).
I learned a trick from Luthiers long ago about short skinny sticks and how they can make for great lil clamps.
This is why I get on my high horse and whinge about post contents... I may never make a puzzle box, but I will remember and use that trick somewhere/sometime in the future.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD