This project just goes to prove that a box for the workshop doesn’t need to be pretty… just functional and identifiable, as opposed to my collection of non-“black boxes”,
After gate crashing C125’s thread Let’s talk Planes I found I was way off the ground and the only thing my Veritas Dowel Maker
had in common was that it was black and had a blade… actually 2 blades.
With horror I looked at the cardboard box it came in
and quickly realised it was no Fe$tool ‘tainer…. and being inspired by Lofty’s Sliding Box’slid stopper,
I was determined to grab and run with the idea of a swing arm stopper for my next MDF box as I’ve always had issues with securing the lid.
This dowel maker seemed like an ideal guinea pig to test my thoughts on.
Before yazall start recruiting the lynching party, I was not going to do handcut dovetails or finger joints, but would have chosen to use my jigs… damn it, if I’m gonna use jigs I might as well use my laser… now disperse!
Inside Sketchup, my first initiative was to work on the lid locking mechanism. I come up with this swing arm,
And once I was happy with the concept, I measured the dowel maker and built the box around it,
I also traced out the jigs base’s profile and imported the scanned JPG into SketchUp,
and created a recess for it,
Then the progression through all the software to the laser and finally my mini-assembly table in the warmth of my office (cold weather rolled in again)…
First step was to fill the lid’s engraving
with wood filler,
and sanded
I was anxious to try the closing mechanism,
I got so carried away I forgot interim photos of it in operation.
I designed the base to use a mortice and tenon concept due to the sheer weight of the jig, to prevent base blowout.
It was then a case of assembling/gluing the box up…
then to get a coat of tung oil,
Don’t know how many have adopted this practice… between tung coats, I keep the brush “fresh”, wrapped up in one of my used disposable gloves,
After the oil has cured, it was off to the buffer and transition through the Tripoli, white diamond and carnauba waxes,
Alex, very cool, you sure make that laser work for you. I don't know if you've ever seen this website. https://www.instructables.com/ and this is the newest contest https://www.instructables.com/contest/. They run contests all the time and pay money to the winners. I'm much too lazy to type up an explanation of what I have done because I type so slowly. But you seem to not have that problem. You tend to explain in detail most of your projects so it wouldn't be as much of a problem for you. Check it out they have contests for just about anything you can create. You can win some cash to buy more stuff, and then make more boxes to keep the stuff in. ;>)
The boxes will stack so much better without and exterior protrusions!
So that dowel maker, you just chuck up a timber in your drill and shove it in?
I have a dowel plate for smooth dowels, same hammer approach, but was considering something more "refined". That was until I saw I could buy the infernal things for dirt cheap, at least in 1' lengths and <= 1/2" diameter. Some poor sap sitting in a tent even sanded them smooth and round for me!
Splint, I'll have to look into that, I'm sick of making dowels and that seems to be the best way to assemble stuff I make on the lathe. I never even thought about buying them.
Thanks for the suggestion awsum. Though I'm no way rich, I'm not struggling and fortunately that's enabled money not to be high on my motivation list. I love to share my ideas and to pass it on to others, like through Instructables, would be reward enough for me. However, while I have considered posting there in the past, much as I like to go into detail with most of my projects here (and LJ), after looking at other's presentation there, I don't think I could/would go into the detail they do/require.
Because of availability shortage (and species) here in Aussieland, for SAKOF and many other props, I need more than 1' lengths. I needed a way to make my own, then I found this Veritas jig for 25mm (ok, 1") or less dowels. What makes it unique is it's adjustability (similar to my lathe jig) but less hassle. Setup for precise diameters can be a tad tedious (just a tad), but once honed in, you can create 1m lengths in well under 1 minute.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
![Kitten Clock. [Contains “r Certificate” warning] - Project by LIttleBlackDuck](https://pic.craftisian.com/t/0d3089b772c441a5a7050dc3c666d544.jpg "Kitten Clock. [Contains “r Certificate” warning] - Project by LIttleBlackDuck")
