Gift Box

2013

Near the end of 9th grade we were asked by our Tech Ed teacher to make a box for the principal who would be leaving the school that year. It was to hold thank you notes from teachers at the school for the principal. We were told we could use whatever wood and hardware we needed and to make a presentable box.

We decided to make our box out of oak and use box/finger joints for the corners. The finger joints were made on a router table. The top piece was mitered so that no end-grain would be showing on the top of the box. We routed a groove on the inside of the side pieces so that the bottom piece would be held inside the box.

We made all 6 sides of the box in class during Tech Ed and then brought them home for finishing touches. Each piece had to be custom made. Because a router bit is curved, some corners had to be cut out by hand with a chisel and hammer.

We glued all 6 sides together to make rectangular prism and then cut a few inches worth off the top of the box off to be the lid.

We finished it with Danish oil and fitted it with two hinges and a latch. It was presented to the principal on the last day of school after all the students had left. The principal personally called us to thank us for making her this box.