| Magazine Storage Boxes -- Walnut Stock |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-408 |
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In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks builds a classic library-style magazine box made from Peruvian walnut. For many people, magazines provide reference material that's valuable to hold onto. Storing and organizing magazines, however, can present a challenge. If you've incorporated magazines into your personal library, you may have run into storage difficulties since most magazines are too flimsy to stand up properly on bookshelves. The answer may be magazine boxes. Made from solid wood, each of these four matching magazine box-sleeves can hold a full year's subscription to a magazine. Each of the boxes features finger-joints at the seams, which -- when finished in tung oil -- result in a contrasting highlight at the corners. Finger joints offer a sturdy way of joining wood together at right angles and give the visual effect of the wood being "stitched" together. The sides of each box are shaped by template routing, and the bottom is a wood panel that rests in a dado. The flowing, continuous grain-pattern around each individual sleeve reveals thoughtful, artistic design. The four matching box-sleeves are stored in a walnut case built using mortise and loose-tenon joinery Materials: Peruvian walnut stock
MDF for template
Table saw
Band saw
Jointer
Drum sander
Table router; flush-bearing bit
Hand scraper
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc. Preparing the Walnut Stock There are two main components to this project: the sleeves that will hold the magazines, and the case that will hold the sleeves. The chief woodworking challenge is the creation of the precision finger-joints at the corner seams of each of the sleeves. Steps: - Begin prepping the walnut stock by re-sawing a board of walnut that is 8 inches wide (figure A). The stock for the case is cut on the band saw, and will be milled to a thickness of 3/4-inches. The stock for the sleeves will be milled to 1/4-inches thick.
- To make the case and sleeves, book-matched pieces of walnut (figure B) are edge-glued together to provide the proper width.
- Once cut, flatten one face of all of the stock at the jointer (figure C).
- Then mill each piece to final thickness (3/4-inch for the case pieces; 1/4-inch for the sleeves) at the drum sander (figure D).
- Before edge-gluing the case and sleeve stock, flatten the inside edges of each board using the jointer.
- Apply glue to the edges, and glue the pieces together to form the case stock and the sleeve stock.
- When edge-gluing the pieces, remember to match the grain, and mark a carpenter's triangle on each pair to keep track of the various parts.
- Apply even clamping pressure, and use wood cauls to avoid damaging the edges (figure E).
- Once the glue has dried, remove the excess glue using a hand-scraper (figure F).
- Once the stock has been prepared, work can begin on making the four individual magazine sleeves. In our demonstration, construction of a single sleeve was shown. Use the same techniques to create the other three identical sleeves. To determine the size we wanted, we took into account the dimensions of the magazines that we'd be storing in the sleeves. To determine the width dimension, we took an average of the magazine spine dimensions. We arrived at a sleeve size 12-1/2 inches tall by 5-1/4 inches wide and 10 inches deep (figure G).
- For the sleeves, the grain of the stock should be aligned to run horizontally. This will add strength when the finger-joints are cut, since the joint will be glued long-grain to long-grain.
- To keep the grain pattern flowing continuously around the sleeves, keep the boards in order. It's a good idea to mark them as you cut. For our assembly the first cut at the table saw (figure H) is the right side of the sleeve. We marked the piece "TR1" -- signifying top, right-side, sleeve #1.
- Cutting the stock in order (figure I) ensures that the walnut grain pattern will flow in one direction.
- The last piece of walnut cut for the first sleeve is the back piece. It's the same length as the front (5-1/2 inches), but the width is 6-1/8 inches.
- As seen on the prototype, the side pieces are 12-1/2 inches at the front, and are cut with a curve that sweeps toward the back, ending up at 6-1/8 inches (figure J). The sleeves are designed so that the magazines are held upright, and are easy to view and select.
- To cut the curved profile in the side-pieces, create a curved template out of MDF. Once you've create your template, trace the curve onto the side-stock pieces (figure K).
- Rough-cut the curved shape on the side stock at the band saw (figure L).
- Flush up the edges of the cut pieces at the table router (figure M).
- Smooth the edges a flush-trim bit, using the MDF template as a guide (figure N).
In the segment that follows, the magazine sleeves are assembled using finger joinery. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
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