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This very simple box with its hinged-top lid panels is ideal for storing items such as copier or computer paper, old job files and children’s artistic endeavours.

The box used here is 2.4 m long to suit the standard length of MDF board, but could be shorter. The completed box can be positioned under a window and finished off with cushions, or placed anywhere in your office or study, depending on layout, so that it doubles as a piece of furniture.

Step by Step

1 Follow the cutting diagram for cutting out the panels. Use a guide batten/cleat for the power saw, as described for Project 7 (Deskmate). Start by cutting out the front, back and two end panels together with the plywood base.

2 Apply adhesive to the edges of the panels and nail together. Once the side and end panels are nailed together, and before the adhesive has dried, glue and nail the base plywood panel in place with panel pins. Make sure that the corners are square before nailing the base in place. Now screw the panels near each corner.

3 Turn the partly completed box over and check-measure for the centre panel and top lid panels. Cut the centre panel and nail and screw in place. Fix the hinges to the lid panels and set in place.

4 All that remains is to sand down the edges of the panels, undercoat and finish.

TIP: Nailing provides a handy way to hold panels together while the adhesive sets and you drive the screws. But don’t rely on nails alone for strength.

Paper recycling bin or box

One storage article that deserves the little space it takes up in every room or every second room is the paper recycling bin or box. It’s not until you start recycling old newspapers, magazines and junk mail that you notice the vast quantity of paper waste created in an average week. It is quite staggering. Re-use your paper as much as possible before disposing of it. If your community does not yet have collection days or recycling depots, make a fuss until they start.

Mortise and Tenon

This joint is quite commonly used. It is used for joining timber together at right angles to each other, and basically consists of a recess (the mortise) in one piece and the tenon (cut to fit into the mortise) at the end of the other piece.

Plain Glued Joints

Where glue is to be relied on solely for the joint bond, the edges need to be accurately planed. Relying on cramps to close up gaps between the edges of the timber is not enough.

• For a straight edge to the timber, use a long plane such as a jointing plane, which will give a straighter edge than a smoothing plane.
• The best method is to remove shavings from the middle until the plane ceases to cut, and then take a couple of shavings right through. In this way, the edge is first made slightly hollow, and then this is corrected when the final shavings are taken off. Generally, this method will work well for joints up to 900 mm long.

Using a Handsaw

• When holding a saw, extend the index finger down the side of the handle — this provides some lateral restraint on the saw.
• When starting a cut, place your thumb as a guide beside the saw blade, which is on the waste side of the cutting line. Make the first few strokes backward, leaving the thumb against the blade until the cut is well under way.

Using a Circular Saw

The circular saw is generally used by all tradespeople for a variety of uses. It can be used for crosscutting and ripcutting as well as rebating and grooving, by adjusting the blade depth.

• Make sure that the saw motor is not overloaded. The saw blade should be running at full speed before it comes into contact with the timber.
• Never start the motor when the blade is in contact with timber.
• When in use, ease the saw forward slowly and smoothly without too much forward pressure, which will strain the motor.
• If the motor speed drops, ease back and let the motor speed come back up before continuing.
• Always set the saw blade so that its teeth just penetrate the other side of the timber.
• If you are cutting large panels of timber or sheets of particle (chip) board, use a timber batten/cleat, or a narrow off cut as a guide for the edge of the power saw to run along. This will give a straight edge and a much cleaner job.

Measure your saw to find the distance from the edge of the sole plate to the side of the blade teeth. Mark this distance from the line you are to cut and temporarily fix the batten/cleat in position with small nails or clamps.

Making a shooting board

Use a shooting board with a hand plane for accurate planing work. Used with a jack or jointer plane, it is ideal for accurate planing of end grain or the edges of long thin panels. The shooting board consists of two boards, which guide the plane, and a stop, which holds the timber in place. The timber for the shooting board should be about 1 m long and made out of straight seasoned hardwood, although plywood will do. Glue and nail the boards to timber spacers and punch the nails when you have finished.

Smoothing-Cuting Timber

When timber is cut with a saw it will leave a slightly rough edge. The following method of cutting timber with a sharp edge is commonly used in cabinet joints.

• After marking the cut, scribe the mark line with a sharp chisel several times to make an incision in the timber face.
• Next, use the chisel to cut a small sloping groove on the waste side of the cut — this groove will provide a channel in which the saw can run.

Note: This method will give you an accurate cut and a sharp edge.

Nailing near Edges of Timber

Whenever nailing near the edge of a piece of timber, always drill a pilot hole for each nail slightly smaller in diameter than the nail. This will prevent splitting of the timber.

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