A Case for Pencils

[radhak]

My four year old today asked me a very loaded question - "how come you have never made anything for me in your goodworking place?" (yes, she calls it 'goodworking', and i don't ever want to correct her ).

So, I want to try out something very simple to make for her, and feel a small pencil box would do nicely. This would be around 8" long and 2" (max) wide, to hold a couple of pencils, a 6" ruler and an eraser. Keeping it simple, I would just use rabbet-joins. I feel a slide-in lid would be appropriate, though maybe two tiny hinges would make it cuter. (Please feel free to point me to anything worth copying).

The question is - what wood do i use? I have some maple, cedar and mahagony (apart from the ever present pine). Can I mix (say) maple and mahagony? Like, will I have problems gluing them? Or maybe I could just make the lid with maple and the body with mahagony (or vice-versa)?

Also, will 3/4" wood make it too thick/heavy? Without a bandsaw will have to go looking for somebody to resaw it to 1/2 or 1/4" thick, but all in a good cause...

Of course, I will have to also make another one for her elder sister, and a couple for the neighbour's kids, so keeping it simple is all the more expedient.

[linear]

The question is - what wood do i use? I have some maple, cedar and mahagony (apart from the ever present pine). Can I mix (say) maple and mahagony? Like, will I have problems gluing them? Or maybe I could just make the lid with maple and the body with mahagony (or vice-versa)?

Also, will 3/4" wood make it too thick/heavy? Without a bandsaw will have to go looking for somebody to resaw it to 1/2 or 1/4" thick, but all in a good cause...

Of course, I will have to also make another one for her elder sister, and a couple for the neighbour's kids, so keeping it simple is all the more expedient.

I'd go for the cedar--pencils are generally western red cedar, and the smell of working with the stuff gives me a pencil-sharpener moment every time. It will also make a lighter box than the others you named.

Another construction method if you have a router table is to hollow out your 3/4" stock by passing it across a wide, straight bit. (Dado stack would work as well.) You'll make a clamshell with a top and bottom, and you can rabbet ends onto it. That would let you use your 3/4 stock without a resaw.

Sounds like a cool project.

[radhak]

That's a cool idea - hollowing out thicker stock! would automatically decrease the thickness as part of the design! I do have a router table, and a bunch of nice bits that are itching to be used . i think i shall have a go this weekend just for trial.

and yes, almost forgot the aromatic plus of cedar. love it, and will definitely use it.

thanks a bunch!

[scmhogg]

Rad,

I made this box for my son. It is a chopstick holder, but it could hold pencils.

The last picture is a cross-section of the body.

Keep up the "goodwork".









Steve

[kwgeorge]

Ok Steve, even though your Chopstick holder is very nice and I like it was this a “Stealth” showoff on that absolutely gorgeous table top? Man that’s pretty!

Ken

[Popeye]

Ok Steve, even though your Chopstick holder is very nice and I like it was this a “Stealth” showoff on that absolutely gorgeous table top? Man that’s pretty!

Ken

Man no kidding! That top deserves a Wolf whistle. Pat

[linear]

wow, I need to renistall my eyes in the sockets--they just popped right out.

Nice work Steve.