Thread: My first box: MDF pencil box with sliding lid

I really appreciate you showing it Zenwood. I am close to completing my first box and thought that I would post it. Then I saw Stride88's first post and was so embarrassed with my efforts that I changed my mind! Comparing your first box to your later efforts (awesome) has really encouraged me.

I have always been grateful for the "Woodwork & Tech Drawing" classes we had to do in first year high school (in the Jurrasic era). Even though I was doing the 2 language stream, the powers that be decreed that the manual arts were needed for a well rounded education. The first standard project was a teapot stand - all dark side - with the half housed joint where the feet crossed neatly hidden under the top, until the teacher turned it over to mark it. Second project was a Tee square which I still have somewhere. We didn't get much done in a year but it was fun and taught us all the fundamentals.
Cheers
Graeme

heres a pic of my box...made in year 7 and i'm in yr 9 now....

it looks worse than i remembered...got a few dints in it...got bumbed a few times

mum has been using it with its intended use- to hold stationary

Graemet, just to let you know, they still make that teapot stand in some QLD schools. I did a demo for some kids last week during a teaching prac stint I did!!

Looks pretty fair to me Stirlo, especially for a Yr 7 effort. Good on ya!

Yep: good job SS, and the clear lid is a useful variant. Did you use the power tools in yr7?

I remember making a couple of things in early high school woodwork -- a coffee table and a turned bowl. I guess they didn't stand the test of time, 'cos I don't know whatever happened to them.

At least unlike computer skills, woodworking skills will last you the rest of your life.

Originally Posted by zenwood

Yep: good job SS, and the clear lid is a useful variant. Did you use the power tools in yr7?

.

nothing hand held

the teacher cut to legnth on a drop saw thingy.
we got to use the disc sander to square the edges and level two pieces that were parralel,
if our timber was kinda raised or not flush we used a plane.
hammers, nails, glue , sandpaper and thats about all.

then on our next job, a coffee mug tree, we used a drill press, disc sander etc...then all by hand.

in yr 8 we used hand held stuff but we dont get to use bs and table saw etc till yr 10 something bout oh&s

the bad thing about the pencil box is that we didn't use a sanding sealer and i didn't sand properly between laquer coats

Originally Posted by ss_11000

nothing hand held...

I wondered about the slot for the lid: router? tablesaw?

the bad thing about the pencil box is that we didn't use a sanding sealer and i didn't sand properly between laquer coats

It's never too late: give it a quick sand 180, 320, 400, 600, and try another final coat of laquer.

Originally Posted by zenwood

I wondered about the slot for the lid: router? tablesaw?


It's never too late: give it a quick sand 180, 320, 400, 600, and try another final coat of laquer.

the timber was made like that before our class got in there and i never bothered to find out how they did it.

i might actually give it another sand but i'm still deciding weather to leave it, cos it was my first piece of ww, or revive it.

Originally Posted by zenwood

ss and Wardy: how about posting pics? This is a classic design (I remember these boxes from my school-days--I never had one and always wanted one), and it would be good to see the variations on a theme

Sorry Zenwood, the pencil box went to the great woodchip pile many eons ago

Wardy