# Dovetail Box



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Some time ago I asked this master woodworker if you could dovetail all 12 edges of a box. He said, "NO! Forget about it ,why would you want to do that?" "You will never get it together".

So just to see if I could do it ,I had some scrap oak from an old pallet and here is what came out of it.

The trick is in the sequence of dovetailing. 

1. The long sides must have the pins on both edges. 

2. The top and bottom has tails on both edges.

3. all the long pieces have pins on the ends.

4. The ends have tails on all 4 sides.

OK, This allows the top and bottom to slide straight onto the sides. And since the sides/top/bottom all have pins on the end the ends will slide onto the box.
Simple ,Eh.

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Some time ago I asked this master woodworker if you could dovetail all 12 edges of a box. He said, "NO! Forget about it ,why would you want to do that?" "You will never get it together".
> 
> So just to see if I could do it ,I had some scrap oak from an old pallet and here is what came out of it.
> 
> ...


now that's cool...
nice worked out too...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

which side/end is the lid???


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> which side/end is the lid???


Make your choice, Stick, If you want to put your favorite jug in there , then stand it up and cut the top off. Or it can be cut so top and bottom are equal any direction. Or do the standard top. So many options.

Herb


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

WOW and to get them all to come out and fit. Very nicely done.


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

Wow! I thought about that same concept a while back. And then thought that it could not be done. Thanks for clearing that up. Great work. Now you have given me a new challenge. Merry Christmas!

Ellery Becnel


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> which side/end is the lid???


Ponder This: Does a box have to have a lid?

Is it still a box if it doesn't have a lid?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.............................I wonder what is the definition of a box?

Too deep for me....Merry Christmas

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Ponder This: Does a box have to have a lid?
> 
> Is it still a box if it doesn't have a lid?
> 
> ...


short of demolition (Daninvan please stand back) some sort of access would be nice...

*BOX*
noun
1. a container, case, or receptacle, usually rectangular, of wood, metal, cardboard, etc., and often with a lid or removable cover.
2. the quantity contained in a box:
She bought a box of candy as a gift.
3. Chiefly British. a gift or present:
a Christmas box.
4. post-office box.
5. a compartment or section in a public place, shut or railed off for the accommodation of a small number of people, especially in a theater, opera house, sports stadium, etc.
6. a small enclosure or area in a courtroom, for witnesses or the jury.
7. a small shelter:
a sentry's box.


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## John Bradshaw (Sep 12, 2010)

*Great Job.*

To bad nobody seems to be smart enough to cut a line around the box to make a separate lid. I will try this when I get some more wood. I am going to make cigar boxes with sides like that, so I can make more cigar box guitars, as should anybody who works with wood. Look up Cigar Box Nation to see more.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

but if you circumference slice/cut it you'd have two trays...


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

That's quite awesome. 
I guess you master woodworker friend who told you it couldn't be done wasn't as much of a master as he considers himself to be. 
We can all always learn something new...and that is what constitutes creativity.
Did you cut the dovetails by hand or did you se a dovetail jig?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Great work there Herb . I bet I could do that , but it would take a few dozen pallets and a tall saw dust pile lol


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

GregLittleWoodworks said:


> That's quite awesome.
> I guess you master woodworker friend who told you it couldn't be done wasn't as much of a master as he considers himself to be.
> We can all always learn something new...and that is what constitutes creativity.
> Did you cut the dovetails by hand or did you se a dovetail jig?


My Master woodworker is a vintage craftsman that holds antique furniture by well named craftsmen up as the epitome of woodworking and any deviation is amateurish. 

I did the dovetails with a router jig I made from the Stots dovetail template. 

Herb

Stick ,I guess that this is not a box, because it has no lid, wonder what it is?

Rick, that is why I used pallet boards, did I say that this wasn't the first attempt?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> My Master woodworker is a vintage craftsman that holds antique furniture by well named craftsmen up as the epitome of woodworking and any deviation is amateurish.
> 
> I did the dovetails with a router jig I made from the Stots dovetail template.
> 
> ...


cube...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> cube...


It would be a cube if all the sides were equal squares , but since they are parallel rectangles it is a Rectangular prism,or Hexahedron. Will have to cut a lid in it to get it back to a box.............LOL

Herb


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## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

Why couldn't the lid be a sliding dovetail? Nice work Herb. You are crazy nuts you know. Happy New Year.

Chuck


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## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

Wow, we did it on the laser, which looked cool but your is wonderful


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

whimsofchaz said:


> Why couldn't the lid be a sliding dovetail? Nice work Herb. You are crazy nuts you know. Happy New Year.
> 
> Chuck


How fitting, that would be an excellent idea, chuck.
Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> It would be a cube if all the sides were equal squares , but since they are parallel rectangles it is a Rectangular prism,or Hexahedron. Will have to cut a lid in it to get it back to a box.............LOL
> 
> Herb


rectangular parallelepiped.....


took a while to find that...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

but cuboid works too...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> rectangular parallelepiped.....
> 
> 
> took a while to find that...


What you smok-en Boy?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> What you smok-en Boy?


nuttin' dad...


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

Years ago I bought an Akeda dovetail jig and have never used it. This makes me want to pull it off the shelf and give it a go


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

GregLittleWoodworks said:


> Years ago I bought an Akeda dovetail jig and have never used it. This makes me want to pull it off the shelf and give it a go


I have never heard of that one Greg. Post a picture if you can, I only have an old no-name one now,like the old craftsman, simple plain jane. Got it at a garage sale for a couple of bucks . Lost the home made one that I did this box in the fire. 

Herb


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## beemor (Feb 29, 2012)

To attempt that which cannot be done is lunacy - to achieve it is genius!


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

!...how the Hell is the cat supposed to get _out_? 

That's pretty amazing, Herb. Great place to store the Honeydoo list.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

GregLittleWoodworks said:


> Years ago I bought an Akeda dovetail jig and have never used it. This makes me want to pull it off the shelf and give it a go



Greg, I googled that jig and WOW ,what a beautiful jig. Kind of spendy,but I bet it would do a splendid job of dovetailing. if a person was building a lot of cedar chests it would be the way to go.
I don't use dovetails as much as I do box joints. But if I had such a jig, I think I would use it more.


Herb


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> Greg, I googled that jig and WOW ,what a beautiful jig. Kind of spendy,but I bet it would do a splendid job of dovetailing. if a person was building a lot of cedar chests it would be the way to go.
> I don't use dovetails as much as I do box joints. But if I had such a jig, I think I would use it more.
> 
> 
> Herb


Herb...I did a lot of research before buying it and it looked impressive. I am not sure if they make them anymore. I had intentions of using it a lot but I got off in another direction with wood sculpting and carving...but one of these days...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Keep up the wood carving, you are doing great in that,beautiful work.
Herb


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

Thanks again Herb! I bought the Stott/Milescraft dovetail Template. Made an elaborate block with "T" tracks, toggle clamps, Splined Stops, sacrificial backer boards. It came out really nice. I had not cut a single dovetail with it! I meant to, but obligations, deadlines, priorities, etc. got in the way. 
Anyway, over the holidays I spoke with my BIL and he wants to make a desk with small drawers for Watchmaking. Well I got out there and cut some Dovetails. My test cuts were some scrap red oak. It turned into a tea box for my wife. It worked great! Thanks for getting me going! 
Happy New Year!

Ellery Becnel


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## fishcad (Apr 15, 2012)

That ought to be one sturdy box.


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## RMIGHTY1 (Nov 5, 2014)

Well Herb, what the so called master woodworker said could not be done, you have accomplished! Guess that makes *YOU* the master woodworker! As to "Why?" He could not see why one would want to attempt to do so. But you knew. Congratulations Herb, you are indeed one master woodworker! Thank you for sharing your work and your inspiration!


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