Pins and Chamfers

The pins are cut - here they are next to the tails

Here is one corner - the pins are a little looser than I wanted.

Getting ready to glue it up. I practiced putting it together a few times before adding the glue.

Glued and clamped. I used other pieces of wood to prevent the clamps from making marks on the box's sides.

While the glue was drying, I started the base of the box, which is 1/2" thick. I wanted to put a chamfer on the base so it would be more interesting than just a rectangle of wood. I drew lines 3/16" over and down from what will be the top edge. I used these lines to determine the slope and size of the chamfer.

Here is part of the base after removing the corner of the wood with a very sharp chisel. I practiced doing this on a smaller scrap piece of wood, and found that I didn't have a sharp enough chisel. When I cut the final piece, the one I want to use with the box, I actually stropped the chisel after I completed each edge. That probably wasn't necessary, but I didn't want to have the tear-out I had with my practice piece.

A few years back, I read that the ancient woodworkers of Japan used to take such pride in their work that they were known to hone their planes and chisels every three or four strokes. I'm not quite that nutty, but I would rather be sharp than dull.

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Miscellaneous Facts and Link Section
I heard today that Apple is trading at about $490 per share. That makes Apple worth about $450 billion. More than Microsoft, Google, and my 401(k) combined.

Dad sent me a link to these cool little "crate" boxes. So many ideas for things to build, so little time.

Drink beer like Homer Simpson, who once raised a glass and said "To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."

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