How do I use up these small off-cuts that are building up in my worskhop? That was the question I asked myself, because being an environmentally conscious woodworker I try to throw away as little as possible. And I was excited to discover some designs for this curved wooden box, usually called a bandsaw box if you want to look it up. And all you need is a few small planks of wood. The sort of thing that could easily end up in the bin.
How I made the curved wooden box
A bandsaw is necessary for this project, and some sort of sanding machine would be kinder on your joints. Apart from that I only needed basic hand tools. Here are the steps:
- Stack the pieces of wood and glue them together
- Using a bandsaw, cut out the shape of the box you require
- Still on the bandsaw, make a few clever cuts so that you end up with the drawer assembly
- Glue everything back together
- Lots and lots of sanding
- Attach the drawer handle, I used a piece of dowel glued on
- Apply your chosen finish
- Present as a lovely gift to the happy recipient
Further thoughts
These can be made in pretty much any shape you want, you’re only limited by your imagination. For example my cracked box is a more complex variation but uses the same principles. In terms of size, I made this one at around 10cm x 8cm x 8cm, so it’s ideal for holding jewellery, coins etc. And it makes a really cute gift, especially if it’s engraved with a message or some initials.