Build Better Boxes

In Build Better Boxes, Matt Kenney distills and shares what hes learned in 20 years of box making using step-by-step photos that walk you through the process of creating 10 beautiful designs from scratch. Youll begin with a few simple, but elegant painted boxes that introduce fundamental concepts like cutting miter joints and fitting a lid. Then youll progress through several stunning projects that include tea cabinets and jewelry boxesdesigns that show just how much you can do with a box. Along the way, youll learn smart techniques for joinery like rabbets and dovetails, how to create box sides with grain that flows seamlessly around all four corners, to make your own veneers, and to apply finishes like milk paint and shellac. Throughout all of the projects, Kenney emphasizes good design and demonstrates several unique design elements that hes developed, like pulls wrapped in thread, fabric lined bottoms, and grouping individual boxes to create a single piece of furniture. Build Better Boxes, is more than a set of instructions for 10 boxes: In the course of building these designs, you will gain a thorough understanding of key woodworking and design conceptslike wood movement, grain selection, and proportionsthat will help you design and make your own boxes.