Step 1 - Face Side

Make a flat side using a hand plane.  Use a ruler on its edge, to see where your high and low spot are. Mark this side with an X when flat.  This is called a face side.

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Step 2 - Face Edge

Make a flat edge using the hand plane. Use a square to see if it is 90° to the face side (made in step 1). Mark this side with an X when flat.  This is a called a face edge.

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Step 3 - Cutting rough width on the band saw

We now need to make your wood 2 ¼” wide.  Mark a pencil line 2 ¼” and at 2 3/8" across the width of the board. Cut your board on the band saw 2 3/8" wide using the fence.  You will have to wait until I return

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Step 4 - Hand plane final width

Using the hand plane, make a couple passes on the edge until the width of the board is 2 ¼”.

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Step 5 - Reduce board thickness to 3/4" for the pen box.

Make a second flat side and reduce the thickness of the 3/4”.  You are doing this step on the side of your board you have not hand planed yet.To know deep to continue to hand plane use a marking gauge out of the cupboard closest to the sink to mark the thickness.

 

Step 6 – Make the pen groove – you must practise this on scrape wood first before doing you good piece.

The groove will be placed ½” in from the edge you would like to be the front of the pen box.The groove needs to be about ¾” wide.Mark the whole length of your pieces.The deep of your groove will need to fit ½ the thickness of a pen (about ¼ to 3/8” deep).There should be an example in the top drawer of Mrs. McCannon white and brown trolley.

 

Step 7 – Cut the top and the bottom of the pen box to length

I would recommend them to be 6” long for streamline pens.However, if you are making this box for a different pen, you will have to adjust accordingly.

 

Step 8 – Cut 45 degree angle on the back inside edge of the top and bottom of your pen box.

This cut will enable the pen box to open.This guy would normally be done on the small band saw.The table needs to be set at a 45° angle and the fence needs to be used to cut straight.You are only cutting off about half the thickness of your wood at a 45° angle.

 

Step 9 – Cut the end of the pen box

To size the ends of your pen box, put the top and bottom together and trace the end on to the wood that you are using for the end of your box.This will then need to be cut out on the bandsaw.Please make sure you cut it a little bit larger than the lines you've traced to give yourself space to sand your wood to the correct size.

• This will be cut out of a contrasting type of wood.  There is African mahogany that you can use at no cost.  If you would like to use a different type of speciality wood there will be a little bit of a charge depending on the type you want.