Pine box with no nails or screws

[Rick Lucrezi]

Well, you all were helpfull with the "Mass Producing Cuts" thread, which by the way went perfect, I was able to build 7 boxes an hour which equated to tripple my normal shop rate, so thanks all around. Now I am being commisioned to build 6 piece boxs (enclosed box with bottom, top, sides and ends) it needs to be strong, and it cant use any nails or screws of any kind, and it needs to be able to break down flat for shipping. I have been thinking about glue up panels,(5/4 pine) cut to shape, and a router groove which will allow the pieces to slide together and lock in place. So once again, I wish to submit the idea to the wise and power OZ (creekers) for input and ideas. Oh and a round of cyber beer(or non alcholic beverage of choice) (I dont drink either) for all who participated in the last thread. Thank You

[Jamie Buxton]

Hmm. No metal, and ship flat. Does the lid just sit there by gravity, or must it be physically captured like the bottom?

The corner joinery is the key. You can capture the bottom in dadoes in the sides. Wedged through-tenons would do what you need.

Or there are ways to make all-wood hinges. You could join all four corners with the hinges at the time of manufacture, but have it squeeze flat for shipping. The bottom and/or top would hold the sides in place. The advantage would be no loose tenons for the recipient to play with.

[David Christopher]

dovetail corners and dadoes for top and bottom...assembeled like a puzzle

[Rick Lucrezi]

Boxes need to be asymbled by the customers, it will need to be easy, simple. Like the wooden hinge top idea alot. Was looking at some old pine boxes made for shipping meat. They have a grove routerd that allows the sides to be slid into the bottom and the ends to drop into the sides. That part seems pretty straight forward. The top needs to be able to lock it all toghether. Original plan was to router a groove similar to the bottom and slide the top in. The box however is 7 feet long. Its like a foot locker. They are also displayed standing on end like a book case. Thats where the hinge top would be perfect. How would one go about that? Hmm

[Josiah Bartlett]

I would use sliding dovetails for the sides, plain grooves for the bottom and top. To assemble, you would put together 3 sides, slide in the bottom, and slide in the 4th side. There would have to be clearance for the 4th side to let it pass the bottom. Then, the top would slide into a groove similar to a pencil box, and you could use a dowel or pin to lock it into place if you want to. It should stand up to repeated assembly, but I would use something other than pine if it needs to stand up to long term abuse.

[Lee Schierer]

Make sliding dovetails for the four corners, Cut dadoes in three sides for the top and bottom to slide into. The top would slide in left to right, teh bottom would slide in right to left. The left end would be shorter than the other three sides. To assemble, put together the left end and two sides with the dado for the bottom, slide the fourth slide part way down and then slide in the bottom panel, which is just shorter that the inside of the fourth side. Once it is in the fourth side would slide all the way down. Slide the top panel in. The bottom panel locks the first three sides together. When the lid is slid into place, the top would lock the fourth side and two adjacent sides in place. A screw or a catch could hold the lid in place.