Curved Jewelry Box design/construction

[Kyle Koenig]

My eight year old daughter found a picture of a jewelry box that she wanted. So, I built a mock up in order to get the right sizes and proportions. Here is a photo:

What does not show in the mock up is the small legs, probably Queen-Anne type. Here is what I am thinking so far:

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The dark areas will be cherry.
The light areas will be a maple burl veneer
The top will be a maple burl panel framed with cherry
Sides and back will be maple burl panels
The bottom three sections will be drawers and the top will be a false drawer – accessed by lifting the lid



Now, I need help in figuring out how to actually build it. With out the legs, it is about 12 inches tall and 11 inches wide (top is 12 inches). Depth at this point is flexible, but probably about 6 inches.

I was thinking that the long cherry stiles could be a bent lamination that is grooved out to accept the side panels. However, I am stumped on how to then make the panels curved. Originally, I thought about using MDF for the base of the laminate, but am concerned that it wont bend, and it will show on the drawers when they are opened.

Also, she desperately wants a ‘secret’ compartment in this. Any ideas? I was thinking about making the base so that it pulls out to reveal a hidden drawer, or a false bottom in the top compartment that requires a magnetic ‘handle’ to lift it out.

Any and all design and construction suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[Nick Amandus]

Kyle,

I would most likely make the stiles out of solid stock on the band saw with dados to join the sides/back and possibly dovetail the rails into them on the front. Might consider making the sides with MDF cores or ribs and veneer like an aircraft wing. The veneer should bend to follow the MDF, but I'm not sure about burl, I don't have a lot of experience with forming veneers. You could use the burl on the outside and a lesser grade on the inside. Any thoughts on how to control the drawers or build the drawer sides? Probably wouldn't need an internal piece on the sides.

As far as secret compartments, if you made it deep enough, you could make the ends of the drawers such that when all or a certain combo are pulled out, they would released the back panel somehow. Might be good for thin items like necklaces. For this it would have to be accessible from all sides which might not be practical if the unit would need to slide around on top of a dresser or something to get to the back. May be able to do something similar with the sides, which would work regardless of where it is kept.

[Gary Garmar]

Kyle; look on the site www.woodworkingchannel.com (http://www.woodworkingchannel.com) and you will find a Bombay Jewelry Chest as built by Scott Phillips. Looks alot like the picture you submitted. Once you are at the woodworking channel, click on Videos then scroll to American Woodshop and you will find the video. Good luck.

Gary

P.S. Scott's version is a bandsaw box, but still a good video to watch.