Quote:
Originally Posted by DonVoigt
One suggestion for the future, fit the hinge and catch to the blank boxes and then layout and rout the openings.
|
That did enter my mind,
after I had milled out the barrel cutout in the bottom.
Hindsight is 20/20. But the closest store with hinges is an Ace and their hinge is too wide for where I placed the cutout.
Quote:
|
Looks like you may not have enough room for some hinges and clasps, or they may come "ugly" close to your cut outs.
|
You are right. I should have gotten a 1" x 8" board. After the top was 'done', and the barrel cutout in the bottom was matched, I clamped them together and milled the hinge side and the two ends so there were no overlaps of one board to the other. But still without a hinge.
There's a Rocklers up the road a piece, I got my router bit for my carbine buttplate there. Later this week I'll check for a hinge & a clasp.
I'd like to get the 'scythe' type clasp, that swings into a loop to hold the box closed. My wooden X-Acto knife box had such a clasp, until my last wife took it with her
(she made accessories for 'miniatures'...What I would call doll houses).
I could fasten the hinge to the back edges of the 'box'. It wouldn't look WW II-ish, but it would work. I think to mount the hinge inside the 'box' I would have to mill reliefs for the hinge into the edges of the 'box'.
I still have the Lahti to do, maybe I'll get that 1" x 8" board.
Another problem: The board I selected had been stored in an open shed probably all Winter. I selected one that was straight and not warped, but after being in my warm dry house, it curled sidewise. I milled my cutouts so that the two boards 'spooned' when put together, but that's not right either.
ARGH!!!!
Edit: That 1937 Erma military box looks like it could be hardwood. That would be a lot more stable than Pine, and the cuts would be better looking. I'll have to find an online hardwood dealer. Although I do have a couple of 'knick-knack' shelves without any 'knick-knacks', I could sacrifice those...