The first useful object I ever built out of wood was a lidded box. It was not a piece to admire for its beauty -- but I was thrilled that all the parts simply fit together. I was only 12, and I built the box without supervision and completed it with all 10 digits intact, something that no doubt thrilled my parents. The box was made of materials I had picked up at a home construction site -- plywood and wood screws. As far as I knew at the time, I invented the joinery: butt joints reinforced with glue and screws.
I slathered several coats of paint over the piece and added a hasp and lock to guard my not-so-rare coin collection and a few risqu post cards of Atlantic City bathing beauties. The box survives to this day, intact, the treasures of the time long since swapped for a place to store a few seldom-used tools.
I cant say that my plywood box project was the experience that inspired me to eventually pick up woodworking in my adult years, but the process of building it brought a sense of satisfaction no different from what I feel today upon completing a piece.
By calling these projects small, we dont mean to imply simple or uninspired. The projects we have chosen -- boxes, cabinets, tables, stools -- run the gamut from simple to elaborate. Some may be completed in a weekend; others may take months. They are taken from the pages of Fine Woodworking magazine and come with detailed instructions to walk you through the process, step by step.
Depending on your skill level, you may want to dive right in and tackle the classic Thomas Jeffersons Writing Desk, a challenging yet rewarding project. Or maybe you want something to do in an afternoon -- check out the plans for Shaker Oval Boxes. No matter what you make, remember to have fun. Its not just about the object; let the process itself be an adventure.
Anatole Burkin
editor, Fine Woodworking
