Doug Edwards, Glenhaven, NSW

Multimeter Box
Tasmanian Oak, red cedar, jarrah
260 x 158 x 76mm

The cardboard box containing my multimeter started falling apart and although I had thought to make a replacement, it was not until I read about the competition that I decided to give thought to the design and constructions.
I noticed drill cases were designed so the drills sit up when opened – the desired feature for my box. Transferring this design concept from small, slimline cases made of plastic to a strong wooden box using relatively thick material provided an interesting exercise in geometry, trigonometry and drawing to end up with a box which sat at the correct angle and was neither bulky nor proportionally unattractive. The result was a box with overall dimensions of 260mm long x 158mm wide x 76mm high and when opened fully the body sits at 65 degree to the horizontal.
I used Tasmanian oak, red cedar and jarrah. The lid pivots are 6mm hardwood dowels turning in bushes of nylon pneumatic tube. Brass cylinder hinges and box catch provide the hardware. All timber is recycled or off cuts: Tasmanian oak for the lid and base from an old 19mm thick shelf re-sawn, dressed to 12mm and 6mm respectively; sides and partitioning from an off cut re-sawn and dressed to 6mm. The cedar for the corners was scrap and the jarrah from an old fence picket.
With the exception of the finger jointed corner posts, construction was a straight forward pin and glue operation. The pins, used to provide extra strength in holding the base, are small tacks with heads cut off and pressed in with Superjaws at final assembly. The partitions are glued only. Triton yellow glue was used throughout.
The joints were constructed using the Triton Finger Jointer. The 12mm square corner post stock was sawn so that the grain ran across the diagonal. This resulted in grain oriented with the sides but at 45 degree across the corner such as a spline in a splined mitre. To rout the corner posts the movable fence of the jig was replaced with a hand held low fence for safer handling and to prevent chipping.
The box was smoothed with 600 grit paper, given a coat of gum oil and a finishing coat of neutral Black Bison Wax and given a green felt lining.

Photos: Doug Edwards