The Puzzle Box - Cedar

Hey! ... isn't that the name of a book?

When I was down in New Orleans with a couple of years ago, I saw these cool boxes made with interlocking cuts. I had been wanting to make one, but was unable to until I got the bandsaw.

To make the box, you cut a slice off the bottom first, then make the cuts in the same order that the pieces come off, as shown in the pictures below. Cut out the inside as with any other box made from a solid piece of wood.

The most important cut is the key cut that allows the pieces to slide on and off. Once you get that, the rest is cake!

To make the next cut, turn the box on it's side and run it thru the bandsaw again, making another key cut. You need to use as small a blade as you can get on your bandsaw in order to make the tight turns on the key. I used a 1/8" blade.

Finally, cut thru one side to start the inside cut where you take out the guts of the box. Slice the top off of the guts and make little supporting tabs from the rest. Glue the bottom back on the overall box, gluing shut the in cut thru the side, and glue in the inside supporting tabs to keep the lid from falling down inside.

Everyone who sees this box has to play with it. Even more interesting would be to make this same box from odd shaped pieces of wood. I'll try this one again sometime !