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  weekender  
by: Paul Lewis
photos: Bert Klassen
illustration: Len Churchill
BOX FRAMES
Turn knickknacks into objets d'art with this set of box frames

The inspiration for these box frames came from a similar set at a restaurant the crew from Canadian Home Workshop frequents for lunch. These frames are well suited to a dining room where they can do double-duty displaying your diminutive prized possessions as well as providing low-level lighting.

Getting Started 

I chose to use reclaimed barn board for this project because the rough texture and patina of the weathered wood lent itself well to the objects I intended to display. If you can’t find this material, almost any wood will work for this project, and you can finish the box frames to coordinate with your decor.
box frame     In addition to the wood, you’ll need low-voltage halogen puck lights. These lights come in packs of three for about $40, and are widely available.
     Start by ripping the boards to the 4" and 5" widths you’ll need for the box and frame pieces. Cut the box sides and tops to length. Then make the holes for the puck lights in the centre of the top pieces using a hole-saw in a drillpress. Alternatively, you could mark the holes with a compass, drill a pilot hole and cut the openings with a coping saw.
     Once the holes for the lights are completed, assemble each box using glue, biscuits and butt joints. Clamp these up and set them aside while you continue with the frames.

Mitre the Frames


I used a compound mitre saw to cut the 12 frame pieces to length. You could also use a radial arm saw or tablesaw; just fit your saw with a stop block to ensure identical pieces.

box frame     Assemble each frame on a flat surface using glue only, and clamp. Once the glue has set, remove the clamps and plunge a biscuit slot across the back of each mitred joint. Place a glued biscuit into the slot. Joining the frame pieces this way avoids the hassle of trying to capture a biscuit in the mitre joint and lining everything up all in one operation. The protruding half of the biscuit can be sanded flush when the glue is dry.

Putting It All Together


Affix the frames to the boxes using a couple of #10 biscuits. Then attach the back which you’ve cut to size. I planed my backs to 3/8" on one side only to keep the profile of the project as narrow as possible, but you can leave the back full thickness if you don’t have a surface planer. The backs should be fastened securely using biscuits, as they bear the weight of the frame and its contents.

     Finally, seat each puck light in its opening and secure with the tiny screws provided. A sawtooth hanger centred on the top of each box back takes care of hanging each unit.
illustration     Concealing the wires that power each light is key to the success of these box frames. Because the lights are low voltage, the wires can be snaked through walls without using junction boxes to house the connections. I pried off the baseboard below my intended hanging spot and used fish tape to get the wires from the frames to the floor. A groove milled in the back of the baseboard will allow the wires to run to the transformer—which is hidden behind a nearby cabinet—without being seen.

When he’s not art directing Canadian Home Workshop,
Paul Lewis is probably working in his shop near Bradford, Ontario

You will need
Sides 3/4" x 4" x 8 1/2" 2
Top/Bottom 3/4" x 4" x 7" 2
Back 3/4" x 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" 1
Frame Members 3/4" x 5" x 17" 4
Halogen puck light 3/4" x 2 1/8" 1





 



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