Add depth with bevels
After sanding with up to 220-grit paper, set up a 45ยบ chamfer bit with a top-mounted bearing in your router. Adjust the tool to create a 3/16"-wide bevel and rout all of the outside edges of the project. I lowered the bit height to create a 1/16"-wide chamfer on the insides of the decorative cutouts. The bevels' shadows create a more interesting effect than rounded edges would. You'll find that the router won't be able to chamfer all the way into the point of the large cutouts, so use a sharp chisel and a steady hand to finish the job.
Cutting the dado grooves for the glass comes next. I used a ripping blade in my tablesaw to prepare the grooves in the sides. My table-mounted router, complete with end stops on the fence, completed the stopped dado required in the bottom. The glass I used for this project came from a picture frame I picked up at a dollar store, but a glass shop can cut a piece of glass to size for you. To attach the box lid, I used standard hinges, mortised into the top using the same method I used for cutting the stopped dado in the bottom.
Before you move on to finishing, drill and countersink holes for #6 x 1 1/4" brass assembly screws. There are 11 in all: seven through the back and four through the bottom.
Assemble the whole project and fine-tune the fit of the lid and glass. Once everything is ready, disassemble the project and move on to finishing.
Historical finish
To maintain the heritage feel of this project, I applied milk paint-a type of finish used in North America more than 250 years ago. I find it's a paint that behaves like a stain. It is composed of lime, clay, casein and natural pigments, and it's durable: it never peels or flakes. Milk paint is sold as a powder that you mix with water. I ordered mine from Homestead House Paint Company (877-886-5098) in Trading Post Red.
Milk paint usually requires two coats to achieve complete coverage, and it's easiest to apply to the parts before assembly. This finish dried in about 15 minutes. Use some fine steel wool after the first coat has dried to knock the grain back down and remove any excess powder. Apply the second coat and rub it down again with light pressure.
A modern high-tech film finish would look out of place on a heritage project such as this, so I sealed mine with a couple of coats of Watco Natural Oil. My completed box hangs by the back door, next to the dog's leash, filled with her biscuits.
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