Making a small box for art

[and]

Hi all, first time posting here

I want to make a box that measure approximately 1.25 x 5 x 7 inches, that will be filled with art equipment, and will open with a hinge to form a drawing/painting surface like in the attached file

My questions are:
To keep it light, something like basswood would be good for the body - are there any suggestions for alternatives, as well as where to get this in the uk
The top of the box needs to be hardwood so that using it as a drawing surface doesnt indent the wood - which wood would you use for this (wood similar to a clipboard might be good?)
How would i paint it matte black, with a fairly resilient finish?

Is there any other advice to make something like this

thanks

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hi - if you're going to paint it, why not use something like ply? (dimensionally stable, strong and relatively light) e.g. malaysian/south american ply - you can buy 4ft X 2ft sheets at Wickes or other other DIY sheds. e.g. this type of thing: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Non-Stru ... m/p/110514

Cheers, W2S

 

[nev]

You may find what you need at your local Wickes or similar.

Plywood for the top and bottom and some hardwood or even pine strips from the mouldings sections

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Products/Decora ... ers&text=#
https://www.jennifersofwalsall.co.uk/40 ... strip.html

Some wood glue

e.g. http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Weatherp ... l/p/240037

some small hinges or a strip of canvas/ leather/ similar for a hinge.

Plenty of how to's on youtube, search for making a pochade box or Plein air box, e.g. or recycle a wooden cigar box

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSczu6F9w7o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIKOnPuILlI
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... ochade+box

 

[AES]

welcome to the Forum.

+ another 1 for ply if you're going to paint it.

As to where to buy GOOD ply, if you have any model aero shops nearby, try there. Look for best quality ply from "Pacific Southwest" (distributed by SIG). It is VERY expensive in terms of price per sq inch/foot compared with the above links, BUT the quality is absolutely 1st class and it's already cut into small enough sheets that there's no problem with warping during storage which CAN happen sometimes with big sheets.

The dimensions of your box suit those cut sheets very well (you'll have a bit of spare left over - the sheets are about 6 inches x 13 inches if I remember correctly) and come in a wide range of thicknesses from about 3mm (one eigth inch) upwards, and the quality is absolutely superb in comparison with just about anything you can buy elsewhere.

But please note, you do NOT want what they call "Liteply" (which has only 3 laminations, "good-ish" at the front and back, plus a centre, single lamination, much thicker, made of a very white and very soft white wood). The stuff you need has MANY laminations, all from the same birch ply, and all of equal thickness.

HTH, good luck, a nice looking project. For you yourself or a "significant other"?

AES

 

[and]

Thank you all for your replies!
I will look at the videos linked here soon

I am sure I will be back with more questions soon too once I start actually trying to build it! I found some nice looking Matte black hinges on Amazon too!

HTH, good luck, a nice looking project. For you yourself or a "significant other"?

You would make a good detective! It is for a significant other - hoping she likes it!