Box with Drawer and Divider

I finished my class yesterday and I am very happy to say that I completed my project. The difficulty with weekend classes is that sometimes there just isn't enough time to finish the project. Usually, I have to finish the project at home because I just don't move as quickly as the instructor anticipates.

For this project, we were required to make a slipcase. The slipcase would surround a drawer. The drawer would have a divided section. Within the divided section would be a lift out tray. Keeping in mind that there were eight students and the time necessary for the glue to dry between components, I was very happy to get my project done.

Step One: Build the slip case. Because the interior would be visible when the drawer was not inside, we had to line boards before assembling the case. Once the individual pieces where glued together, we had to cover the case. I chose a printed paper for the lining and rust colored bookcloth for the exterior of the case.

This is the lining inside the slip case (when the drawer is removed).

Step Two: Making the drawer. I made the drawer with a divider that ran along the entire width of the drawer. I also put two "lifts" so the tray that I would make later could rest evenly across the divider. The drawer is covered with Thai Reversible Unryu Paper. I chose the pink/orange combination. The exterior of the drawer is covered with the orange side. The divider, lifts and paste-ins are the pink side.

The three components of the project. The drawer is located in the back of this photo.

Step Three: Making the Tray. The tray is made to fit in the drawer. I chose mine to run the entire length of the drawer. I covered the drawer with a different decorative paper because there wasn't any more paper that was used for the lining (which was my first choice).

Here is the tray lying of top of the drawer.

Here is the tray fitted inside of the drawer. The orange ribbons are connected to the underside of the tray so that it can be easily lifted out.

Step Four: Fitting the Pieces Together. The last step is to embellish the project. Of course, this seems easier than it really is because most of these steps have already been pre-determined and pre-planned. For me, I decided to use a decorative pull for my drawer. I used a button that I purchased from M & J Trimming.

The drawer pull.

The assembled box.

Overall, I am very pleased with the finished project. Granted, it not perfect but I always have to remind myself that the goal of the class isn't to make a perfect project. The goal of the class is to learn the techniques and to go home with a working model.

I was very pleased with the class and would definitely take another class with this particular instructor. I have also come to realize that I am further along with my box making skills than I realized. I problem-solved many of my own problems in class. I pre-planned my project well--in other words, I pretty much did my project in the correct sequence.

So, I feel that it was a very successful weekend.