| Build a secret trinket case for the bookshelf. |
Practical use as well as the novelty of its construction makes the trinket case shown in the illustration well worth the time and effort necessary to make it. Various kinds of wood — preferably of the better cabinet varieties — are suited to the design shown, which was made of 3/16-in. stock, like that used in cigar boxes.
The size shown is that of a bound volume of a magazine like Popular Mechanics, and may be adapted to special needs. The back and the cover slide in grooves, which are not visible when the "book" is closed, making it difficult and interesting for one to discover how the case is opened. The back may be marked and lettered to resemble a bound volume closely, and if special secrecy is desired, it may even be covered with leather, in exact duplication of those on a bound set of magazines kept in the bookcase with it.
Make the pieces for the frame of the box first. If possible, make one strip of the proper width — 2 in., in this case - and long enough for the two ends and the front. Make another strip 1¾ in. wide and long enough for the partition and false back of the tray. Cut these to the lengths indicated in the detailed sketches of the parts. Mark out the grooves in the end pieces carefully and cut them with a saw that cuts a groove 3/32 in. wide. The grooves may be cut by clamping a straight strip of wood on the surface of the ends the proper distance from the top, and sawing cautiously along the strip to the proper depth. The grooves across the grain may be cut similarly, or in a miter box.
Glue the pieces of the frame together, taking care that the corners are square. If necessary, place blocks inside to insure that the clamping will not disturb the right angles of the box. Shape the bottom and cover pieces nearly to the final size before gluing them; then, if small nicks are made in the edge, they may be removed by a cut of the plane, when the case is complete.
Glue the sliding pieces to the cover and to the back. This must be done carefully, and it is convenient to drive small brads part way into the second piece, from the inner side, to prevent the pieces from slipping while being glued. If proper care is taken, only a small amount of glue will be forced out, and this can be removed with a chisel when dry.
The edges may be trimmed off to their exact size, and the entire construction given a final light and papering. It is then ready for the stain and shellac, or other finish. The parts that slide in grooves should not be shellacked or varnished, because this is apt to cause them to stick.