Build a Wooden Jewelry Box with a Sliding Tray and Brass Hinges

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This jewelry box fits rings, earrings and small keepsakes in a compact footprint, with a lift-out sliding tray above the main compartment. The build uses 1/2-inch hardwood for the case, 1/4-inch plywood for the bottom and tray, and small brass butt hinges for the lid. Allow a weekend, including time for glue and finish to dry.

Dimensions and materials

The finished box measures about 10 inches wide, 7 inches deep and 5 inches tall, excluding the lid. The tray is roughly 9 by 6 inches, sized to slide inside the case with a little clearance. Adjust the dimensions to suit your stock, but keep the tray at least 1/8 inch narrower and shorter than the inside of the case. A tight tray binds when humidity changes or finish builds up.

Choose straight-grained hardwood such as cherry, maple or walnut. A hardwood project board is convenient if you do not have a planer, though its price per board foot is usually higher than rough lumber. For the bottom, use flat 1/4-inch plywood; solid wood can cup or split across its grain if glued rigidly into a frame.

You will also need wood glue, sandpaper in 120-, 180- and 220-grit, four small brass butt hinges, and a finish. A pair of small brass butt hinges around 1 inch long suits this lid. Check the hinge leaf width and screw size before buying: oversized leaves are difficult to recess in a narrow edge.

Tools and joints

A table saw or circular saw with a straightedge will cut the panels. A miter saw helps make repeatable square ends, but a handsaw and shooting board work too. You will need a drill, clamps, a square, a marking knife or pencil, and a small chisel for hinge recesses. A router is useful for grooves, but a saw blade or chisel can cut them if you work carefully.

Use simple butt joints for the case, reinforced with glue and small brads or screws, or cut rabbets if you are comfortable with them. Rabbets register the parts and give more glue area, but a poorly set cut leaves gaps that show. For a first box, accurately squared butt joints are less likely to create a frustrating fit problem.

Cut list

Cut these parts from 1/2-inch hardwood, checking actual thickness before setting stops. Dimensions assume the front and back span the full width and the sides fit between them.

The tray wall lengths assume butt joints and a 1/4-inch bottom captured in a groove near the lower edge. Dry-fit the tray inside the assembled case before gluing; trim the long walls equally if it binds.

Assemble the case

Mark a groove 1/4 inch up from the bottom edge on the inside face of each case panel. Cut it about 1/4 inch wide and 1/8 inch deep to capture the plywood bottom. Test the groove on scrap first. If you cut too deep, the bottom sits low and may leave a visible gap; if it is too narrow, the plywood will not seat fully.

Dry-fit the four sides around the bottom. Check both diagonals; they should match within about 1/16 inch. Apply glue to the joints, assemble the case, and clamp it square without bowing the panels. Add the bottom without gluing it across its full width if your groove design allows it to move. Wipe off squeeze-out before it hardens, especially inside corners where later sanding is awkward.

Make the sliding tray

Cut a shallow 1/8-inch groove along the inside bottom edge of each tray wall. Fit the plywood tray bottom into the grooves, then glue the wall corners around it. Keep the tray square and flat while clamping. Sand the outer walls lightly and test the tray in the case before applying finish. It should slide without force and lift out easily; do not rely on finish to fix a tight fit.

For a removable tray, no runners are needed: it rests on the case bottom and lifts out by its sides. If you want more space below it, add two narrow hardwood rails inside the case, about 1 inch below the rim. Keep both rails level and parallel. A rail that sits high on one side makes the tray rock and can cause it to jam.

Fit the lid and hinges

Center the lid on the case and mark its position with equal overhang on all sides. Butt hinges should sit near the back corners, roughly 1 inch in from each end. Score around each leaf, then remove wood inside the outline with a sharp chisel until the hinge sits flush. A leaf left proud prevents the lid from closing evenly; a recess cut too deep lets the lid shift under screw pressure.

Drill pilot holes smaller than the hinge screws’ core diameter, then install the screws by hand. Brass screws can twist off if driven with a power drill. If the supplied screws seem soft, use steel screws temporarily to establish the holes, then replace them with brass. Check lid alignment before tightening everything.

Finish and common trade-offs

Sand through 120, 180 and 220 grit, easing sharp edges but keeping the lid’s mating edges square. Remove dust and apply two or three thin coats of wipe-on oil or water-based clear finish, following the label’s drying times. Oil is easy to repair and gives wood a warm look, but offers less surface protection. Water-based finish stays clearer on pale maple, though raised grain may need a light 220-grit sanding after the first coat. Keep finish out of the tray’s sliding surfaces until you have tested the fit.

For a simple interior, leave the wood bare or line the tray with thin felt. Adhesive-backed felt is quick, but wrinkles and trapped dust are hard to remove once pressed down. A plain wood tray is cheaper and easier to clean. If you add lining, cut it slightly undersize and test placement before peeling the backing.

Before storing jewelry, let the finish cure fully rather than merely dry to the touch. A box that smells strongly of finish can transfer odor to fabric or delicate items. If the lid rubs after finishing, identify the contact point and sand only that area; forcing it closed can loosen hinges or chip the edge.