Make a Dovetail Jewelry Box

Making an Easy Dovetail Jewelry Box Project

Sometimes, project ideas come when you least expect them. I recommend capitalizing on these little moments of clarity when they occur. That’s exactly what happened with this dovetail jewelry box project, which was originally going to be an entryway bench!

I wanted to make a sitting bench to put in the entryway of our home. I spent a significant amount of time thinking of various ways to connect the top to the base. That led me to considering using two large, chunky dovetail joints. The top could slide onto the base, plus the dovetails would give the project a cool visual element.

A Wood Bench Turned into a Wood Box?

How does the wood bench get turned into a wood jewelry box? Well, the more I looked at those large dovetails, the more I thought about how to use them for other projects too. I make a lot of boxes so my mind naturally shifted in that direction. The bench is a little over 15” deep. What if I chopped the dovetail into sections and carved out the inside? It could instantly be a crazy looking wood box! Knowing I should strike while the iron was hot, I stopped designing the bench and shifted focus to making a dovetail box.

What I really like about this project is the potential for customization. Since it’s not huge, I can use really beautiful wood without breaking the bank. I opted for figured walnut. I created a set of project plans for myself so I knew how thick to make the walls of the box and how much material to remove from the inside.

Wood Dovetail Jewelry Box

Any wood box can be considered a jewelry box, but I like to think it should have a soft interior. I added a felt liner. In the past, I’ve used flocking material to do something similar. This added touch gives the jewelry a soft surface to rest on, while also preventing items from sliding around.

Best Finish for a Jewelry Box

Just about any type of finish will work for a wood jewelry box. In this case, I wanted a “close to the wood feel.” Someone has to slide the lid open and closed. I wanted them to feel like they were touching wood, not a thick film finish. I mixed a little polyurethane with tung oil and mineral spirits. The mixture is thin so it soaks into the wood instead of sitting on the surface. The oil brings out the beautiful wood grain, while the poly helps protect the wood.

Overall, I love the look of this project. It taught me the lesson to go with my gut and pay attention to inspiration. You never know when an idea will pop in your head. When it happens, sometimes you have to run with it.