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Box Making Tips

Hinges: Which are the best to use and why?

But first a quick refresher:

• Tube Hinges: tube hinges are meant for a single piece lid. It's held on by the edge of the glass.
• Door Type Hinges: these are meant to be used on boxes with a five piece lid. They attach to the solder joints, not the edge of the glass. There isn't enough foil to support this type of hinge.

So which is better? Neither and both. Tube hinges are good for a low profile box. If it was used on a 5-piece lid, there wouldn't be enough support for it. The door type hinge can only attach to solder joints. It can't go onto a single piece lid because the foil would tear off. It tears because the force isn't being spread out, it's being focused in one spot.

The tube hinge has one main advantage though; it's easier to put on. The door type hinge can be real tricky. You only have one or two tries to get it right. Otherwise you may get solder in the knuckle, and it will freeze up. Also if it is not aligned right it will bind, and may cause damage to the box. I use them because I like them, they look nice, and in some situations, they work better than the tube hinge.

But it's a good idea to have both kinds on hand. You may need to use one someday.

Mirror Vs Non Mirror

A mirror base can make a box look real nice, but it can also be a pain to have there in the first place. So let's weigh out the pro's and the con's:

Mirror Base:

Pros:

• It can give a box that extra touch of quality, if clear glass is used.
• Some people expect mirror to be in a box. I guess they like looking at themselves where ever the go.

Cons:

• There's a lot more work to be done; you have to be careful not to nick the edge or it will turn black. You also have to put a mirror spray on the back.
• Mirror needs more protection then a solid base, so felt would be needed.
• Mirror tends to show mistakes easier. For instance, when I used it on Pandora's Box, it showed all the mistakes on the under side of the inside of the box.
• Mirror tends to show scratches better (I guess it's because it doubles the reflection) so if you didn't see it the first time, you will see it the next time.
• Mirror is always harder to clean and shows streaks more for the same explanation as above.

Personally I try to make a solid base whenever I can. It's just so much easier to work with.

Feet

Giving box feet can give it a more professional touch, but you have to be careful how you use them.

Filigree:

• Ball Feet - These are shaped like little balls, generally brass. Some have a thread on adapter, other's are hollow. I personally like the more solid, thread on types. They make pretty nice looking feet, but they really make better handles. Sometimes you might have to level the box off, which means pulling at the feet with a pair of pliers. Feet can get very hot very fast so don't use your hands.
• Corner Feet - These fit over the corners of your box. It makes it stand about 1/2” higher than normal. They're nice to look at, but they can really scratch up furniture. In my opinion, you shouldn't use this unless the box will sit on a glass shelf.
• Lion Feet - These look like, well, lion feet. Usually hollow, though I have never seen any that were solid. Don't use these; they will scratch everything you own. They tend to grip into wood, like an owl picking up a cat...yum, yum. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the ones I have now, but I'll figure out something.
• Solder Feet - This isn't filigree at all, it's homemade. You need to prop the box up on a sheet or two of glass. Then (working on a tile or something that won't burn), create balls of solder (more like tiny pools). Then put a little bit of flux on the corner of the box. Now put the iron's tip into the ball of solder, and drag it over to the fluxed corner. Carefully attach the ball and quickly removing the heat. What you'll get (hopefully), is a level box, with organic looking feet. Just try not to adjust it too much, or it will rock.

Non-Filigree:

• Felt Dots - These come in different thickness, thick, thin, and in a few colors. They are easy to work with, just peel and stick. Just be sure to place them just right, they're pretty sticky. They also come in cork and don't slide around as much.
• Felt Pads - As far as I know, these only come in green, and you don't get very much. But it comes pre-sticky so it's really easy to apply. I like using these; they stick really well, and they're fast.
• Felt or Velveteen - Spray a bit of spray glue on the box (mask the sides first). Put a little on the felt, and you have a custom shaped bottom. So collect that material, and use it in that special box.
• Glass Blobs - They're functional but tend to look tacky. You can glue 'em on, or foil and solder them on.
• Glass Marbles - They're applied in the same way a blob is applied but they tend to look better. If they're foiled on, you could put some sort of decorative soldering around the edges.
• Smooth Even Stones - If you're lucky, you might find some circular or maybe egg shaped stones that you can use for that extra creative touch.

Box Lids:

There's so many things you can do to a box lid. Here are the types that I know of:

1. The One Piece Lid - It can have just 1 piece or 500. If it's flat, it's considered a one piece lid.
2. The Five Piece Lid - The lid resembles a box in itself. Even if the sides are round, I still call it a five piece lid.

From there, you can have different styles like continuous tops where the pattern goes through the glass from one side to the other. This method works really well when using something like Baroque, or a strong wild iridescent.

Then, of course, you can stick all kinds of junk into the lid, like shells, rocks, pressed flowers, etc. And from there you can do special things to each lid. For example if you use a shell that has a cool looking top and bottom; you can leave an opening for the shell, so people can see both sides.

And from there you don't even need to make a glass lid. You can get a flat rock, or a large flatfish shell. But you'll have to figure out a way to mount it.

Steps I use when cleaning a box

I go though this ritual each time I make a box. I found it's more efficient.

1. First build the bottom and top of the box, including any decorative soldering, and hinge pin attachment. But don't actually attach the lid to the base of the box.
2. Wash both halves of the box, using the baking soda/Joy mixture, and scrub them really well.
3. Once washed, dry it thoroughly. If you're going to patina it, do it now. It's not necessary to polish anything yet.
4. Wash and dry again.
5. Tape the lid into place, and solder the hinge and chain into place.
6. Check for fit and alignment, and that the box opens really well.
7. Once everything is soldered, clean the soldered areas with alcohol, then patina those spots, and re clean with the alcohol.
8. Then you can go into the polishing steps.

Making it this way, prevents the lid from flopping around when you're first cleaning it and prevents the lid from breaking off, or getting distorted. However, sometimes you have no other choice but to wash it with the lid attached, so just be careful.

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Started on 9-22-98