This little project was a lot of first for me. It was the first time for me making finger or box joints. It was the first time trying to make something to scale from a old picture

As this was my prototype I made a lot of errors with the building of it. But now that it is done all others will be made to last the test of time.

I used white pine but wanted to try my luck with a stain. I think I should have left it alone with no stain as Pine turns a nice orange over time.

one of the errors that I did was to inset the hinges. Now you are asking your self what errors ?  look at the way the wood grain is going with the hinges. top back board is not the problem it is the lid that opens is where I'm going to have problems down the road.

This is from a small skid that I had taken home from work - it was new and very clean and was going out in to the scrap wood trailer that we have at the back of the building. 

This was the very first time that I did box joints and I will say this, it was not easy as it looks. I set up my dado blades in the table saw and made a jig and for the life of me could not get them to fit. so I cut them by hand saw and a very sharp chisel. I always wonder why anyone would take the time to do this stuff with out power tools but now I under stand why.

dry fit the top and try to get the right angle 

I was not thinking when I made the lid as the wood grain should be going the other way. Now you see my mistake in the photo above with the hinges. 

it was a bit of a challenge to get the right angle cut for the lid to match the top of the box

needed to be work in order for it to look nice with the lid.  but the box joints came out real nice.  I will try my luck with dove tails next.