Those boxes are really nice. Beautiful work!

 

Never thought about making the strip fit tight so that it would stick without glue. That would have made it much simpler.

 

 

Long ago, I used to rout a wide (3/4" +or-) groove on what would be the inside and another on the opposite side (outside) just a bit above the first groove. That left a full thickness between the inside and outside grooves, a bit narrower than the kerf that would be made when the lid was separated. So I had an "automatic" lid locator after the lid was cut off. If the grooves are mad just a hair deeper than 1/2 the thickness of the stock, the lid fits just right....well just right as to relative tightness. Still gotta be square. One could always make the box a bit longer in one dimension on purpose. :-)

 

 

One of the tasks that must be done before I can really go "hybrid" is to re-hab the Stanley's I've accumulated (collected?) over the years. I have a #8 that would make a great permanent shooting plane in a tuneable device found in the last issue of Shop Notes. Might as well dedicate it as there's no way I'm going to be using that monster to smooth with. Heck, it tires me out just thinking about carrying it from it's spot, over to the bench.

 

 

I have an eight. I prefer a six in my shooting board. I've restored a dozen or so planes, it's very satisfying. They seem to multiply by themselves, if you put two of them in a drawer in a few weeks there will be four or five. Scientists should look into that.