Box Making
A two-day introduction to woodworking through one of its oldest and most satisfying forms.
A box is a complete object. It has a base, sides, a lid, and a way of joining them together. It is small enough to finish in a day or two, and demanding enough to teach you something real about wood, tools and joinery. And at the end you have something useful that you made yourself.
Building a box is also a microcosm of cabinetmaking. A cabinet is, at its heart, box making at volume and scale. The principles are the same.
This two-day workshop uses box making as a way into woodworking. You will explore several approaches to building a box, each one introducing different joinery and different ways of working with timber and machines. The skills are simple enough for a complete beginner and interesting enough to keep a somewhat more experienced maker engaged.
What you will cover
The workshop introduces four approaches to box construction, each with its own character and its own set of ideas.
A butt jointed box is the simplest place to start. Accurate marking, sawing and gluing. Understanding grain and how timber behaves.
A rebated box introduces the router table and the idea of the interlocking joint. Small steps toward greater precision.
A mitred box brings in the mitre saw and the satisfying geometry of corners that meet cleanly at 45 degrees.
A bandsawn box is something different again. A solid piece of timber, cut apart and reassembled with a lid and a hollow inside. Surprising, immediate and entirely its own thing.
You will not necessarily make all four. The workshop is responsive to where you are and what interests you.
Workshop details
Duration: 2 days
Location: Mount Egerton VIC 3352
Group size: Maximum 6 participants
Experience: Open to all levels, complete beginners very welcome
Price: $330 per person (materials included)
Dates: Dates announced to the EOI list first, register your interest below
Mount Egerton is located on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria, approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne and 30 minutes from Ballarat. The studio is easily reached from Melbourne's west and from Geelong, Daylesford and regional Victoria.
Who this workshop suits
This workshop is for anyone who has been thinking about woodworking and has not known where to start. It is also for people who have dabbled and want a more structured introduction to joinery and machines. And it is for anyone who simply wants to make something useful and beautiful with their hands.
No prior experience required.
About the teaching
Ross Annels has been making furniture and teaching woodworking for over 25 years. The box making workshop is built on the understanding that simple objects teach important ideas, and that the best way to learn is to make something real.
The workshop is relaxed, hands-on and responsive. There is time to work carefully, ask questions, and enjoy the process.
What past participants say
"Ross isn't just offering how-to training, but the beginnings of a journey to understanding wood and tools and using them well. I could get addicted to this." — JCF
Express your interest
Dates for this workshop are announced to the interest list first. If you would like to be notified when bookings open, contact Ross directly.
Where this leads
Box Making is a good first step into the Moonlite program. Participants who complete this workshop are well placed to move into:
Sharpening, a one-day workshop in techniques to get and stay sharp
Hand Tools Fundamentals, a 5-day deep dive into furniture making fundamentals
Safe Machine Practice, a 2-day workshop in safe and confident use of woodworking machines
Moonlite Studios is a working furniture making and creative practice based in Mount Egerton, on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria. Courses and mentoring are offered year-round in small groups within a studio environment.
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