Cherry jewelry box with secret latch and hidden compartments

I built this box for my niece's high school graduation and have had a lot of questions from folks who heard about it, so I thought I'd put together this video to let folks see it. I wanted to build a box with some secret features and hidden storage, and still have it be an attractive piece. Hopefully this box strikes the balance. The primary wood is cherry, with a bird's-eye maple panel in the lid, and cumaru and chechen accents. Sorry for the occasionaly jerky video, but I was my own videographer for this walk-through.
None of the ideas for secret compartments and the latch are original... all have been pulled from, or were inspired by, one or more examples I was able to find online. The particular combination of features and the design of the box is original, as is the mechanism for the auto-locking lid. I did most of the design in Sketchup, since it was important to see some 3D modeling of the pieces to work out problems while still in CAD.
Some of the inspiration for this box came from the videos on this playlist: • Secret boxes . They may be of interest if you're looking for inspiration.
I hope this video gives you some ideas for your own project!
--dave

[@nisanight2247]

That jewelry box is going to be passed down through the generations of your family. What a beautiful thing you have created!

[@toomanyhobbies4713]

an excellent build and great ideas for hidden compartments. I told my Grandchildren to look for a number stamped into the lid of whatever I make, and that is how many hidden compartments are in the project. I don't tell them right away where they are or how to access them. That is the fun part for me, watching them try to figure it out.

[@treeorwh2]

Isn’t it strange that we love hidden compartments in jewellery boxes where we can safely hide our 20 bucks while the thieves are distracted by our rings... We are obviously optimistic, rings won’t be our most precious things! Love this build, really well crafted!

[@stephanief3308]

Nicely done. Wish I were the recipient of this lovely, unique gift! I'm sure your niece loved it and will treasure it always. I believe a gift made with love is always the best gift. The hidden features and access make this jewelry box very unique. I have 3 granddaughters that I want to make jewelry boxes for, my neighbor has graciously agreed to help. I'd love to incorporate don't of your features. The girls would absolutely adore a one of a kind gift along with the hidden features! Again, well done and very thoughtful!

[@rhondakennedy819]

The secret boxes & open mechanism is really a great idea!

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@thomasperrygifts5693]

Thanks for this vid! Very helpful in learning how to install secret compartments in jewelry boxes for a current project

[@mattedwards4533]

Neat job! I make a lot of boxes and now you have given me some new ideas! Thanks!

[@baroqueviolin82]

Excellent Job and Design !!! 👏🏻🙂🎩

[@Dominic.Minischetti]

That is beautiful! She is going to treasure that!

[@rjwohlman]

Beautiful. Super cool!

[@TheBenjammin]

Awesome box. I wish I was as good of a woodworker.

[@thomasstenger7951]

Wow, what a nice job. I was particularly interested in the latch mechanism. Does the latch use a spring mechanism to return it to its location? If no spring mechanism is used and the weight of the "L" shaped brass returns it to the upright position, would tilting the box unlock the latch? Thanks Dave and once again, nicely done!

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks! Nope, no spring involved. All the puzzles built into the box (including the latch mechanism) were just to test the problem solving skills of one of my nieces (and to be honest…to tweak her just a bit ;^). I’m sure that by turning it upside down in a particular orientation you could probably get the latch to pop open. Glad you liked it.

[@whatmakesthisourhome312]

Having that hidden lock will be something that makes it just for her. Will you tell her about the secret boxes when you give it to her, or just let her find it in time? The box looks great. I am sure she will love it.

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks, I gave it to her two Mays ago. I didn’t tell her a thing... she had to figure it all out (nor did she want any help). It took her ten minutes to figure everything out, with her sisters watching and kibitzing the whole time. 😆

[@tanissaurus]

This is spectacular!

[@Robyrob7771]

Very cool and beautiful!

[@pinkmagicali]

Wow, what a cool box!

[@In_time]

Beautiful work, thank you for sharing:)

[@DominicPannell]

This is inspiring. Thank you.

[@terryperry8523]

genius lock mechanism

[@skaruts]

This is pretty damn cool. I think the hidden drawer is a little bit obvious because it's the same size as the others, although of course I'm looking at it knowing there's hidden things in the first place. By the way, one thing that might be cool that I've been brainstorming, is a way to make the division walls in the drawers out of some kind of little pieces that could be put together to allow the user to adjust the divisions to their needs. I think something similar to puzzle pieces might work. With a few special pieces for cross joints and such. The only requirement is that they have to stick to each other as reliably as Lego does.

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks. I agree about the drawer, but this was less about making something hidden than it was making something cool for my niece. 😊 As for movable dividers, these dividers fit together with cross lap joints and the interior pieces have tabs (half laps) that fit into the perimeter pieces. You could always cut a series of laps in both the long perimeter pieces and the long middle piece that would allow the short dividers to be relocated.

[@skaruts]

@@daveminnich632 It's definitely really cool. :) Yea that was my fist idea for the dividers. I might be making it more complicated than it needs to be. Thanks.

[@siduri03rob]

Lovely design and craftsmanship…such a heartfelt gift! And although this is a different type presentation, I wish more woodworkers would showcase their projects just a little before they start their build. Then I wouldn’t have to watch or skip through all their process to see if it’s something I want to make.

[@chadaclegg]

This is an engineering masterpiece!!!

[@chadaclegg]

Correction--I think he is some kind of sorcerer

[@daveminnich632]

@@chadaclegg LOL, glad you like it. It was fun to build, and even more fun to design.

[@jimmyboy3402]

😃😃😃..SUCH A GREAT JOB....ALL THE BEST. THANK YOU. SRI LANKA.

[@arsathbeearsathbee5122]

Superb 👍👍👍

[@baishalimandal3293]

Superb

[@6SSURVIVAL]

Really nice 👍 you should of put a locking mechanism for the draws at the back to I like tho when I get some nice wood am gonna try making on 🧐👌

[@normancoutts]

What a fantastic thing. :-).

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks! Glad you like it.

[@BeeBrotha]

Anyone else yell at their phone, laptop..etc when he put the magnetic key in the top of the box?😂😂😂

[@daveminnich632]

Ha! 😆

[@Robyrob7771]

I was like I hope that lid doesn’t fall😳

[@pbrsucks1]

That is bad ass

[@gregsundgaard2376]

Very cool sir - craftsmanship and inspiration coming together to form a beautiful piece. That's the essence of design - you nailed it - and, as you alluded to above, I'm going to borrow some of these ideas to make a similar box for my daughter as a graduation gift as well. Out of curiosity - start to finish - how many hours do you estimate that you put into this project? Thanks so very much for sharing this sir - couldn't have come at a better time in my design flow!

[@daveminnich632]

Greg Sundgaard, thanks, and I'm glad it was helpful. It was certainly a fun project. I figure I had about 40 hours of design and another 40 hours of build/finish time in this project. Be sure to post a link/picture of your finished project if you get a chance! --dave

[@henkw74]

Very nice build! Looks stunning. Do you gave any plans? I'd love to make this for my daughter.

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks. Unfortunately no plans other than in my head.

[@johncole9964]

Very nice box, she's a lucky girl. Did you think of putting a pull on the bottom drawer?

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks, John. No, I deliberately didn't put a pull on the bottom drawer, since it had the hidden mechanism and I didn't want to draw attention to it. While you can't tell it in the video, when you look at the box in person, it's not apparent that the bottom drawer is anything but part of a decorative base (until you press the hidden catch and it opens slightly).

[@radekhlavacek5581]

Hi Dave, this is an awesome box...i am going to make for my gf/wife very soon. I wanted to ask you 2 things tho. What type of hinges are you using so that the lid stays open like that? And how thick boards are you using for the bottom of the box and elsewhere to firm the whole construction? Thanksa lot and sending you greetings from Czechia!

[@daveminnich632]

Greetings Radek! The hinges for this project were Brusso 95 degree stop hinges; here's one example: www.hardwaresource.com/brusso-solid-brass-stop-hinge.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn9TguOa74AIVwQJpCh1jbAWBEAQYASABEgIpHfD_BwE. I don't have the box available to confirm the dimensions, but the thin/dust panels were made of 1/4" MDF with cherry veneer, and I believe all the solid pieces were roughly 5/8" thick. In places where the edge of the MDF would show I glued 1/4" solid cherry strips to the edge of the MDF. The dividers are one saw kerf thick, about 1/8". Good luck on your build, and be sure to post a picture of it here when done! Oh, and the thin panel that is below the "hidden" drawer is 1/8" birch plywood.

[@user-zj2mb3sp3x]

SO WHAT HAPPENED MAN???

[@kamelgatamook2931]

Always

[@charo7499]

Do you sell this jewelry boxes I would like to buy a couple for me and my sister

[@daveminnich632]

Los chistes de sofia , thanks for that thought, but no, I don't.

[@billgibson7899]

Is there a how to? This is kinda the next step for me. Very well done.

[@daveminnich632]

Nope, sorry. This was a one-off for me, and the thought of a video didn’t happen until it was done. I would recommend modeling everything in CAD (I use Sketchup) to make sure all the moving pieces interact well with the rest. That’s a significant learning curve, but it would have been hard to get some of this right without it (e.g. the latch mechanism, the pop-out drawer mechanism). Good luck!

[@finster101]

That's a beautiful box. Well done. I'm looking to make something similar. Could you tell me the overall dimensions of the box? Thanks

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks. I don't have the box in my possession anymore, but I can estimate... it would have been about 16" wide, 8" high (excluding the finial), and 10-11" deep, if I recall correctly. Each drawer was about 2" tall.

[@finster101]

@@daveminnich632 Thanks for the info

[@johnhayes6414]

Love this. Do you have measurements.

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks, John. Unfortunately, I lost my CAD file for this when a hard-drive died, so I have no measurements.

[@donbarton9055]

Do you have any plans available? Also what are the rough dimensions? Thanks

[@daveminnich632]

Sorry, no plans. I haven’t seen this box for several years, but my recollection is that it was roughly 10”d x 14”w x 6”h.

[@onlythejeffness]

I'd probably lock the key inside the box.

[@daveminnich632]

Jeffrey Triebenbach, yeah, I worried about that too. In an emergency, the top can be opened with a plain rare-earth magnet.

[@imanbudimlic7225]

Where can i buy this?

[@daveminnich632]

Sorry, it was made as a gift and is not for sale.

[@goldendreamer2122]

Hand tools or power tools?

[@daveminnich632]

Frankie Rapp, power tools.

[@deltastones6702]

Do you sell these??

[@daveminnich632]

Delta Stones , no, just make them for family.

[@ianauthbert2810]

Beautiful job. But lacking locking of the two drawers. Seems to negate the effort taken for the hidden drawer and magnetic lid no?

[@daveminnich632]

Thanks. None of the features were intended as security mechanisms… just cool puzzle features for my niece. No reason for locking.

[@ianauthbert2810]

@@daveminnich632 got it, appreciated the reply, cheers mate. Keep safe

[@herlainenieves8365]

is it sale

[@daveminnich632]

Herin's Hacks and Crafts , no it is not for sale, sorry.

[@DH-lq6lf]

Great box but put that camera on a tripod. your waving around is dizzying

[@yajusworld612]

How much

[@daveminnich632]

NFS, thanks. It was a gift.

[@khaledmoussallem4472]

Prophy

[@edwardwalsh5982]

Im guessing you may indeed have a panic room in your home?

[@daveminnich632]

😂

[@koalafan1576]

So I’m guessing her and her friends don’t watch your channel. Otherwise you just have your tricks away.

[@herlainenieves8365]

i need jewelry box beacause my mom said she need jewelry box

[@arsathbeearsathbee5122]

How much

[@daveminnich632]

Not for sale.