It was harder to find free plans when I got back into woodworking than it is today. One project that you will find across the internet is the ever-popular jewelry box.
Each of the six reviews below highlights the experience level, tools, price, and time you will need to make them challenging and fun.
Fix This Build That: A Simple Jewelry Box
The first plan I want to look at has two stand-out features. It is a small box, so you can use more exotic woods (the author uses curly Maple) without spending a lot of money. Also, the plan highlights the usefulness of a drum sander with these types of projects.
It earns a complexity rank of intermediate due to the liner being made from a contrasting wood. That helps with a friction-fit lid, but it does add to the complexity and time.
Speaking of time, you should be able to do most of the dimensioning, fitting, and finishing in about half a day’s work. You will need to glue the box and let it dry before preparing to cut and insert the liner pieces, meaning the total project will stretch over a couple of days.
I did notice that the author used a band saw to resaw the Maple into two pieces. Outside of this, the suggested tool list should cover your build needs.
These plans built a box measuring 10 inches L x 5 inches W x 3 inches H. Material thickness for pieces was 0.25 inches. Those dimensions are easy to modify if you want a larger box.
Jewelry box at-a-glance
- Level of project complexity: Intermediate
- Suggested tools you might need: A drum sander, miter saw, table saw, random orbital sander, F-clamps, spring clamps, and web clamps
- How long it will take: Four hours/Two days
- Approximate cost: $$
Instructables Workshop: Jewelry Box Using Box Joints
The solid lid with a curve, along with the box joints used for assembly, are features that warranted this project’s inclusion on the list. These plans call for Oak, and I think it offers grain patterns that complement the box joinery. Hardboard comes in thin sheets, making it an option for the tray and interior bottom pieces.
I rated this plan as advanced because of the curve on the solid box lid. You can trim away most of the excess material, but you will need to use that block plane to get the shape that you want.
A six to eight-hour work window should allow you to build the components. Its two-day completion time takes into account the need for glue-ups and staining. Beginning woodworkers might want to increase the expected time to three or more days to allocate for their inexperience.
Your table saw will handle the joinery and dimensioning of your Oak boards. A box-joint jig is a must, so you need to build one or buy a prefabricated product. The Dado stack makes clean joints in one pass, but you can also make several passes with a single blade.
Jewelry box at-a-glance
- Level of project complexity: Advanced
- Suggested tools you might need: A block plane, drill, 0.75-inch chisel, table saw, stacked dado set, box joint jig, and a small Phillips-head screwdriver.
- How long it will take: Six to eight hours/Two days
- Approximate cost: $$
Ana White: Fancy Jewelry Box
The jewelry box in this set of plans offers several drawers and cupboards to hang items on hooks. These instructions allow you to build the bare minimum with the option to add additional hardware or cloth materials.
It is a project that beginners can tackle with a few hand and power tools. The cuts and nailed assembly help keep the complexity within reach of novice woodworkers, making these free plans a fun project for new woodworkers to tackle.
A full day in the shop will get the jewelry box built. I have marked it as a weekend-long project to complete to compensate for inexperience and additional hardware that you may want to include. It would be possible for someone with shop experience to put this project together in a single day.
The final build in the plans comes in at about 13 inches L x 7.25 inches W x 13.875 inches H. These plans use framing lumber, project boards, and plywood to create the box and drawers. But joints reinforced with fasteners are employed here, and they should provide you with plenty of strength for the types of items it is intended to hold.
Jewelry box at-a-glance
- Level of project complexity: Beginner
- Suggested tools you might need: A circular saw, miter saw, drill, brad nailer, sander, hammer, tape measurer, and a speed square.
- How long it will take: Eight hours/Two days
- Approximate cost: $$
John Malecki: How To Make A Jewelry Box
The author’s use of a glass top and flocking materials piqued my interest, and it might do the same for you. Another stand-out feature here is the build video. John is a YouTube creator that provides clear images and explanations that you can follow.
Adding a glass piece, flocking, and other hardware will challenge many woodworkers unless they have some workshop experience. When it comes to the shop, the author has a wide selection of hand and power tools. You should be able to improvise if your woodshop has limited tool choices, though.
I have marked this project as more expensive ($$$) than others. That is due to the tools on display, such as the oak, brass, and glass you will need to purchase. The price might be less if you have a well-stocked workshop.
It uses half-blind dovetail joinery, which can be tricky if you are new to it. The frame needs building before finalizing the faux drawer measurements to keep it fitting snugly. Also, remember to match up grains on glue-ups for the best appearance.
Jewelry box at-a-glance
- Level of project complexity: Intermediate
- Suggested tools you might need: A band saw, table saw, wood router, router table, jointer, planer, sander, crosscut sled, and hand tools.
- How long it will take: Eight hours/Two days or more
- Approximate cost: $$$
Popular Woodworking: Treasured Jewelry Box
Popular Woodworking showcases fantastic builds, including this project that uses several types of wood. The project cost will vary, depending upon your current stock or the price you need to pay to get nice wood. A piece of spalted wood highlights the lid center, and contrasting woods like Cherry, Mahogany, or Walnut create the rest of the box exterior.
The instructions are numbered between 1 and 30, making the steps easy to follow. Box joints and grooves are not hard to make on the table saw, especially with a box-joint jig. A good router table will allow you to chamfer pieces without needing table saw cuts or hand planes. You can either buy one or go the DIY route.
Cutting pieces and fitting them tight will take up most of your time, as you want there to be no gaps. Sanding and center-framing tips will save you time, but this will be a full-day project for most of us to build up. Gluing and finishing will make the jewelry box a weekend project.
Jewelry box at-a-glance
- Level of project complexity: Intermediate
- Suggested tools you might need: A band saw, table saw, router table, dado stack, box-joint jig, and hand tools.
- How long it will take: Eight hours or more/Two days or more
- Approximate cost: $$ – $$$
Rockler: Jewelry Cabinet
Several cuts and joinery help hide the hardware on this good-looking project. The instructions are clear and minimalistic, making them easy to reference during work.
Well-stocked woodshops will have pieces of Walnut on hand, but Walnut plywood might be harder to find. I have listed standard tools as there is nothing highlighted by Rockler, although a table saw with Dados and a router table will be especially handy.
Your dimensioning, building, and clean-up will take more than a day. Adding glue time and finishing will mean this takes more than a weekend to build. If you match grains, use contrasting woods, and buy clean brass hardware, you will end up with an heirloom-quality jewelry box.
Jewelry box at-a-glance
- Level of project complexity: Intermediate/Advanced
- Suggested tools you might need: A standard collection of hand and power tools.
- How long it will take: Two days/Three-day minimum
- Approximate cost: $$$
Small Storage, Lots of Fun
Jewelry boxes allow you to experiment with joinery, cutting, and glue-ups. You do not need a lot of wood for these projects, making it possible to splurge on exotic woods and quality hardware. They build quickly, and you will not need lots of room, so give one of these plans a try over the weekend!
