How to Build a Custom Cherry Wood Watch Box

A handmade wooden watch box is a fantastic project that combines function and style, making a perfect gift or a handsome addition to your own dresser. This guide will walk you through creating a beautiful cherry wood box with clean mitered corners, a clear display lid, and customizable interlocking dividers to fit any watch collection.

This project is a great way to practice precision woodworking. While the images feature a SawStop table saw, any well-tuned table saw can be used to achieve great results.

A comprehensive list of materials will ensure you have everything you need for a successful build. For this project, you will need:

Materials:

1. Hardwood board (I used cherry but any other hardwood can be used )
2. Thin plywood for the box bottom
3. Clear acrylic or plexiglass sheet for the lid
4. Wood glue
5. Blue painter's tape
6. Craft foam for lining the compartments
7. Wood finish (such as an oil or varnish)

Tools:

1. Table saw with a fine-toothed blade
2. Ruler or tape measure
3. Pencil
4. Digital angle gauge
5. Combination square
6. Orbital sander with various grit sandpapers
7. Clamps (bar clamps and/or C-clamps are recommended)
8. Safety glasses

The first step is to cut the four sides of your box from the cherry wood plank.

1. Measure and mark the dimensions for your four box sides. Keep them identical in size for a uniform box.
2. Use blue painter's tape to mark the pieces and draw arrows indicating the grain direction. This helps you keep the wood grain continuous around the box for a professional, wrap-around look.
3. Cut the pieces to their final dimensions on the table saw.

Mitered joints create a clean, seamless look with no visible end grain.

1. Tilt your table saw blade to exactly 45 degrees. A digital angle gauge, as shown in the images, is perfect for ensuring high accuracy.
2. Carefully cut a 45-degree miter on both ends of each of the four side pieces.
3. Return the blade to 90 degrees. Adjust the blade height to be quite low and cut a shallow groove (a dado) along the inside face of each side piece. You will need one groove near the bottom to hold the plywood base and another near the top for the clear acrylic lid.

With the pieces cut, it's time for assembly.

1. First, perform a "dry fit" by assembling the four sides without glue to ensure the mitered corners fit together perfectly.
2. Once satisfied with the fit, apply a thin, even layer of wood glue to each mitered edge.
3. Join the corners and use blue painter's tape to pull them snugly together. The tape acts as a light clamp and helps prevent the corners from sliding.
4. Apply bar clamps to the assembly for strong, even pressure while the glue dries. Allow it to cure completely according to the glue manufacturer's instructions.

Miter joints are visually appealing but weak because they rely on an end-grain glue joint. Adding splines—thin pieces of wood inserted into slots cut across the corners—dramatically increases the strength and adds a beautiful decorative touch.

1. After the box has been glued and clamped, you will cut slots across each corner. This is done on the table saw using a miter spline jig, which holds the box securely at a 45-degree angle as you pass it over the blade. As seen in the photos, you can cut multiple slots in each corner for added strength and visual appeal.
2. Mill a piece of wood (a contrasting species like maple or walnut works well) to the exact thickness of your table saw blade's kerf. The grain of the spline should run perpendicular to the miter joint for maximum strength.
3. Cut small sections of your spline material, apply glue into the slots on the box, and insert the splines. They should fit snugly.
4. Once the glue is fully dry, use a flush-trim saw to carefully cut off the protruding ends of the splines, getting them as close to the box sides as possible without scratching the surface. The remaining excess will be sanded down in the next step.

The customizable interior is made from interlocking dividers.

1. Cut pieces of wood to match the interior height of the box.
2. To make them interlock, cut slots halfway through each piece. The width of these slots should match the thickness of the wood so they fit together snugly, creating a grid as seen in the photos.
3. For the lid, cut the top portion off that you want to act as the lid, while cutting use spacers to ensure that your lid and body don't bite on the sawblade

Proper sanding is the key to a smooth, professional-looking finish.

1. Using an orbital sander and sandpaper, smooth all surfaces of the box, dividers, and lid frame. This is when you will sand the trimmed splines perfectly flush with the box sides.
2. Start with a medium grit (like 120) and work your way up to a fine grit (like 220 or higher).
3. Wipe away all sanding dust with a cloth.
4. Apply your chosen wood finish. Follow the instructions on the product for the best results.

Once the finish has fully cured, you can put all the pieces together.

1. Cut the plywood bottom and acrylic top to size and fit them into their respective grooves. The lid can be designed to be removable or hinged.
2. Cut pieces of craft foam and place them in the bottom of each compartment to cushion the watches.
3. Insert the interlocking dividers.
4. Your custom watch box is now complete and ready to be used or given as a beautiful handmade gift