{"id":1308,"date":"2018-01-22T17:41:29","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T00:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.giassa.net\/?page_id=1308"},"modified":"2025-08-24T08:03:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T15:03:52","slug":"transforming-art-box-easel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.giassa.net\/?page_id=1308","title":{"rendered":"Transforming Art Box & Easel"},"content":{"rendered":"

This was a fun gift to make for one of my nieces, who is always painting something every time I visit. This is a combination of a “diary box” for her art projects (and brushes, paints, etc), which converts into a bench-top easel with extending legs that come out of the bottom. Took longer that I originally expected, but the result was worth it.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_20171110_153516\"

Finished cutting all the pieces from pine rough lumber.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171110_180052\"

Time to glue and clamp the “face” boards. Put some light dumbbells on top to keep it from potentially flying apart due to the tension of the clamps<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171111_140540\"

Cutting the remaining pieces to length.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171111_140556\"

Rounded the “face” boards with my plunge router and a DIY jig I made.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171111_174333\"

Stained all the pieces and finished with some poly. I think the stain was named “raspberry”.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171112_091359\"

Initial assembly with pocket holes, glue, and wood screws.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171112_122253\"

Installed the handle, latch, and hinges.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171112_122307\"

Added some hooks and a “gold” chain inside to help hold the box open at a specific angle when in “easel mode”. I later used some transparent shrink tube on the majority of the chain so the box couldn’t lock itself shut.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171112_122400\"

Legs deployed in “easel mode”. There are four sliding latches inside to lock the legs in deployed\/closed positions.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171202_001126\"

I used my chisel set and an eletrician’s knife to cut out a 6″x1.5″ recess to epoxy in some very strong bar magnets. After the epoxy dried, I filled the remaining space with wood filler, and stained it too. Now, we can just put a decorative magnet on the front outside face panel to hold pictures in place (no need for hooks or clips on the outside of the case).<\/p><\/div>\n

\"IMG_20171202_005151\"

Finished result (inside). I supplied an additional bar magnet to hold pictures in place until a “pretty” one arrived in the mail to replace it. The magnetic area also keeps the chain from clanging around.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This was a fun gift to make for one of my nieces, who is always painting something every time I visit. This is a combination of a “diary box” for her art projects (and brushes, paints, etc), which converts into … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1219,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1308","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t