Nesting Boxes- April 2005

So, this project was to construct "Nesting Boxes" from foamcore board, using only rabbet cut techniques to make the corners. Requirements were: 1)Minimum of three boxes, any size 2) Boxes must pull apart easily with 1 1/4" clearance or less 3) A personal or sentimental item must be in the smallest of the three boxes 4) Lids must fit securely.

Working with white foamcore, I decided to make my hidden item a scarf of bright color that would pull out of the box when the lid was removed. I started by making the smallest box and worked out from there. I ended up with 3 very clean, but plain boxes.

After playing with the finished boxes for a while, I felt that the boxes did not pull apart as easily as I would have hoped...with the lid from box 3 coming off and revealing the scarf before it had been removed from box 2. This made me think about adding a handle to "lift" box 2 out of box 1. Then, I thought that I could turn box 3 sideways...so that the lid was not facing up, but to the side. If I gave box 3 a handle also, then I could control when the viewer pulled the lid off the box. So now, box 2 and 3 have embellishments that act as handles and box 1 looks very plain. I added some embellishment that would control how the lid was put on box 1. Also did the same with box 2 and 3.

Interestingly enough, the boxes ended up having not only a nesting quality...but a stacking quality as well. They look very architectural. This was more than a study in crafting a box out of foamcore. It became a study of revelation and disguise.