wooden breifcase for Mason apron

[Bill Sanson]

I am looking for a little advice or thoghts from anyone who may have built a wooden briefcase or has any ideas on one. I am looking to build myself and a friend a briefcase for our aprons and have on the other side possibly some storage for other materials. I am thinking i would felt the inside and have a belt like in luggage so that the apron does not slide around. Any ideas thoughts plans out there????

Bill in NS

[Lee Schierer]

Google is your friend. Try a search for wooden briefcase plans and you'll get lots of places to look at. Here's one. Wooden Briefcase

Lee

[Bill Sanson]

Hi Lee I tried that as google and me are always best of friends, however most of the links are dead out there and the rockler one is not sold anymore I dont think. I was hoping someone had made one before or knew how too. thanks for the help!

[Mike Davis NC]

Rather than a belt I would make a divider plate, kinda like a clothes press. A thin leather hinge in the bottom of the case and a nice linen covering on both surfaces to keep the apron clean and flat. I think felt or velour would rub off on the apron making it fuzzy and dirty looking.

[Lex Boegen]

When you get right down to it, a briefcase is basically a box, so standard box construction techniques apply. What sets them apart is the interior design. I suggest going to luggage or office supply stores and examine the briefcases they carry. Personally, I wouldn't put felt inside the briefcase. I would use leather or fabric, with a thin layer of padding underneath to give it a little "loft".

[Lee Schierer]

Hi Lee I tried that as google and me are always best of friends, however most of the links are dead out there and the rockler one is not sold anymore I dont think. I was hoping someone had made one before or knew how too. thanks for the help!

I did another search this morning for "wooden briefcase" and there are lots of active links with design ideas, sorry I didn't see any kits or plans. I did find this link where you might get some help. Wooden Briefcase

[Russell Sansom]

Another source of ideas might be musical instrument cases. Cheap ones are like the construction of sausages...you might not really want to know what's inside.

I would finger-joint or dovetail the corners ( have never seen dovetails on an instrument case but dovetails work better than almost anything for joining thin case sides ) then glue plywood or suitable cardboard to the frame as top and bottom. Cover with paper, cloth, leather. The hinges are a special consideration with thin sides.
I haven't done it, but always thought several layers of very thin ply or laminates would make for an excellent front and back. I have also made several model boat shells from basswood and then fiber glassed them.

[Jim Finn]

Mason's Logo 003.jpgYou might want to do an inlay on it like the one I did on this box.