Noob question about first project, a basic storage box

[Timur Aydin]

I am soon going to start working on my first useful woodworking project, a basic storage box. Below are the pictures of the cad drawing. I have two questions about the implementation:

1) Normally, I wanted to use box joints throughout the length. But the groove at the bottom disturbed the joint fingers. So I slightly changed the design at the bottom (see the exploded view). What do you think about this change?

2) I left 2mm space between the edges of the bottom and the groove to allow the wood to expand. Is this going to be enough? The wood I will use is sapele.

[Todd Burch]

I think that change is fine. Another option would be run the box joints all the way down, and plug the hole the groove creates.

2mm is fine. We have no dimensions of this box, but doesn't look too big.

The bottom panel appears rabbeted. I would not have a rabbet, but just a thin bottom panel. If you are going to leave room for the bottom panel to expand/contract in the box sides, then that means it is floating, then the rest of the panel will need to be loose too, and now, the rabbeted bottom panel does not make sense from a design standpoint - it serves no purpose - there will be gaps all around it.

[Timur Aydin]

2mm is fine. We have no dimensions of this box, but doesn't look too big.

The box is 200mm x 200mm x 280mm (WxHxD)

The bottom panel appears rabbeted. I would not have a rabbet, but just a thin bottom panel. If you are going to leave room for the bottom panel to expand/contract in the box sides, then that means it is floating, then the rest of the panel will need to be loose too, and now, the rabbeted bottom panel does not make sense from a design standpoint - it serves no purpose - there will be gaps all around it.

Yes, the bottom panel is rabbeted and free floating. I did the rabbeting because I wanted to easily center the bottom panel after assembly. But it doesn't seem to be useful, as you pointed out...

[glenn bradley]

I think that change is fine. Another option would be run the box joints all the way down, and plug the hole the groove creates

Ditto but, a stopped groove would allow the box joints to continue full length and save you the bother of the miters. Don't let me talk you out of doing something for the experience. I have all kinds of odd joinery in my shop cabinets that I used just to try them ;-)

[Timur Aydin]

Thanks a lot guys for the helpful responses. I might as well try multiple options, just for the experience. But I don't have a router to make the stopped groove.These storage boxes are going into the kitchen to store flour and sugar. What kind of finish would you recommend this application? Using olive oil has been suggested to me I don't know, seems to strange...But I have been thinking about water based finishes.

[Todd Burch]

I wouldn't use olive oil, but mineral oil would certainly be an option. You can buy food-grade mineral oil here in the States in a pharmacy - in the laxative section.

However, for flour and sugar, I might leave it unfinished.