Box Repair for 10,000 Villages

 10,000 Villages is one of my charities and the great thing about this charity is I donate skills, workshop skills instead of money.

  The most recent challenge is a box with a top that doesn't close properly. 

this is a similar box to the one that I am repairing.

  When I picked the box up yesterday I thought is was going to be an easy fix.  I would just plane a bit of wood away and the lid would slide into place,...I am an optimist.

 Closer examination showed that the hinges had been inset too deep and so the joint was sprung. Not a big deal, until I looked at the hinges. 

  You guessed it, the hinges where attached with nails, not screws. How do you get it apart with out destroying the box trying to pull out the nails? How do you do it?  You drill the nails out using your drill press, patience and slow drill speed.

    I have a floor model drill press but almost never need the capacity that it provides, a bench mounted drill press with a half dozen speeds and a good chuck is all most people need. I have floor space and also got a good deal on my drill press at a wood show years ago.  A drill press is one of those tools that immediately improves the quality of work you produce in your shop.

light weight clamps.

   Once I got the nails drilled out on the body of the box I cut a couple of small pieces of soft wood to glue into the spaces cut in the box for the hinges.  Once the glue has set I will trim the wood, drill holes, (using the drill press) and use small screws to attach the hinges again.  With a bit of stain the box should be as good as new.

cheers, ianw