I cut the top 3/4″ wider and 1″ deeper than the box. In order for the hinges to work correctly they need to be offset a little bit. The following photos show how I did the hinges.
Layout the locations for the hinges. A handy little tool I have is the Incra Precision T-Rules. You just put your pencil tip into the correct hole and drag it along the edge. They are very accurate and really speeds things up.
INCRA Precision T-Rules
Another little trick I use with brass hinges is to use a small steel screw to start in each of the holes. Then us the brass screws to install the hinge. This reduces the opportunity to deform the head of the screw and burr the edges.Sand everything smooth and apply what ever stain you like. I really like the General Finishes EF line of stain and finishes. The EF stands for environmentally friendly and the water clean up really makes it nice.
EF Wood Stains
That’s about it. We hope you liked this project. If you build it and your friends ask where you got such a clever idea, please tell them that you got it at RunnerDuck.com.