Custom Project Enclosure

The first thing that you need to figure out is how big your project enclosure will be. Start by measuring the dimensions of the objects that will go in the box.

For example, let’s say that you are working with an simple Arduino Project. An Arduino Uno board is 3″ x 2.13″ x 0.75.” So those are the absolute minimum inside dimensions that you could use to house this kind of Arduino board. If the circuit is going to be battery powered, add space for the battery. Then add space for any buttons or connectors that will be mounted to the housing. Also take into account the space needed for internal wires that will connect the board to the external components.

Once you know the dimensions of the components, you can decide how big to make the enclosure. I decided that I needed internal dimensions are 3.5″ x 2.5″ x 1.5.” This gave me enough room for the Arduino board, battery and internal wiring. I am using wood with a thickness of 1/4.” So that made the outside dimensions of the box 4″ x 3″ x 2.”

With this information, I was then able to work out the size of each wall and how they would fit together. I found that the easiest way to do this was to draw it out on a sheet of graph paper.

I decided to make the sides fit together with simple 1/4″ box joints. Then the top and bottom pieces would fit onto the side pieces with one large tab on each side.

The first step in the assembly process is cutting out the rough shapes for each wall. I like using a scroll saw for this because it is relatively fast and still lets me be precise.

Next you need to mark the outlines for cutting out the joints. Start by marking a line around the outside that is offset by one wall thickness from the edge. In this case that was 1/4.” The easiest way to make this line is to lay one of the side piece on top and line it up with the edge. Do this for all the pieces.

Then using a ruler, measure and draw the joint design that you worked out on graph paper. When you are done, lay the pieces side by side to make sure that all the joints line up.

Next use a saw to carefully cut out the shaded regions on each piece. A scroll saw can make quick work on this. But if you would prefer to work more slowly and accurately, you can use a hand saw. Once all the pieces are cut out, loosely fit them together to make sure that all the joints are sized correctly. If a joint doesn’t fit, use your saw or sandpaper to shave it down a little.

Before you start gluing anything, decide on which piece will be the top piece. The top piece will not be glued because we want it to be able to open and close. It may help to label this piece in pencil.

To begin gluing, apply a small amount of wood glue to all the connecting faces of one side piece. Then attach it to the bottom board. Do the same for each of the side pieces. Attach them one by one as you go. Remember do not glue any faces that will contact the top board. Once the bottom board and the side boards are in place, fit on the top board.

Now, clamp all the sides of box with three bar clamps. Smooth out any glue that leaks out of a seam. Wait for the glue to fully cure.

Once the glue has fully dried, you may want to go back and fill in any cracks with more glue. Again, don’t glue any of the seams of the top board.

In most cases, the edges and joints won’t fit perfectly. There may also be glue bubbles sticking out of seams. So it is always a good idea to sand the whole box. This will smooth out any rough edges and even out the joints. If you only need to do a little sanding, then you can get by with a piece of sand paper and a sanding block. But if you have a lot of sanding to do, I recommend using a power sander.

To attach the lid, I decided to have it screw down onto the side boards at each corner. So I found some small wood screws that were about 1/” long. That way they were long enough to go through the lid and into the side boards about 1/4.” Then I found s drill bit hat was a little smaller than the screws. I drilled a pilot hole in each corner to help prevent the wood from splitting. Then I used a larger bit to counter sink each hole. Lastly, I used a small screw driver to attach each screw.

​Now you have your own custom project enclosure. It’s that easy. With just a few minutes of work and a few dollars in materials, you can make your own housing that is perfectly fitted to what you need. Now you can be proud of your projects and even the boxes that you put them in.