Your first real joinery, at a size you can finish in an afternoon.
Why this one #
Your first real joinery. Rabbeted corners, a captured panel, a glue-up that has to come out square, and hardware at the end — the same moves a cabinet needs, at a size you can finish in an afternoon.
Here’s the thing about a serving tray: it’s the first project on our ladder that people immediately want to give away. That raises the stakes in your head, and high stakes make hands shaky. So do what I do — call your first one a prototype.
Steven
Skills you will use #
- Milling and dimensioning stock to consistent thickness and width
- Repeatable crosscutting and ripping to a cut list
- Cutting rabbeted butt joints
- Cutting a groove to capture a plywood bottom
- Dry-fitting, gluing, and clamping a box for square
- Routing a continuous round-over edge
- Mounting hardware
- Applying a food-safe finish
Tools #
Mitre Saw · Jointer · SawStop Table Saw · Router Table · Rotex Sander
Time #
Six phases, about two and a half hours.
Download the companion #
Stuck? #
Open office hours run Wednesdays and Saturdays. Bring the project, bring the board, bring the question. Bring it at the dry-fit stage if the corners are not closing.
