This project was built and designed by Anthony from Wood Pack DIY.
Anthony set out to build a piece of furniture he still can’t quite name, something between a writing desk and a side table, made entirely from solid walnut. The centerpiece of the design is a hidden compartment built specifically to store a friend’s watch collection, which had previously been kept in a biometric safe out in the open.
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Lumber Prep and Panel Glue-Ups
The build began with milling solid walnut boards using a jointer, planer, and table saw to get everything flat, square, and ready for panel glue-ups. Anthony noted that walnut pricing has climbed significantly in recent years, which makes efficient milling and clean glue lines even more important when working with larger panels like these.
He stacked the glued panels with spacers to allow airflow and left clamps on between shop sessions to account for humidity swings affecting the wood. This kind of patience during glue-up pays off later by minimizing warping and movement once the project is assembled.
These panels would eventually form the top, bottom, and vertical dividers of the cabinet. Anthony cut everything down to final dimensions before moving into joinery, keeping the larger panels for the case exterior and the divider panels for the interior compartments.
Design Choices and Joinery
When planning how to join the case together, Anthony gave his client a choice between a mitered waterfall edge or a simple butt joint with a reveal line. The client leaned toward the butt joint, which actually matched Anthony’s own instinct for this piece since he felt the design needed a bit more visual detail than a continuous waterfall grain would provide.
Domino joinery became the backbone of the case assembly, used extensively throughout the dividers and panels. While spline joints were considered as an alternative, the speed and simplicity of dominoes won out for a project with this many parts.
The case layout created two outer compartments for drawers and one center compartment, which became the dedicated spot for the watch collection. Careful spacing jigs helped keep all the Domino joints aligned across multiple panels, and dry fits confirmed everything lined up before any glue touched wood.
Back Panel and Small Fixes
For the back panel, Anthony opted for a single sheet of veneered plywood rather than a floating solid wood panel, since this was the one spot in the build where plywood made practical sense. Because the back would sit against a wall and never be seen, it allowed for a simpler solution without worrying about wood movement in an enclosed cabinet.
A couple of small routing mistakes occurred when a router fence shifted during the back panel groove work, creating minor blowouts. Anthony repaired these with small inlaid wood plugs, carefully taped to prevent them from bonding to the surrounding wood, resulting in fixes that are nearly invisible in the final piece.
Drawer slides and hinges were installed before the top panel was glued on, since there would be no way to access that area with a drill once the case was fully closed. This kind of forward planning is a good reminder to map out hardware placement before sealing up any enclosed compartment.
Finishing the Case
Before final glue-up, Anthony pre-finished the interior components, drawer slides, and back panel to avoid trying to apply finish inside a fully assembled box later. He used a hardwax oil finish, applying two coats to the walnut since the wood tends to drink in the first coat unevenly before the second coat brings out its full color and depth.
Once the top panel was glued on, Anthony rounded over the corners and added a small V-groove detail along the sides to create a shadow line. This subtle touch breaks up what would otherwise be a very rectangular, flat-faced design and adds a bit of depth to the overall look.
Building the Legs and Base
The legs were cut from thicker walnut stock and given a tapered profile with a flat section at the top for attaching stretchers. Anthony used a crosscut sled and a simple shop-made jig to keep the taper cuts consistent across all four legs.
The base stretchers were built using thinner walnut strips reinforced with Domino joinery, with the front stretchers kept simple and the back and side stretchers reinforced further for added strength. A slight angle was dialed in on the back stretcher using a miter saw, giving the base a subtle mid-century-inspired stance without resorting to sharp, angular legs typical of that style.
The front and back leg assemblies were glued as separate units before being joined together, which Anthony found to be the most manageable approach for keeping everything square during assembly. This modular approach to leg assembly is a handy technique for anyone building a larger furniture base solo.
Drawers and Hardware
The drawers were built as solid boxes, with plans originally calling for half-blind dovetails using a jig that turned out to be defective. After a frustrating and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to get it replaced, Anthony pivoted to pocket screw joinery instead, which worked just fine since the joints would never be visible.
Soft-close drawer hardware had to be swapped out partway through because the original slides were too large for the narrow drawer openings. A smaller-profile slide solved the problem, proving that it pays to double check hardware sizing against drawer dimensions before committing to a specific brand or style.
Simple pulls were added to the drawer fronts, which required routing small recesses into the drawer boxes to accommodate the hardware that hadn’t been part of the original plan. It’s a small but useful fix for anyone who decides to add pulls after a drawer box is already built.
Completing the Hidden Compartment
The center compartment, the true purpose behind this entire build, uses a drop-down door secured with the same flip-up hinges found on the main cabinet. A soft-close lid support was added to control the door’s descent and protect the hinges from damage over time.
A magnetic push latch was installed using a screw-mounted catch rather than an adhesive-backed plate, since Anthony wanted a more permanent solution for a feature that would see regular use. The combination of these small hardware details results in a compartment that opens and closes smoothly while keeping its contents completely out of sight.
Bringing It All Together
With the drawers, hardware, and compartment finished, the final step was attaching the base to the main case using threaded inserts and bolts rather than a permanent glue joint. This approach keeps the piece strong while still allowing it to be disassembled for moving, which matters given how heavy a solid walnut case like this can get.
Seeing the finished piece come together after starting from rough lumber is one of the most rewarding parts of a build like this. The blend of a clean, boxy case with a slightly softened, mid-century-inspired base gives the piece a look that feels both functional and distinctive, with the hidden compartment adding a personal touch that makes it truly one of a kind.
See Anthony’s plans here: https://www.woodpackdiy.com/
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
There’s a lot packed into this build, but the hardwax oil finishing approach is worth pausing on. Pre-finishing interior parts before glue-up is one of those habits that separates frustrating builds from smooth ones — trying to wipe oil into a corner you can barely reach with your hand is no fun, and you’ll usually leave streaks or missed spots. If you’re newer to hardwax oils, test on scrap first since walnut can blotch a bit, and always wipe off excess before it starts to cure or you’ll end up with a tacky film instead of a smooth surface.
On the Domino joinery front, that’s a great call for a case with this many panels. Biscuits or dowels can work too, but dominoes give you a bit more forgiveness for minor misalignment while still being plenty strong for case goods. If you don’t have a Domino machine, loose tenon joints with a router and template can get you a similar result, just with more setup time.
The drawer slide sizing issue is a good reminder for anyone building drawers from scratch — always mock up your slide clearance before you build the box, not after. Most slides eat up more width than people expect, sometimes close to an inch total depending on the model.
Lastly, attaching the base with threaded inserts instead of glue is smart engineering for anything built from solid hardwood. Walnut is heavy, and a bolt-on base makes moving day a lot less stressful on your back and your joints.