Project 15133EZ:

Tabletop Napkin Holder

With the angled bases, a leather "hinge," and a little help from gravity, the two sides of the napkin holder simply pinch together when it's placed on a flat surface.

Each base is attached to the side with box joints, or as they are sometimes called, finger joints. Readers who haven t tried this joint may think it's a bit difficult, but our instructions include a jig that greatly simplifies the process.

Most box joints are made with a dado-head cutter, but you won't need one for this project, just a table saw blade that cuts a kerf about 1/8" wide. And there is no need to worry about getting an exact number of "fingers" to fit across the width of the stock. We've avoided that by starting with wide stock and then cutting the parts to final width

after assembly.

The napkin holder shown is made from walnut, but feel free to use any wood that suits your fancy. You'll need 1/4" thick stock for the sides and base. Just about any kind of leather will do for the hinge, as long as it's flexible enough to allow the sides to pinch

together.