First you will want to place the panels of the barrels into the base. There is one special panel labeled with an S, this goes into the smallest notch in the bottom panel.
These are notched tight to give a nice fit and look. *NOTE* Soaking the barrel in hot water once most of the panels are in place will help ease the barrel into shape.
Now you can add the top ring to the barrel. This is the file that you will want to modify for the specific hinge you have purchased.
The hinge could be external or internal depending on your preference.
This circular cut will hold the two halves of the barrel together along with your hinge.
You could add a laser cut lock *available in our treasure chest project* or purchase a non laser cut toy lock.
You can stain your project at this point if you would like. Also to make everything easier you could always stain your wood prior to cutting the pieces.
Finally you can cut your monkeys in any material you see fits. You can also customize your monkeys to give a more personal gift.