There are reasons why the cajon drum is a dominant force in modern percussion.  For some it is that is simply something new and unique in a scene dominated by traditional percussion instruments and their wrote styles of playing. For some it is the fact that it can be used to mimic a full drum kit which is a lot of fun and works well with the trend toward unplugged sets.  For major manufacturers the cajon is a plywood box, easy and cheap to bring to market.  Slap some veneer on some inferior materials and suddenly it is a high value item (that is still a plywood box.)  

 Even though I come at it from a different angle there are compelling practical reasons why I choose to make wood headed drums, following is a list of some of my favorites.