Gonna try a box again, how best to do the lid.

[Rorton]

Thanks for the input, I’m beginning to learn that wood work is like a fine wine and best left to ponder! I perhaps am not appreciating all the quirks and want to just get the project done and move on

with the second lid I did, I was trying to achieve that look but agree it probably wasn’t a great idea for the warping. It’s not too bad now, not flat but not as obvious as the previous lid

 

[Rorton]

I'd say there isn't really a right or wrong way to form the transition. It could be curved as I did, which is pretty normal, or you could do sharp and square. Having said that, I wouldn't choose the sharp square option, just because I don't like the idea of the visual appearance. I hog out the bulk with a router and a large diameter bottom cutting bit, a nosing bit for the curved transition from one level to the other, plus a bit of gouge and bench chisel work, and sanding, quite a lot of hand sanding, to be honest. The modern way would be to chuck the lid on to a CNC machine to do all the exterior profiles and scoop out the recess which would just leaving a bit of sanding, ha, ha. Slainte.

Thanks for that, I’ll try that at some point, I have a core box bit so can remove the bulk and then use that for the final cut, yep, much easier on a cnc but not as much fun!

 

[Hornbeam]

I see quite a lot of projects on here and other forums where the finished item looks really good but there has been no allowance for wood movement. Wood moves both radially and tangentially to the growth rings but minimally along the grain. You have to allow for that in the design otherwise the expansion and contraction will cause distortion and slowly pull everything apart. Using Ply or mdf there is no movement so as a lid can be glued in all round either into a rebate or a groove and will add lots of strength

 

[johnnyb]

my neighbour gave me some boxes his father brought back from Italy they are made from solid boxwood and they haven't even considered movement shrinkage etc to be fair they've mostly fallen apart!(after 60 years in Central heating)

 

[TheTiddles]

my neighbour gave me some boxes his father brought back from Italy they are made from solid boxwood and they haven't even considered movement shrinkage etc to be fair they've mostly fallen apart!(after 60 years in Central heating)

“They don’t make them like they used to”... this is why!

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Thanks for that, I’ll try that at some point, I have a core box bit so can remove the bulk and then use that for the final cut, yep, much easier on a cnc but not as much fun!

For lids like the one I showed, the solid wood top is pre-finished before assembly of the box sides around it. The lid itself can move in the grooves cut into the box sides. In other words the full width of the lid tongue to tongue is ~2.5 - 3 mm less than the distance between the bottom of the groove worked in the long sides. There's also a similar but somewhat lesser give in the lid length. Prior to glue up I've always slathered plenty of wax on the lid tongue at each corner, along with a bit of wax in the corner ends of the groove of the box sides and ends. That stops the lid inadvertently sticking, but you can double check that's the case by wiggling the lid around a bit once in a while during the first half hour to an hour after the box has been glued up. Slainte.

 

[Rorton]

I made a start over the weekend.

Got some offcuts of walnut, so re sawed them and planed down to 12mm thickness, glued together some oak and walnut to form the top, and planed that down to 6mm.

Grooves cut 6mm deep, and 6mm from the top and bottom and mitres cut with tablesaw. Base is 12mm birch ply with a 6mm rebate, so the bottom of the base panel will sit flat with the bottom of the sides and I don't loose too much internal space.

Quick test fit to check all comes together - the lid is 1mm smaller than the grooves - took apart then routed a small chamfer on the inside edge of what will be the lid as wouldn't be able to do that when glued up, will apply chamfer to the outer part of the lid and base later

Cut some grooves for some oak splines to go in, and got them glued up

Then cut down the splines, gave it all a good sanding, and then applied 1 coat of OSMO PolyX Satin. Mainly to check the finish applied ok, past few things I have done I have had so much glue spread by fingers etc its hard to spot till you apply finish and then see the contrast!

Will let that all dry up, and then next step is to cut the lid off - I planned to do this 30mm down from the top edge, and made allowances for this with the splines so they will be dead central once the 3mm for the saw blade is taken into account.

Im looking for hinges now, I recon those smart ones that sit in either end of the sides will be nice, and I think I may cut some oak and leave it slightly protruding at the front (chisel out in the centre of the lid as if putting in a hinge) to act like a lift/flap, and secure the lid with magnets.

I plan to make some insides and may even go all out and follow the guide on lining a box and get the pig skin to do it - may take a while though!!!