Jewellery Box

[woody67]

What I've done before is to set the cutter so that it doesn't protrude all the way through and so it won't fall on to the cutter and ruin the job. I then carefully finish the rest of the cut on the bandsaw, leaving enough on to tidy it up with a hand plane.

Dude - I'd go down this route too, get your depth cut just right so you don't go right through then use a sharp blade (stanley knife) or as OPJ says-a bandsaw to finish off the cut. If you haven't got a plane, I've found a good flat sheet of sandpaper will suffice.

Good luck

Mark

 

[TheDudester]

What I've done before is to set the cutter so that it doesn't protrude all the way through and so it won't fall on to the cutter and ruin the job. I then carefully finish the rest of the cut on the bandsaw, leaving enough on to tidy it up with a hand plane.

Dude - I'd go down this route too, get your depth cut just right so you don't go right through then use a sharp blade (stanley knife) or as OPJ says-a bandsaw to finish off the cut. If you haven't got a plane, I've found a good flat sheet of sandpaper will suffice.

Good luck

Mark

Thanks to both of you. I was thinking of cutting on the table saw and leaving less than a mm of wood, using a fine saw to cut through the remainder and then sanding on a flat surface.

Regards

D

 

[woodbloke]

Dude - as Olly and Mark have said, using a router to partially remove the top is a good way to do it and then saw thru' the last little bit with a bandsaw or tenon saw. The tricky bit will be in gluing those mitres (make sure of course that each pair is spot on 45deg and the same length) and the only way IMO to do it is with a couple of band cramps or a good picture frame clamp. I would make up a little jig to run on the router table to make some splines to reinforce the mitres and I think that something in a contrasting timber would look great...maybe some ebony or mahogany, you won't need very much.
Looking good so far - Rob

 

[Anonymous]

II haven't quite worked out how I will cut the box in two to make the lid and I still don't know if the lid will be hinged or just sit in a groove.

Having made over a hundred boxes now, I have tried splitting them with hand saw, router, router table, tablesaw and bandsaw.

By far the best way is to set the table saw cut height a round 1mm less than the wood thickness and then cut all 4 sides against the fence. Finish the seperation with a tenon saw by hand. Safe and easy


Here are some I made and cut open on table saw (not the legged or sliding lid boxes of course)

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=19004&highlight=boxes

 

[OPJ]

Sorry Tony, but you think cutting them on the table saw is SAFE?!? :shock:

 

[Slim]

What makes you think it isn't safe Olly? Thats the way I do it as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry Tony, but you think cutting them on the table saw is SAFE?!? :shock:

I really have no idea what you are getting at.

Are you saying that tablesaws are intrinsically unsafe? :shock: When most woodworkers have one and if he guards and splitter are in place, one is usually perfectly safe.

I removed the crown guard, but the riving knife is in place.


Any tool is dangerous if the user is a fool or careless

 

[woodbloke]

I think Tony's way is safe with care as the crown guard has to be removed...even so, having all those sharp spinny teeth going round :shock: in front of me without a cover makes me wince. I think a safer way is to use the router and fence with a very small (3mm) cutter to make a groove all the way round and then finish with the tenon saw. Not as quick but safer - Rob

 

[OPJ]

I guess I might personally consider it okay to use a table saw when cutting a fairly large box, but I wouldn't feel very confident performing the same operation with a small box. :?

Sorry Tony, I do believe the table saw can be a key figure in anybody's workshop if they have the space you utilise it properly, but I'm not a fan of using any machine without a guard in place. I've worked with some idiots in the past who've had some scares and it's made me vary aware of what these things can do if we're not careful with them.

I imagine you probably use some kind of push stick or block to guide it through the cut though, right...?

 

[TheDudester]

Thanks for the comments so far.

After fixing an alignment problem with my table saw, I was able to cut the final height of the pieces and then the sides to length on the SCMS. This is what I have currently:

I am now going to work on the top and bottom.

Would it be better to rebate or cut a slot for the bottom. My preference would be to cut a slot on the table saw or router table (if I can find my 1/4" collet) and slip a piece in and have no glue. I would make the bottom about 1mm smaller all round.

The top I would like to have a gap around the edges of the box. Again would this be a slot or rebate?

Regards

D

 

[woodbloke]

The Dude wrote:

I am now going to work on the top and bottom.

Would it be better to rebate or cut a slot for the bottom. My preference would be to cut a slot on the table saw or router table (if I can find my 1/4" collet) and slip a piece in and have no glue. I would make the bottom about 1mm smaller all round.

The top I would like to have a gap around the edges of the box. Again would this be a slot or rebate?

Provided that the bottom is a man made material (mdf or ply, veneered) then a rebate is better, cut it with a bottom bearing rebate cutter in a router once the four sides have been glued and the bottom of the box levelled...you'll need to square out the corners once done.
The top ought to be a solid panel floating in groove if you want to see a gap all round. The surface of the panel ought to be lower than the box frame to ease the cleaning up. The rebate for the panel is best done on a router table and the grooves for the panel also done in the router table with a small cutter...this needs to be done before the glue up of course :wink: Have a look at the Elm Cabinet II thread to see what a panel ought look like - Rob

 

[Anonymous]

I imagine you probably use some kind of push stick or block to guide it through the cut though, right...?

Depends on the cut. When cutting sheet, i always, and I mean always use a push stick.

When separating box lids, the box is never less than 100mm wide (tall when on the tablesaw) and the blade protrudes around 10mm above the table and does not cut all the way through the box side.
No pusticks and my hands are actually 10mm away from the blade, so perfectly safe.

EDIT No pusticks and my hands are actually 100mm away from the blade, so perfectly safe.

 

[Anonymous]

Would it be better to rebate or cut a slot for the bottom. My preference would be to cut a slot on the table saw or router table (if I can find my 1/4" collet) and slip a piece in and have no glue. I would make the bottom about 1mm smaller all round.


D

Dude

I usually cut the slot using the table saw with the blade protruding 5-6mm and a feather board to hold it against the fence. I have a push stick that sits above the wood (made of ply) and that holds the box section down and allows em to move it safely across the blade

 

[woodbloke]

Tony wrote:

No pusticks and my hands are actually 10mm away from the blade, so perfectly safe

...say again :shock: - Rob

 

[Noel]

Let's hope Tony is missing a digit (of the numerical variety). My fingers are wider than 10mm.

 

[TheDudester]

I finally bit the bullet (I know this will become easier) and cut the panels and routed the slots in the sides. So this is where I am today.

My next step will be to glue the box together. The only glue I have is Sureseal Water Resistant Wood Glue. I think it cost about £6 for 500ml. Is this good enough glue to use or should I get something different.

I still have some decisions to make about splines but I do want to have the cherry lining. The idea behind the splines was to hint at the cherry inside. Anyway, we will see.

Oh and as far as the mark on the panel is concenred, when I cut the rebate around the edges I placed the wrong side down

Regards

D

 

[woodbloke]

The Dude wrote:

I cut the rebate around the edges I placed the wrong side down

Haven't heard of that glue before, should be OK, just watch out for the open time in the 'warmer' :roll: weather...as for the rebate, done that, got the T shirt etc etc - Rob

 

[Anonymous]

Tony wrote:

No pusticks and my hands are actually 10mm away from the blade, so perfectly safe

...say again :shock: - Rob

Thanks Rob

of course I meant 100mm