Lid for boxes

Ole | Posted in General Discussion on January 21, 2003 05:29am

Hi !

I am new to this forum and have been into woodworking a couple of years, learning as fast and as much as I can.

I remember I read somewhere that a good way to make a box-lid fit perfectly, would be to make a box and then simply cut the lid of. I think it was done on a bandsaw, but I wonder… is it practical possible to cut the lid of using a tablesaw, cutting it one side at a time ?? Are there any special cautions or situations to be avoided ??

All experience in this matter or other brilliant ways to make the perfect lid will be welcome !

Thanks !

I love the smell of sawdust in the morning…

Edited 1/22/2003 1:27:31 AM ET by ORH

Replies

BertJ | Jan 21, 2003 06:01pm | #1
One article I read about a year ago described this technique. After building the box, cut all four sides of the top just shy of cutting through the material. Do a final cut on the bandsaw to complete the process.

Bert
UncleDunc | Jan 21, 2003 06:13pm | #2
On the tablesaw, cut three sides, then clamp close fitting shims in the free corners before cutting the fourth side. If you think the box might start getting floppy before the end of the third cut, cut two adjacent sides first, shim that corner, then cut the third side and shim that corner before cutting the fourth side.
timberrattler | Jan 21, 2003 07:39pm | #3
Bert's technique but I use a razor blade to remove the lid and a block plane to clean it up.
ScottTN | Jan 21, 2003 08:24pm | #4
I make small display cases and I use a table saw to cut the lid off of the case. There are several important considerations when using this method:

1. The sides and top of the box need to be perfectly square.

2. The exterior of the box is finished sanded prior to splitting the box.

2. The blade needs to be perfectly square with the fence and table.

3. If the box extends significantly above the saw's fence, then an extended fence will be necessary to steady the box while cutting.

4. If there is any stress in the wood, you may want to insert a wooden shim in the sides that have already been cut to avoid pinching the blade during the last cut.

If any of the above is are not perfect, you will be left with a small step on the corners of the box. This step can be hand planed or sanded on a flat surface to remove. A well aligned cut will leave a step of less than 1/64 inch, a poorly aligned cut may leave a step of 1/8 inch. I usually allow about 3/16 inch of extra inside height to allow for the saw kerf and follow-up sanding to eliminate the steps or saw marks

An additional consideration is drilling pilot holes in the sides of the box to align hinges after the top is cut from the box. If I am using hinges that require any type of lid alignment, I usually place the hinges on top of the box side before attaching the top (or bottom) trace the holes and drill a small diameter hole (1/16 inch) down from the top. This way, when the top is split from the bottom, there are index holes for the hinges so that that they align perfectly when assembled.

Scott