Small jewerly box question

[Keye]

12 years ago when I started to make sawdust I decided to learn some basic joinery with smaller items. Boxes is one of the things I made. I made the boxes with the four sides and top as one componet. The top floated in the sides. I then taped or spot glued small pieces of wood inside the box. I used the tablesaw to cut what would become the top off. The small pieces of wood held everything in place.

Each time I cut the top off I ended up with one place that had a slight edge standing proud. I was told this was just the nature of the beast and I would just mess things up if I tried to remove it.

Did not know about forums back then so had no way to ask a lot of folks at the same time.

Anyone else ever make boxes this way and if so do you have the same little edge.

Someone may suggest using the bandsaw but the bandsaw is just a big msytery to me. I have a very expensive one sitting in a corner gathering dust.

The reason I am asking now is I seen to have accumulated a large quantity of small pieces of walnut and mahoganey that would be just right for making these boxes.

 

[DaveO]

I make boxes using that method to separate the lid all the time. Most of the time I use the BS, unless the box is larger than the capacity of my saw, then I use the TS. Most of the times I use the TS I am left with a little bit that is slightly proud of the rest. But it is never more than can be removed with a few passes of the block plane. I always run my long sides first (front and back) and then the sides, that way the little bit that ends up proud is on the shortest side and easier to remove. I also don't cut through on the side cuts, I like to leave about a 1/16th shy of cutting through to support the lid and keep it from pinching the blade. I finish the cut with a handsaw, and plane off the rest of it.
HTH,
Dave

 

[rhett]

When I cut the tops of boxes, I too cut the long sides first. I cut all the way through, then take tapered wedges and press them into the kerf to eliminate the box from pinching the saw blade. The little discrepencies on the lid/box are from a slightly out of square blade/box or open fence. The same effect can be seen when cutting the cheeks of tenons. Sanding the entire box top and lid on a flat surface should help. Speaking from experience, trying to sand or scrape only the effected areas usually leaves unsightly gaps where the lid and box meet.

 

[Big Mike]

I cut my boxes somewhat similarly to DaveO except I use shims the same thickness as the kerf to keep the box sections from pinching. The shims are held in place with tape. I also use a couple of well placed finger boards to apply pressure along the bottom to keep everything tight against the fence. I also have high fence attachments that support the box totally along its height so I don't get any "wiggle".

I use a ripping blade for this operation.

After sawing I use a block plane if necessary but hopefully I only need my oversized sanding blocks. These are pieces of 3/4" MDF laminated on both sides to which I glue sandpaper. Each side of the block has a different grit. I have two of these big sanding blocks with 100, 150, 220 and 320 grit paper. This paper can be bought in wide sheets from some sandpaper companies and does a wonderful job of removing saw marks by sanding the sawn surfaces in a figure 8 pattern. These large sanding blocks are 24" X 30".

It works for me....

 

[tom hintz]

I also have fouund that cutting the two long sides, installing wedges or kerf-width spacers and then cutting the ends works best. I usually wind up with surfaces that I can tweak with a full sheet of sandpaper laying on the TS surface and rubbing the pieces on them to do the final flattening.

 

[Keye]

I also have fouund that cutting the two long sides, installing wedges or kerf-width spacers and then cutting the ends works best. I usually wind up with surfaces that I can tweak with a full sheet of sandpaper laying on the tablesaw surface and rubbing the pieces on them to do the final flattening.

I like the idea of moving the box over a flat surface. This leaves less chance of wiggle or wobble.

I also appreciate the advice about doing the long sides first. I have always just flipped it around long, short, long, short.