Cutting top off of dovetail box
#21
(09-04-2019, 02:50 PM)Aram Wrote: Maybe this belongs in power tools, but I think the hand tools crowd will have the edge. You know the technique where you make a 6-sided box, then saw the top off? If you have done this on a bandsaw, how did you do it? One cut? Cut in from each each? A different method?

I'm sure if I get reasonably flat and even cuts, I can true up the top and bottom with hand planes. I've never tried this method, not sure the best way to get an even cut all the way through. 

Thanks in advance.

Deeply knife two lines all the way around the box, the width between the lines should be slightly wider than the width of the kerf of the saw you plan to use.  Saw the lid off, staying between the lines which should not be obliterated during sawing.  When you're finished sawing, plane to the knifed lines just until they begin to crumble (don't go past), exactly like you would in lots of other woodworking operations.  The lid has to fit perfectly.
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#22
Stanley #45 ...three grooves on the inside..
   
Counting the one for the lid..glue the box together
   
Once the glue has cured, run a groove all around the outside of the box,  below the bottom of the inside groove.
   
Then either a marking gauge, or just a pocket knife, score all around at the "top" of the groove, lid should come right off...
   
Then trim the lip until the lid fits....
Cool
   
Easy-peasy...
Cool
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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#23
To have evenly spaced dovetails after you cut the lid loose, space the dovetail where your cut will happen wider by the width of your grooving tool (/1/16, 1/8, etc.). This will look much better. DAMHIKT.
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#24
Trying to...
   
We'll see how it goes..
   
Once all the corners are done...
   
I'll try to go through that wide pin...around the outside of the box...inside will be just above that...
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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#25
I like a combination of ...

1. Forward planning - if you are using dovetails, ensuring ahead that there will be a wide dovetail through which to saw. This will create a symmetrical arrangement. Sawing through any old dovetail will make this narrower and it will look odd. Sawing between dovetails is going to weaken the construction and look odd.

2. The suggestion of Charles to lay out the boundary lines beforehand with a cutting gauge is sensible.

3. Using either a table saw of a plough plane to create a 1/8" wide shallow groove all the way around, within a knife blade's depth of the thickness.

4. Use a hand plane to level to the lines. Or lay out and glue down 240 grit sandpaper to a flat surface (table saw) to ensure the mating faces are coplanar and mate well.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Articles on furniture building, shop made tools and tool reviews at www.inthewoodshop.com
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#26
Works fine....IF there isn't a seal involved.  
   
This one, and a few others I have made, has an inside lip, to seal out dust....that the lid's rebate fits down over...
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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#27
Tried the wide dovetail method...
Rolleyes
   
Then split the lid off with a sharp knife ( and NOT slice me
Rolleyes
   
Fine tune the lip...add some hardware..
Winkgrin
   
Then close the lid..
Cool  
   
Simple.
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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#28
I have always just used a table saw and a rip fence.   I've only done rectangular boxes (lots of them), but don't see why I'd do a hexagonal one any differently.

One technique is to glue a few supports over the cut line from the inside prior to assembling the box.   Then cut through the sides and not the supports.   This keeps the spacing right until all the cuts are made and not end up with that nasty tip-over / pinch on the last cut.   Then hand saw the supports to open the box and chip off the supports.  Using hide glue or hot glue will ease this process.

The second way is similar to bandit's approach.   I cut a groove about 1/2 way through the thickness on the inside.   Save a piece of cutoff to use later.   Once the box is assembled align the rip fence to cut just to and offset to the inside groove -- use the cutoff to set and test your cut depth and rip distance..   A rip blade works best for these two grooves.  This makes an alignment lip like you'd get with an inner liner.
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#29
If you do use a table saw to saw deep grooves all around (close to but not through the boards), you can follow this by sawing completely through two opposing sides. Just do not attempt to saw the other opposing sides. This will leave just two sides to slice open. Finish by levelling to the sawn sides.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Articles on furniture building, shop made tools and tool reviews at www.inthewoodshop.com
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#30
Could be a place to talk up that fancy plane from Veritas?    See how it would work doing this operation?  
Rolleyes 

I used a 1/4" cutter, #12, to do the grooves.  Offset is about a 1/16" or so.   Have to make sure the plane does not tip/lean ( why I used the cam rest)

Note:  I do not have an add-in "liner"   the lip is part of the side of the box, not a glued in extra.  Sides of the box are 1/2" thick. 

Have tried this with a bandsaw...when there wasn't going to be any lip/dust seal...
   
So, I ran a double bead all around where I wanted the lid to be cut at...
Winkgrin
   
Space between the beads helped guide the bandsaw blade....then the hand plane work..
   
Long enough to span to the other side...add the hinges...
   
Close the lid..
   
Miter joint corners?    Not exactly...
Rolleyes  
   
Well...since I do like to do a lot of finger/box joints
Winkgrin 
   
Makes for an interesting corner....try it, sometime...
Winkgrin
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
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