Thread: 3 Keepsake boxes, 5 timbers.

Yes, you're right Keith upcut does clear the chips better, but for shallow mortising, grooves and dadoes you can't beat the finish of a downcut bit. Downcut bits definitely shouldn't be used for deep mortising. I use a 4mm diameter downcut bit for dadoes for box bases and when cutting only 4mm deep the chip build up in the dado is quite dramatic.

Cheers,
David

Originally Posted by aldav

That looks like a compression bit, the bottom section is upcut, downcut would do an even better job, but that said I'm not surprised it does an excellent job of shallow mortising. You don't get too many people giving compression bits away. How do you mount a 6mm shank bit in your router?

All three of your boxes are beautiful. The tapered chamfer on the lid is (was?) a unique feature. That Rock Maple looks totally white against the Walnut.

I checked after reading your post, it seems I was a bit misled.

After taking to the bit with a vernier, It turns out the bit is not 6mm. The shank is 6.35mm (1/4") and the cutter measures 6.20mm. I was told the shank was 1/4" so used the appropriate adapter but was told the cutter was 6mm. Not to worry, the cut mortice still was a nice fit with the hinges.

I was given the bit at work. It was used to cut frame rebates on a CNC router but it had a small chip and was going to get thrown in the bin, so I grabbed it. The chip was not an issue for what I used it for.

Steven

Hi Steven.
A very impressive result. Your compound angle routed edges give a very distinctive design element to the overall result. I am very impressed how this has transformed the usual rectangular box design.

Thanks Ruddy,

At first I was trying to think up a way to consistently achieve the tapered chamfer along the top edges with jigs and such (at the router table or with a trimmer) to have pleasing look but in the end I just used a block plane.

I lightly marked out with a fine pencil first along the top and the sides, then planed to the line. In the end the chamfer on the walnut box is a little larger than I really wanted, I was happier with the result I got on the Myrtle box. In the process of trying to even things up (on the walnut box), the corners finished bigger than intended.

Steven.