Hello all,

This is my first post; I am a beginner but have been putting my toe in the water on and off for a year or so now but I now want to get a little bit more serious with this hobby. So far, I've only been making some picture frames for my other hobby which is photography. Looking at the wonderful boxes on here, I'm inspired to do some box making.

My shed has become too overcrowded to do woodwork so I'm building another one (we are on a small acreage) and then I'll evict the ride on and everything else not associated with woodworking. The rain has been holding me up but it looks like some fine weather will let me finish the new shed in the next week.

Now I seek your advice. In my shed I have a Makita sliding compound mitre saw which cuts mitres on my picture frames just beautifully, I also have a Kreg router table with an old triton extension table. There is a Triton table saw with a saw so old that it was still called Festo, not Festool. No matter how I try, I just can't get the saw blade lined up in the table, so I think I may just use this table as another extension. I have two Leigh jigs, one for dovetails and one for box joints. Here is my main question. What else do I need as far as essential machinery is concerned? Drill press? Table saw? etc. I need to present a list to the Chief Financial Officer.

My secondary questions are, when you make a box with either a curved or domed(?) lid, how do you do that? I think that I'll leave it at that and save further questions for when I actually get started.

Best wishes,
Rob

Hi Rob and welcome to the forum. Table saw is essential. and a Bandsaw is a great asset
Drill press, Thicknesser, spindle sander, Disc/belt sander are all good tools to have. I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

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I'm not fat, I'm just easy to see
Cheers John

Hi Rob and welcome!

Well the age old question, how many tools do I need? It depends on your timber supply. If you can source dressed timber (and you can buy box ready timber but it is more expensive) then you don't need much more.

Most important elements of box making are accurately dressed / prepared timber.

I use Band Saw, Table Saw, Thicknesser and Planer, Drum Sander (a lot), Random Orbital Sander (a lot) and Leigh Jigs or Mitres for joins.

Don't frighten the CFO too much! If you can source dressed timber then a must is a table saw, I got a beaut (12 years old) on Trading Post for $350.

regards

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Billy

Many thanks for your replies. I've been looking high and low for a bargain band saw/ table saw but to no avail. I think that my best bet would be to just give it a go with what I have and any shortcomings will soon become apparent. Meanwhile I'll keep an eye out for a bargain!

Rob

OK, I have submitted a proposal to the CFO and she has agreed to release funds for a band saw and a drill press. I can pick them up next week and then I hope to get on with actually making something other than picture frames.

Both machines are Carba-tec with the bandsaw being 14" and one level below their industrial range (and half the price) and the drill press is a mid - high range unit. I will be able to go for a table saw soon but, meanwhile, I figure that I have enough cutting ability to make a good start.

Again thanks for the advice, without which I may be floundering - it's a jungle out there!

Rob

The one power tool that I find indispensable when making boxes from prepared timber is my compound sliding mitre saw.....suggest you check out Gifkins Jig web site for some great ideas for jigs etc. for box making.....cheers Kerry

Thanks, Kerry.

I do have a compound sliding mitre saw and it sure is a very useful tool. Thanks for the tip on the Gifkins site; I'll have a look.

Rob