Thread: Advice on groove for pannel lid and base with dovetails.

Hello HellowFellow,

In reply to your question about my box. This one is done with mitre joints, so a bit different to dovetails on the Gifkins Jig. When I use my Gifkins Jig, I do the 4 sides first and put them together without glue, maybe a clamp just to contain them during routering. Then I use that Gifkins rebate cutter, set it 3mm from the top of my router table. Take it steady, a bit at a time till you go all the way in, then you have a 4mm cut for your base. Most of my bases would be 4mm. Measure up your base size, add whatever the distance the cutter goes into the timber, I think mine is 5mm onto your base size. Then you need to round off the corners. Get a 10 cent coin,trace the curve onto the corners, just sand that off gently on a bench/disc sander, don't take too much off.

Then you have to rebate for your lid. Similar scenario, say if your lid is 10mm thick, rebate say about 5mm, then do the other 5mm on that other Gifkins bit, cant think of the name of it. If you were to join all that up and glue it, shouldn't need clamping, you'll end up with a box that still needs the lid sliced off later on. Then your up to deciding what sort of hinges to use.

Back to my mitre joints, I cut all of them on a compound sliding mitre saw. Slice the grooves for the base and maybe for a tray guide on my table saw. The lid for that particular box was done with that jig I made on the link provided. So on that box the top of the 4 sides, plus all the sides of the lid have a 45 degree cut in them. The top fits into the sides like a glove, no joint is seen.

Regards Paul

Originally Posted by Pauls321

Hello HellowFellow,

In reply to your question about my box. This one is done with mitre joints, so a bit different to dovetails on the Gifkins Jig. When I use my Gifkins Jig, I do the 4 sides first and put them together without glue, maybe a clamp just to contain them during routering. Then I use that Gifkins rebate cutter, set it 3mm from the top of my router table. Take it steady, a bit at a time till you go all the way in, then you have a 4mm cut for your base. Most of my bases would be 4mm. Measure up your base size, add whatever the distance the cutter goes into the timber, I think mine is 5mm onto your base size. Then you need to round off the corners. Get a 10 cent coin,trace the curve onto the corners, just sand that off gently on a bench/disc sander, don't take too much off.

Then you have to rebate for your lid. Similar scenario, say if your lid is 10mm thick, rebate say about 5mm, then do the other 5mm on that other Gifkins bit, cant think of the name of it. If you were to join all that up and glue it, shouldn't need clamping, you'll end up with a box that still needs the lid sliced off later on. Then your up to deciding what sort of hinges to use.

Back to my mitre joints, I cut all of them on a compound sliding mitre saw. Slice the grooves for the base and maybe for a tray guide on my table saw. The lid for that particular box was done with that jig I made on the link provided. So on that box the top of the 4 sides, plus all the sides of the lid have a 45 degree cut in them. The top fits into the sides like a glove, no joint is seen.

Regards Paul

Thanks so much Paul. I was going to 'tongue and groove' my lid, but I see a rebate would be just as effective.
Could you elaborate on the method for the base? I have been making a groove, putting in 6mm ply then adding a false bottom with velvet on it.
You said the bit is set 3mm from the table top, but you have a 4mm cut for your base? Maybe I am reading it wrong, just a little confused. So you put on a rebate cutter cut a rebate for your 4mm base? How do you end up with the raised feet? Sorry to be a nuisance, (I am still quite new to this) so a lot goes over my head .

Cheers

Hello Hellowfellow,

So are you talking about the raised feet in that other box I made,.?, maybe you are. Ok, in that instance, I set my rebate cutter (bottom of) 6mm from the top of my router table to cut my base slot. The rebate cutter cuts a 4mm slot, so I still use my 4mm timber base, bearing in mind that it is now 6mm from the very bottom. Later down the track I go back to my router table and using a straight bit (10mm straight bit), I set my fence 3mm away from the edge of my straight bit. I then clamp on two stop blocks, each so that the cut only extends to within 40mm from the end of my box. Have to set up these stop blocks twice, once for the sides and again for ends (of the box). Take it steady with the routering even though your only routering 3mm off the bottom. Can tend to grab and rip and tear the timber.

So now I am left with I guess you could say, 4 legs each 6mm from the bottom of the base. If didn't do these "legs" I would still have 3mm anyway, from the bottom of my base to the bottom of the box. These little "legs" do give your box a nice appearance .

Regards, Paul