Thread: Basic Box Making with.... a jointer??

G'day Russell,
There's a good way of jointing on a router table using a bearing equipped straight bit, using the same principles as a Jointer.
I'll suss out a reference and post it here

If you are fortunate enough to always buy perfectly straight stock, you may be able to get by with just a planer. However, some stock needs jointing to get one flat surface before planing can be considered. Getting your stock straight and true before you begin will eliminate many frustrations down the road.

Originally Posted by watson

G'day Russell,
There's a good way of jointing on a router table using a bearing equipped straight bit, using the same principles as a Jointer.
I'll suss out a reference and post it here

I wonder if this question is evidence of continental drift. Perhaps the continents of Australia and North America are drifting further apart. In the US, my readers never ask why I have tools. They see each chapter as an excuse to buy more. The jointer would be one of the first... a job that can be done quickly and easily with hand planes but which would require practice and skill, which many Americans don't have much time for.

One of my favorite things about wood working is figuring out how to do without. So while I demonstrate the use of a variety of tools in writing my books, I don't want to deprive all my readers of the opportunities to figure out other ways to do what needs to be done.

Yes, my dear Watson, the router can be used for jointing. Porter Cable (an American tool co.) used to supply a special fence that allowed a hand held router to do such things poorly. Mounted in a table it can do a better job. And there are also ways to use a table saw, particularly when making small parts for boxes. What you do is get a piece of flat plywood with a nice straight edge. Mine is about 60 cm. x 80 cm.) I put a wood runner on the underside to travel in the miter gauge slot, but you can also just use it against the fence. I use wing nuts and another board to secure the work piece in place and rip. With a good ripping blade you can get nearly as nice an edge as you would get with a jointer. And you can use it on really wany stock that would take many passes on a jointer to get straight.

I hope my sharing this doesn't deprive enterprising woodworkers down under from learning stuff on their own. Many of you have probably done this already, anyway. But when questions are asked, I kind of enjoy butting in. I am also posting this to my new blog, http://boxmaking101.blogspot.com

Originally Posted by ciscokid

If you are fortunate enough to always buy perfectly straight stock, you may be able to get by with just a planer. However, some stock needs jointing to get one flat surface before planing can be considered. Getting your stock straight and true before you begin will eliminate many frustrations down the road.

Well, given buying DAR stock here without finding a specialist timber merchant gives you the choice of Pine and Tassie Oak, it sort of means you're stuck with doing it yourself if you want anything decent. So one really needs to be able to surface ones timber by ones self.

I've been avoiding this for years by doing things such as Intarsia, scrollsaw work and now pens. But given I want to compliment my pen work with some nice home made cases occassionally, I'm going to have to take the plunge into cabinet making, at least in a small way.

Russell.

Hey Doug! Thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by DougStowe

In the US, my readers never ask why I have tools. They see each chapter as an excuse to buy more. The jointer would be one of the first... a job that can be done quickly and easily with hand planes but which would require practice and skill, which many Americans don't have much time for.

Haha, guilty as charged. The real craftsmen out there will cringe, but I'm afraid I'm from the Tim the Toolman Taylor school of woodworking, where you always want MORE POWER to get the job done easier and quicker. Does that make me a bad person? And while I'd love to fill up my shed with great tools, the budget and SWMBO means I have to get maximum results with minimum $$$.

Originally Posted by DougStowe

Yes, my dear Watson, the router can be used for jointing. Porter Cable (an American tool co.) used to supply a special fence that allowed a hand held router to do such things poorly. Mounted in a table it can do a better job. And there are also ways to use a table saw, particularly when making small parts for boxes.

Part of the problem. My shopping list is already exceeding my means. I have to look at, in priority order

1. Drill Press
2. Thicknesser
3. Replace various broken tools (e.g. square, marking guage etc)
4. Table Saw
5. Router Table
6. Jointer

I have to get a proper drill press for my pens, which is the primary thing I'm doing.

I can resaw on my bandsaw, but the finish is useless, so I need a thicknesser.

I have an old Triton 2000 that my circular saw is on. It is really quite useless for anything except roughly ripping boards to size. The hassles it takes to adjust the blade height, put in zero clearance fences, cutting accurately, or trying to do mitres, is just too frustrating. So I need to look at a replacement table saw.

I have the Trition Router Table Insert - never got it setup as swapping from table saw to router table was just too much of a hassle. How practical really is a router as a jointer substitute. Does it do the job just as well, or only half as well. I do at least have a good router, just never used it much except for some freehand fence post gouging

So, I can afford the first 3 items, but have to try and get by without the others, at last for now. If I can't, I guess the box making goes back on the backburner for now.

I guess I'm making my own restrictions. If I want to do the job, I'll figure out a way. Just looking for the most efficient way to get things done. I'd like to think I'm not being lazy, just making the best use of my limited time. Others may think differently

Originally Posted by DougStowe

I hope my sharing this doesn't deprive enterprising woodworkers down under from learning stuff on their own. Many of you have probably done this already, anyway. But when questions are asked, I kind of enjoy butting in. I am also posting this to my new blog, http://boxmaking101.blogspot.com

I'm happy you butted in. And if the answer is "the only easy way is the jointer way", then that's the answer, and I'll look at my shopping list again, tell the wife we really don't need to feed the animals for the next month, and that we have to use candles for the next 6 weeks as well (she'd like that anyway).

Thanks.
Russell.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

I've never been into cabinet making, preferring the more free-flowing forms of woodworking, so I've never really had to make anything square before I know all the theory, just no idea on the execution.

Why not try bandsaw boxes? Rough enough is good enough as it all gets rounded over in the end!

Originally Posted by Sir Stinkalot

Why not try bandsaw boxes? Rough enough is good enough as it all gets rounded over in the end!

I don;t think bandsaw boxes are really appropriate as pen cases unfortunately. I've looked a little at them. The other problem would be, then I'd be complaining my bandsaw isn't good enough, and want a new one of them too You just can't please some people, can you?

Russell.

Russel you may want to re arrange your list.

Even using the bandsaw to rip the timber you have to run it over the jointer first to get 2 square and flat sides then you can put it through the thicknesser to get it all an even thickness. Then onto the saw bench to rip to width.

If you put it through the thicknesser first and it is not square and flat all you will get is a twisted thiner peice of wood.

4. Drill Press
2. Thicknesser
5. Replace various broken tools (e.g. square, marking guage etc)
3. Table Saw
6. Router Table
1. Jointer

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Hey Doug! Thanks for the reply.

I'm happy you butted in. And if the answer is "the only easy way is the jointer way", then that's the answer, and I'll look at my shopping list again, tell the wife we really don't need to feed the animals for the next month, and that we have to use candles for the next 6 weeks as well (she'd like that anyway).

Thanks.
Russell.

Russell,

One of the things I love about woodworking is that there are lots of right ways to do things .

I made a discovery a couple years or so ago that not everything needs to be smooth. The interesting textures that come from bandsaw blades, ginders and the like can make your work more interesting. So go out to the shed and play with what you've got. You may find out that your shopping list gets rearranged, and you may get some good ideas that none of us have ever seen before.

In the meantime, keep feeding the animals, and after going over 10 days without power due to an ice storm, I don't recommend candles. They get old in a hurry. Have fun and show us some pics. I've attached a picture showing some texture on a boxes.

Doug

Hi Doug. Your post confused me at first (I'm easily confused ) until I looked at your photo. Yes, that will work for an edge, but what if the face of the board needs to be made true?

BoomerangInfo,

Doug and Jim's replies are spot on.

For years I made lots of things without a tablesaw, without a jointer and without a thicknesser. I used hand planes, router, radial arm saw and a bandsaw. I was more than happy with the results and it doesn't take that much longer when you are making small quantities.

Using hand planes and other hand tools I feel is essential even when you have power tools and power machines.

Some people seek methods of using only electron burners and whilst they produce some good work they often limit the scope of their projects and the their designs merely to projects that can be accomplished using only machines.

Take the plunge and discover the wonderful world of hand tools and the almost unlimited range of designs you can make using them. If you are on a tight budget you can improvise by making your own or refurbishing pre-loved hand tools.

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Using hand planes and other hand tools I feel is essential even when you have power tools and power machines.

Yes, I know, and sometimes it's even quicker to just whip out (e.g.) a tenon saw and make a cut than to try and setup all the bits & bobs on the Radial arm saw.

I remember using a hadn plane in woodworking classes in high school. The sound a feel of a nicely setup plane going SWISHHHHHHH certainly can't be beated by a doing power tool. Unfortunately I've had many other plane incidents that ended in a crunch and a big chunk taken out of the piece

Russell.

Russell,
I just measured a pen box I have here, and its L170 x W50 x D25 mm, so in the interim maybe the router jointing fence and hand planes might get you going. The router would be also handy to cut the cove for the pen to sit it.......until you get a jointer and all that other equipment that is
There is also a thingo called a Safe - T - Planer that works on your drill press, that may be suitable for small stock.

Just some thoughts.

Thanks Noel. A couple of ideas to consider.

I've been checking out equipment. Seems a decent router table isn't cheap either. Maybe I should try and get my Triton one up & running, although I think in the end it'll cost more than a jointer anyway, even though router tables are infinitely more useful than a jointer.

Carbatec is my reference page, as they are the only ones with a web site locally that I can check out.

Does anyone know if the small carbatec bench jointer (or a similar equivalent if I can find any) is OK, or is it more trouble than it's worth? It's only a two blade, whereas their economy model is a three blade for $200 more.

Thanks. Russell.