Thread: Second box - first off the Hammer...

Originally Posted by ClintO

Beautiful work.
I would like to know more about the floating nature of the lid panel, I can't really see how you have achieved it

Nothing fancy - think 'tongue & groove'. I cut a 5mm deep groove about 5mm down from the top edge of the frame with the tablesaw and christened the spindle moulder on the Hammer cutting the 'tongue' around the edge of the lid. Then when assembling the box, I was very careful not to get any glue in the groove so the insert can shrink and expand to it's heart content. Not obvious in the photo as there is no gap at present due to our very high humidity in the house with the evaporative air-con running - in winter when the humidity drops back to about 10%, I expect there to be about 1.5mm gap shared along the long sides. Hope that explains it

Originally Posted by Tankstand

Lovely lovely box Vern.
How do you make your hinges? (Forgive me if you have posted how to elsewhere)

This was the first time I've made wooden hinges and I don't know if I did it the same way as everyone else or not . Basically I sized the Gidgee to a little wider than I wanted then used a jig on the tablesaw to cut finger joints on each end of the board, cut them off to length, then do the same again to make another pair. While everything is square and flat, I pushed the joints together, marked the pin hole and drilled them through - trashed one of the first pair as the grain was a little dodgie where I centre punched it and the drill ran off to a soft spot - luckily I still had the jig tuned and just made another pair and drilled them successfully. Next step was to round the fingers over on the belt sander which gives you a set of hinges that open to 90 degrees. They could be left/used like that but I wanted to shape them as you see them on the box which also removed enough meat to allow them to open to 110 degrees. To shape them, I just drew the profile I wanted on the side and ran them over the tablesaw with the blade height set to suit each level of the profile, then rounded off the steps until there were no sawmarks left.
If you can follow that ramble you should be able to work out how to make the hinges without me - next time I'll take some pics! I did think to take some when I was shaping the 'handle' which used the same process...

How good is that box!!! Well done!

Many thanks for sharing how the floating lid was done.

One question about that lid:

As the board expands and contacts across the grain, would it be OK to put some glue on one point of the lid at the end grain, in the centre of the board, and another glue point at the opposite end. That way the lid is fixed in position in the centre of the surrounding frame, but can still expand and contract either side of a centreline connecting these two points ? (Clear as mud?)

Originally Posted by Dengue

How good is that box!!! Well done!

Many thanks for sharing how the floating lid was done.

One question about that lid:

As the board expands and contacts across the grain, would it be OK to put some glue on one point of the lid at the end grain, in the centre of the board, and another glue point at the opposite end. That way the lid is fixed in position in the centre of the surrounding frame, but can still expand and contract either side of a centreline connecting these two points ? (Clear as mud?)

Putting a drop at each end in the middle is normal practice apparently but I chose not to for a couple of reasons...
a) The tongue and groove were a nice cosy fit so the lid wasn't going to rattle around.
b) If I happened to accidentally get some glue in a corner while assembling the box, the lid could at least move towards the other corner

c) If some gunk builds up in the gap after time, it gives the lid room to expand to the clean side (if there is one)

Ahh, fair enough. Good sound practical reasons!! Thanks for answering this, I have often wondered, but never game to ask previously

I always put a bit of wax on the corners of lids and bottoms so that any glue that gets in won't stick. It cleans up with white spirits later.

Originally Posted by Dengue

Ahh, fair enough. Good sound practical reasons!! Thanks for answering this, I have often wondered, but never game to ask previously

It is always best if someone, in this case, me, asks the bleedingly obvious question

Originally Posted by AlexS

I always put a bit of wax on the corners of lids and bottoms so that any glue that gets in won't stick. It cleans up with white spirits later.

I knew one of you guys would have a simple way around it

Outstanding work on this box. The grain in the lid is to die for and the wood hinges are great.

Thanks for the post--it is an inspiration.

ob