Thread: Hey all, new here

Welcome Crash!

The world of box making is one full of varied and interesting surprises, fun, non-stop learning and heaps of satisfaction. Are you ready for it ?


As for your idea to route out a rebate or slot to put the sides into absolutely. Just a suggestion, before cutting the sides, front and back, you may wish to consider routing the slot to insert the base, then cut the sides etc from the one piece. Just makes things a heck of a lot easier routing one long board, rather the 4 smaller pieces. (Unless you have a router table of course - one of these days I might have me a router table, but until then.....)

Good luck with your first box adventure. Any questions? Just ask Oh and pleeeeeaaaaase post some pictures sometime. We love pictures


cheers
Wendy

Rebated butt joints are effective.

Don't let the high standard of workmanship here scare you, everyone is quite helpful and nice, everyone has to start somewhere.

Quite often, I feel very humbled by the work shown by others, but they are very encouraging and helpful.

Originally Posted by Cruzi

Rebated butt joints are effective.

I'll second that. Besides, very small box needs a very small rebate, therefore tools you need are small as well. If you want to try routing, check out what StewMac has to offer as better and improved Dremel router bases, bits and guides: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Dr...tachments.html

The thing for rebates is also that you can just rough out almost everything first by sawing and paring, and then use router for a final touch. Saves bits, and If I can anything say on this, the router bits m-u-s-t be sharp. Othervise it is not really fun. Check out carbide bits for Dremel collets. Buy several of similar type, if possible.

Dremel's own router table is piece of crap. It is very inaccurate, needs total post-tuning and so on. If you need to use it for a longer period, the plastic softens by induced heat from dremel collet. Been there. But a rigid and accurate router table would be cool, for precision and stability.

I have used Dremels, yes, but those boxes I made with Makitas. It does not matter what brand of decent router you have, the bit consumption is a bigger surprise. Fine diamond file can save the day.

Nowadays I have measures, marking tools, straight angles, egg-beaters and braces, small handplanes, spokeshaves, japanese saws and paring chisels, for box making as well. Not so noisy and dusty. Detail knives are good to be there, too.

As a last advice from me, get squared wood. Thick or thin, always squared. It is a base for all such work, big or small. Green wood working is another world and highly appreciated in itself.

Don't let the high standard of workmanship here scare you, everyone is quite helpful and nice, everyone has to start somewhere.

I'll second that, too.

sumu

Its the glue that counts. If things are square I find even end grain doesn't seem to have any problems these days. I use Titebond 3.

BUT.

Timber does slip even when the cramps are on, so I'm looking for ways to prevent this problem, one member the other day suggested a couple of grains of sand, perhaps others might come along with more ideas.

As Jow104 says, with modern glues, rebated butt joints are OK, but not all that strong because there is always at least one end grain face, and they don't have any mechanical strength apart from the glue.

If you cut the slots for the base first, you'll see it on the ends of the front & back. You can hide it by plugging, or make a feature of it with a coloured epoxy filler.

This is not an opinion, but just the method I use. I too have only a few tools and even less space for more. I rebate notch for simple inlays, ect. that will be the same for all boards before I cut my sides. Then after they are cut I miter the edges with a chamfer bit on my router table (by the way Rustic, one can make a very simple router table in 30 min. out of scrap ply. If you want details, I can send by PM). The advantage of this is that you end up with a ready made notch in all the corners for decorative edging. Instead of clamps I use masking tape when I glue up the sides. Just glue all the mitered edges, stick them together, run a couple of wraps of tape around, tightening as you go, then while the glue is still wet, check for square, then a couple more pieces diagonally to hold the square and leave it alone for a couple of hours (I find this the hardest part). When dry, I cut the top and bottom pieces close to the needed size, clamp them to the dried sides and finish the edges with a formica trimming bit on a handheld router for an exact fit. I rabbet(?) these edges and glue to top and bottom and when dry cut the top off with a bow saw (not as hard as it sounds and if you have a band saw use that instead). Hope this will help, like I said, this isn't an opinion, just what works for me. I'm limited in budget and space (my shop has to be folded up at the end of the day and moved out of the way for cars in the garage). Good luck and welcome to the group. I've recieved many hours of relaxation and education on this site and look forward to hearing of your progress, ideas, and discoveries.

Hello,

What I ment (and perhaps Cruzi, too), was that rebated joints for basic boxes are for a beginner an easy task as a technical performance. The aim is said to be to receive a box, and it might be reasonable to suggest methods, to have this box finished with an effort just reasonaby demanding. I have no idea how skillful this gentleman Crash might be, and therefore I feel important to guide to the methods where introduction to tools and materials would result a positive feedback.

If this box will be finished, the next one will be far more advanced, I would be sure on that.

But, what I clearly forgot was to comment the importance of the glue. Truly, that means very much here. Let's say

Now this is also one of the great sides of this forum, advanced craftsmen will react immediately when they see lack of something important advice or such .

Kippis,

sumu