When making a box, it is best to make the box as a solid unit, then cut off the top, thereby ensuring a good fit of the top to the bottom, and at the same time keeping the grain pattern of the wood intact. If the box is made as two separate units (the top and bottom constructed separately) it is very difficult to get the top to fit the bottom perfectly, and you have to be careful to keep the grain patterns of the wood in line.
Usually, with smaller boxes, the easiest, and in my estimation the best way to do this: is to cut the box on a band saw. In this case, the box was just too big (16" X 20") to cut on my bandsaw.
The last time I did this, I used a full-size 10" ripping blade with some success; however, it left some kerf marks and near the corners, it was cut slightly deeper on the sides than on the top or bottom. When I did this, I did not cut all the way through the thickness of the box, but just raised the blade about 1/32" shallower than the thickness of the wood. Then I finished the cut with a hand saw, removing the 1/32" of material still holding the thing together.
This time, I used a super thin-kerf (1/16" kerf) 7-1/4" DeWalt circular saw blade in my table saw. Again, I just raised the blade 1/32" shy of the box thickness. Then I finished the cut with a razor knife. This worked really good, and left no kerf marks, and just a very slight cut line (maybe 1/100" difference) near the corners, which sanded off very quickly with a sanding block. The blade performed perfectly and the cut is flawless.
Afterwards, the 1/4" thick mitered pieces were added to the inside of the bottom which will make a near air-tight fit of the top to the bottom, and will keep the box aligned.
There has been a lot of talk out here about using a smaller 7-1/4 or 8" blade in a table saw. In this instance, it worked great for me. This will be my new "go-to" method of cutting large boxes.
BTW: this will be a Sapele silverware box.
Here are some pics:
Bottom shown with the 1/4" thick alignment pieces:
Looking at a corner:
Notice the joint where the top meets the bottom:
Usually, with smaller boxes, the easiest, and in my estimation the best way to do this: is to cut the box on a band saw. In this case, the box was just too big (16" X 20") to cut on my bandsaw.
The last time I did this, I used a full-size 10" ripping blade with some success; however, it left some kerf marks and near the corners, it was cut slightly deeper on the sides than on the top or bottom. When I did this, I did not cut all the way through the thickness of the box, but just raised the blade about 1/32" shallower than the thickness of the wood. Then I finished the cut with a hand saw, removing the 1/32" of material still holding the thing together.
This time, I used a super thin-kerf (1/16" kerf) 7-1/4" DeWalt circular saw blade in my table saw. Again, I just raised the blade 1/32" shy of the box thickness. Then I finished the cut with a razor knife. This worked really good, and left no kerf marks, and just a very slight cut line (maybe 1/100" difference) near the corners, which sanded off very quickly with a sanding block. The blade performed perfectly and the cut is flawless.
Afterwards, the 1/4" thick mitered pieces were added to the inside of the bottom which will make a near air-tight fit of the top to the bottom, and will keep the box aligned.
There has been a lot of talk out here about using a smaller 7-1/4 or 8" blade in a table saw. In this instance, it worked great for me. This will be my new "go-to" method of cutting large boxes.
BTW: this will be a Sapele silverware box.
Here are some pics:
Bottom shown with the 1/4" thick alignment pieces:
Looking at a corner:
Notice the joint where the top meets the bottom: