Some Little Boxes...

Hi Corey
Nice boxes by the way

If you are going to get a slot cutter take a hard look at the one below 1st. it's a bit high in price ,at 30.oo bucks plus But man it's worth it.
It will cut a box in to like a champ, 1/8" cut and it will do 3/4" thick unlike the slot cutter.
Plus you can use it for glass panel doors.
The band saw works great also until the box gets over 6" wide .
But now you have the arbor for saw blades all you need is a zero insert plate for your router table fence.

Slot Cutter-Glass panel Set (slot bit only)
http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/item.asp?n=01017&d=85&b=1

Bj

Hi Corey

Yep, sure will you just need to make a add on fence for your router table
and just use a clamp or two to hold it in place when you remove the top of the box, I would use the blade from HD that we spoke about ,that's 3 3/8" dia. carb.tip and it's 1/32 thick, I use vinyl top stock to fit in the cut then just a bit of tape to hold it in on the short ends then cut the long sides.
Works like a champ I use a big push block 3" x 6" x 6" so I don't put any down force on the box when I make the pass.

Some will say just use the table saw, this can be tricky at best, on the router table you are in full control of the box and the cut, I know you said you use the band saw, once you do it this way you will do all your boxes this way plus the cut comes out true and clean and right on the button and you don't need to sand the box to get to fit just right.

Like the one below

You will also see a spline slot jig below

Bj

Boxes

Hi Kenadian, I'm normally in the routing section but noticed you're query regarding the order of things. The box shown in one of my posts in " hello from down under" was a departure from all my previous boxes in as much as I made it as a sealed coffin and I used splines for the first time. Prior to glue-up I routed a groove about 3/4" into all four sides the centre of this groove to be the separation point,so that after cutting on the band saw (no problem with the saw table) the box half of the rebate had strips glued in which fit into the lid. After glue-up I made the "jig" shown and cut the slots, if thicker splines are required simply move the fence after each set of four. I have never been taught how to do splines so this was MY answer. Course abrasive paper on the slope prevents movement. Safety seemed no problem. I should like you experts to jump in and tell me how splines are normally cut. Harry in Perth Western Australia where it is a little after 6.00pm and the temperature is 40degc!

Splines are also called keys. The next time Corey builds one of these jigs he will simply mark a line on his plywood at 30 degrees and attach his first board with glue and screws and then using a square attach the second board the same way, letting it hang over the end of the plywood. A quick pass on the table saw and the jig is ready for action. Why 30 degrees? Because the resulting complimentary angle will be 15 degrees. One edge longer than the other. This introduces variety into your splines or keys for a different look. What if you flipped the box around for every other cut? A staggered appearance. Tilting the saw blade? You would get chevrons. How about making an angled cut, glueing in the spline and then reversing the box and repeating? You can create a square or diamond shape surrounded with your spline or key. Hmm, lots of variety! Holy smokes! What if I used this jig on my ROUTER table? I could use a dovetail bit for bow tie shapes, create wide and narrow splines by changing bit sizes... the sky is the limit! Great ideas Corey!
Here is a link to a PDF of the jig: http://www.routerforums.com/28268-post14.html

Just one more way to put in keys/splines but this one is for the router table

Put the box on the jig make one pass with the bottom of the box is down and then flip the box over and make one more pass with the top is down on the jig, then move the bit up in the router table and do the same thing again.

You can also put in 4 to 6 slots at one time or to say with one pass by using the router bit below.

When you use a bit like the one below
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-PC-1-2-SH-5-S...1399576QQihZ003QQcategoryZ50386QQcmdZViewItem
Or you can use this type (standard slot cutters)
from 3/32" to 1/4"
http://cgi.ebay.com/1PC-1-4-SH-Slot...2076507QQihZ003QQcategoryZ50386QQcmdZViewItem

You can also put on two 1/4" slot cutters on a standard arbor, that can save some time also,when you use the arbor below ▼
see link below for the arbor
Long ARBOR & BEARING ONLY
SET #318 for 1/4" shank
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_slot.html#Anchorslottop

I made a arbor that will take on 8ea. 1/4" slot cutters at one time when I need to do a tall box, I can put in a spacer or a bearing to get the slot set for 1/2" or more (from slot to slot).

The slot cutter is just a fast way to do the job.
This is a safe way to put in slots and you are in total control of the cut/slot in small boxes less than 4" tall.


Bj