Make and fit the bottom

unlike Plywood, solid wood exPands

and contracts with seasonal changes in humidity.

Beginning woodworkers often try to deny this fact, but you’ll be better off once you learn to accept it and then design around it. The floating bottom of this box is designed to expand and contract freely without breaking open the corner joints of the box.

Tongues cut on the edges of the bottom fit into the grooves on the sides of the box, and the bottom is sized to allow for a small amount of expansion.

set up using the stoCk, not A ruler Because the side is grooved to accommodate the thickness of the bottom, adjust the fence setting directly from the stock.

1.

Set the saw fence so that the distance between the fence and the outside of the blade is equal to the thickness of the box bottom. For results that are more precise than you’ll get from a ruler or tape measure, hold the bottom on edge and against the fence. Align the edge of the stock with the outside of the blade, then lock the fence in position.

For safety, be sure to install a zero clearance insert

(photo A ).

2.

Lower the blade height to cut only a hair over

1⁄⁴ in. above the surface of the tablesaw. With the stock laying flat on the saw, cut a groove in the front, back, and ends of the box. Once the box is assembled, the groove that houses the bottom panel will be hidden from view by the overlap for the rabbet joint at the corners of the box (photo b ).

3.

Check the actual dimensions of the interior of the box, then rip and crosscut the bottom to size. When calculating the dimensions of the bot-tom, don’t forget to add the depth of the grooves on each side. To allow for wood expansion during humid conditions, cut the bottom panel about

1⁄⁶⁴ in. shorter in length and about ¹⁄³² in. narrower than the actual measurements. I rip the stock to width using the rip fence, then use a sled outfitted with a stop block to cut the length (photo C ).

A

b

groove the sides to ACCept the bottom Use a ¹⁄8-in.

combination blade to cut grooves in each of the box sides.

Pass the front and back across the blade with the rabbeted sides down, then make the same cuts on the ends.

4.

To cut the tongue on the bottom, install a dado blade set to ¹⁄⁴ in. wide. Raise the blade to ¹⁄⁴ in. and set the fence ¹⁄⁸ in. from the inside of the blade. Cut the tongues with the stock held vertically against the fence. Be sure to use a zero-clearance insert so that the tongue is fully supported throughout the cut.

Cut the end grain first. Cutting across end grain usu-ally results in tearout, so cutting the side grain last will clean up the cut (photo d ).

Cut the box bottoms After squaring one end, use a sled outfitted with a stop block to cut the bottoms to length.

shApe the bottom pAnels Use a dado blade to rabbet the bottom. The tongue formed on the bot-tom will then sit in the grooves on the box sides. Test the fit in the grooves, then adjust the blade or fence as necessary. Cut the ends first and then the sides.

C

d

32 A Rustic Treasure Box

Learning to apply the right amount of glue is a skill that develops over time. End grain absorbs more glue than cross-grain and requires a heavier application. The tendency with beginners is to apply too much glue and make a mess, but practice and careful attention lead to a lot less cleanup.

work smart

Assemble the box

it is much easier to sand the interior surfaces of the box before you put it together. Prior to assembly, you’ll also need to attach the leather hinge to the inner face at the back of the box. The leather hinge consists of three parts: A large center piece attaches to the inside of the back and stretches over the back of the lid and onto the top, and two side strips stretch from the inside of the lid to the back of the box. At this point, you only need to attach the center piece to the inside back of the box.

The side strips will be added later. There are no exact requirements for the shape of the leather except that the edges where it passes through the back of the box need to be straight. Refer to the drawing on pp. 24–25 for details, then cut the leather using scissors. Center the leather on the inside of the back of the box. Once the hinge is in place, you’re ready to assemble the box. Start by gluing up the box, then add reinforcing dowels to the corner joints after the glue has cured.

1.

Spread hot-melt glue on the leather and then use tacks to hold it securely in place. If you use copper tacks, which bend easily, you’ll find it help-ful to predrill before driving the tacks in place.

Regular steel tacks are much easier to drive into most hardwoods (photo A ).

begin instAlling the leAther hinge Before assembling the box, install the center portion of the leather hinge using both glue and tacks. If you’re using copper tacks, you’ll need to predrill the holes. Cut steel tacks can be hammered into most hardwoods.

Assemble the box Spread glue on the inside surface of the rabbet prior to assembly.

First glue one joint and place the bottom in position, then glue the other three corners.

b b

A

2.

The box should go together easily. Begin by spreading yellow glue in each of the four rabbets.

Use a little extra glue on the end grain. No glue is required on the bottom, as it should be allowed to float freely in response to changes in humidity. If you wish, a dab of glue at the center on each end of the panel can be used to keep the bottom centered in the box. Glue one end to one long side, slip the bottom in place, and then add the other end and side (photo b ).

3.

Use rubber bands to hold the box together as the glue dries. Apply enough rubber bands to make sure the joints all close up across their length. You really can’t use too many rubber bands—additional bands only add to the clamping pressure. Before the glue sets, be sure to check to see that the box is square:

Measure corner to corner across both diagonals and make adjustments until the measurements are the same. To make adjustments, simply give the box a squeeze across the long diagonal and check again

(photo C ).

In document Basic Box Making (Page 37-40)