Hey fellow woodworkers! I've taken on an ambitious project to make a cherry box measuring 20" x 14" x 7.75" for my girlfriend's journals. I'm using 3/4" thick stock, and I'm in a bit of a time crunch since I have access to a local college workshop that closes for the summer soon. I've got four nights and Saturday to wrap up any tool work.
I'm looking for advice on how to join the sides of the box. I initially planned to use mitered edges with splines, but unfortunately, I lost access to a table saw. I do have a Kreg router table but I'm struggling to figure out how to modify my approach to fit it. The tools I have available include a band saw, a planer, a jointer, drill presses, hand saws, a chop saw, scroll saw, a dremel, and drills.
I want to make sure the joint is strong enough for the box since it'll hold 40 lbs of journals, so any suggestions that will hold up well would be appreciated. I know it sounds like I'm cutting it close, but I'm a newbie trying to make the best gift I can. Any honest feedback is welcome! Thanks!
2 Answers
I suggest making miter cuts and then drilling two holes in each corner for dowels. Just insert the dowels and glue them in place, trimming off the excess afterward. This method will give you a solid structure! Just use your drill press for consistent holes, and don’t worry too much about the precision of the miter cuts—once dowels are in, it won't be a problem!
Exactly! The dowels help compensate for any slight inaccuracies in the cuts, so don’t stress it too much. It’ll hold strong!
You could use your router bit to create a 45° chamfer on the edges, which would work well for mitered cuts. If you want to stick to the mitered corners, you can also utilize the chop saw for cutting. Just be sure it can handle your board height safely! Once you're set with your corners, think about using a hand saw or router with a jig to cut for splines on the joints. And if you're in a time crunch, consider simply butt joining with glue and screws - it'll definitely hold up for that weight! Your girlfriend will love it no matter what!
Oh, I didn't consider the router for the chamfers! I’ll definitely give that a shot; it seems like a cleaner option than using the miter saw. Thanks! ?
Thanks for the quick suggestion! Is this similar to how you’d do it for a box? I’m just concerned the miter cuts might not be super precise with my saw.