making a watch box questions

[smitty10101]

I was asked to make a watch box for grandson #1----similar to a jewelry box.
I have a bunch of questions.

First I'm using a TS & a router stand. Wood is Sapele.

#1 What are you using to cut the groove in the bottom of the box to accept the "1/4" inch plywood base? I'll also be cutting a dado in the front & base for the separators (3). All the router bits that I've seen to cut the undersized grove are only 2-2 3/4" OVERALL length. That doesn't put much shank in the collet. I know I can do it on the TS or use a trim router, but I was hoping to use the router table with a full-size router mounted in it.

#2 The height of the box without the lid will be about 3 1/4 to 3 3/4". The lid will be about 1". Overall height then, about 4-5" (just guessing. I'll need to see it completed first.) I'm thinking of putting "reinforcing" wedges in the corners. More for decoration than strength. How far apart & how far up & down should they be to be eye-appealing? 2 in the box & 1 in the lid? Some wood of a light/white color (balsa wood)

#3 Fininshing was requested to be "rich wood color". I'm thinking a couple of coats of Helmsmen semi-gloss spray can after sanding to 400 grit.

#4 I'm thinking of putting glass in the top. What's a quick way to mount the glass? My thoughts are to cut 4 pieces of wood & cut a rabbet to mount the glass. Secure to wood with brass screws. So the glass will be recessed into the top.

#4 Am I overthinking this?

[Stick486]

#1 What are you using to cut the groove in the bottom of the box to accept the "1/4" inch plywood base?

.
TS (full kerf FTG blade) and then the RT (straight bit)...
I don't understand why you need "reach" when you'll be cutting your grooves on the flat..
if you use a slot cutter in the RT the panel will be run through on edge...
rebate rabbet the corners for strength and to hide the grooves
dado in the dividers...
.

I'm thinking of putting "reinforcing" wedges in the corners.

gussets???
.

Finishing was requested to be "rich wood color"

tung oil or satin shellac..
.

What's a quick way to mount the glass?

rabbet and retainer ornate molding in case the glass gets broken...
groove the same way you did the ply panel..
use no glare glass that's used for pictures...
.

Am I overthinking this?

of course...

[Cherryville Chuck]

I would suggest most of what Stick said. I might do it all on the table saw except for making the trim molding that holds the glass in. Like Stick said, you make a frame with a rabbet around the inside for the glass to sit in and then use the trim to hold it in. With an inch thick top you have room for glass and trim. If it was a thin top I'd probably just use silicone to hold the glass in. Part of the decision as to which machines to use depends partly on design and partly on materials. If the ply actually is 1/4" then a router bit would work. If it's metric and only 5 or 6mm then the bit won't be the right size and the ply will be loose in the slots. Sanded plywood can be under size too. If it's under size then I think it would be easier on a TS.

I find that machining pieces this small is as hard as machining pieces that are a little too big. They are hard to hold onto and often put your fingers uncomfortably close to blades and bits. There are ways to make it safer. When you decide how you are going to do the machining we can look at that problem.

I wouldn't stain sapele. It's a beautiful wood on it's on and I'm not sure how well it takes stain. I use teak oil quite a bit like Stick suggested and it will darken the wood slightly and give it a low lustre as it has some varnish in it it. It's super easy to put on, basically screw up proof. I like to give it a few minutes to soak it and then I give it a decent rubbing to make sure I get any excess oil off and buff it up a bit. It can take a few days to dry thoroughly.

[smitty10101]

I don't understand why you need "reach" when you'll be cutting your grooves on the flat..
if you use a slot cutter in the RT the panel will be run through on edge...

If by "reach" you mean the depth the shank goes into the collet---then the reason is I don't want the bit going into orbit.
If that's not what you mean then please explain.

As far as the slot cutter--- I'll have to look, but, I don't think I have anything thinner than a 1/4" cutter.

Thanks for the tip on the "no glare" glass.

[smitty10101]

TS (full kerf FTG blade) and then the RT (straight bit)..

Making the prototype I can get the required slot with a bit that I have (metric????) and a credit card spacer.

gussets???

Don't "gussets" go inside the corners for strength?? I can't think of the correct name for the triangle "wedges" that are put into corners for strength and/or decoration.

[Stick486]

I can't think of the correct name for the triangle "wedges" that are put into corners for strength and/or decoration.

splines...

[smitty10101]

splines...

Don't spline(s) in a miter joint run from top to bottom of the miter joint.
I'm talking about a piece of wood that runs across the joint (from side to front or back)

BUT going by the pic, I guess you're correct. Mea copa.

spline joint.jpeg

[Stick486]

THEY STILL ARE SPLINES....
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SPLINE 1.jpg

,

SPLINE 2.jpg

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SPLINE 3.jpg

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SPLINE 4.jpg

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Jig for Corner Splines.jpg

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Ultimate Spline Jig.pdf

[smitty10101]

Again

MEA COPA!!!!!

[Cherryville Chuck]

You could run splines in both planes, horizontally and vertically. One of the advantages of the vertical spline is that it also helps with alignment when you glue the corners together.

[DimitriM]

As far as the slot cutter--- I'll have to look, but, I don't think I have anything thinner than a 1/4" cutter.

Have you considered the biscuit cutter bit for the router ? If you have the one with several bearing wheels you can adjust it to a small depth as well.

[CharleyL]

I make most of my boxes with box joint corners that I cut on my table saw using an Incra I-Box jig.

When it comes to slotting the sides of the box for the box bottom (and maybe top) to fit into, I use one of the Lee Valley Box Slotting bits in my router table. I dry assemble the box with clamps or elastic bands, set my choice of Lee Valley slotting bit the height desired, and move the box around the bit to cut a slot all the way around the inside of the box for the box bottom to fit into. These Lee Valley bits are small enough in diameter to cut fully into the corners. You then only need to slightly round the corners of the bottom panel to fit into the curved corner slot.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/to ... tting-bits

For mitered box corners needing a spline from top to bottom, (see photo) I cut the spline slot on my table saw with the blade set to 45 degrees and the fence set close to the top side of the blade, with a sacrificial fence board attached. The fence gets adjusted carefully to position the slot at 90 deg to the surface of the already cut miter in the edge of the work piece. For the cross grained splines, I use a tenon jig on my table saw with the saw blade at 90 deg. I position the jig to cut a tenon in the end of a piece of scrap stock, but set the jig so that the thin sliver between the saw blade and the surface of the stock is the desired thickness of the spline. After getting this setting right, I make two passes, flipping the board as if completing a tenon. This makes two splines of the correct thickness. In verting the stock end for end and repeating this makes two more cross grained splines. I then use my chop saw with a stop set to cut the splines to the correct length to cut the splines free from the scrap stock. Splines with their grain running across their width are necessary for this type of splined joint. If they are made with their grain running parallel to their sides, they will not produce a strong joint.

If just making dovetails or straight blade cuts horizontally across the corners of an assembled box, the spline can be cut in the usual way as the grain will be running sideways across the joint when it is assembled. If using mitered corners in my boxes, I almost always take the time to make cross grained splines from top to bottom like shown in the photo.

Charley