WAIT A MINUTE!! I dont want you thinking that I am getting all Artsy Fartsy!!

All I am saying is what we all do to some degree anyway,both Men and Women,but as MEN we often hesitate to let ourselves admit it.We care about what we are making,we put our hearts into our work.

The dividers can be reconfigured or removed as desired.

Tip:Here is a simple way to hold your small pieces when finishing them.Just apply a strip of double stick tape and press each piece down, leaving enough space between for spraying both sides.

The bottom is lined with a piece of heavy cardstock,(usually salvaged from the back of a legal pad),and covered with velvet.I cut it about 1/8’’ smaller L x W to allowing for the fact that the velvet will fold over the edges.
Years ago I used spray contact adhesive to stick down the fabric,but it is very easy to get a sticky mess.I also tried rubber cement,but with the same problem.Lately I have been using double stick tape and it works great.
Thats all,thanks for reading and commenting on this series.I appreciate all of the feedback!! You have been a great group and I hope this has encouraged some of you to try something new.

Here is a link to more pictures.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/20446

I really hope to see your versions of this box design posted on LJ.
Feel free to contact me with any errors you see and to ask for clarification on anything.
Thanks for your patience too,I had no idea it would take me this long to do this.haha
ANDY

It is very close to being finished,but I keep getting interupted, and at my age it doesnt take much for me to lose my rythym.
With summer here,we have been pretty busy with camping,hiking and visiting friends.
But the biggest time wasters are my grandkids…all six of them!
They show up at the most inconvenient times and expect me to drop everything and entertain them.
Just to keep peace in the family,I let myself be pulled away from my projects and act like a caring grandfather.
They range in age from 2-13 years old.Some are sticky,but all are noisy,want to be held and kissed.They test my stamina by expecting me to lift,hug,chase,tickle and generally be used for a bean bag for their antics.
So,as you can see,its not really my fault! I am powerless.
(Plus,I am hedging that someday I may need a friend,someone to visit me and find the remote,or make me cookies.Thats all, just family politics)

Here are some mug shots I took of the culprits ! Stay clear of any kids if you want to get a project done on time!

The three oldest are Daisy,Jessie,and Caitlin.

This is the only boy,Bryce,who holds his own just fine.

This is LeAnne,a real time stealer.

And this is Paisley,the youngest.How can I resist those eyes?

So dont blame me,I am only human,and a weak one at that. :-)

A side point about the photographs for those who care:
I didnt correct for color balance on any of these photos,I was too rushed.

This first photo was taken in the morning with the sunlight filtering through a side window of my shop.This really brought out details in the ridges and valleys.

This photo is from the same angle,but I used a flash.Notice how it brings out a little more detail on the side,but flattens out the shaping on the top.

Next I will glue in the handle and final sand with 320 and lay on a heavy coat of lacquer.

Up to this point,everything we have done has been carefully layed out and measured.This phase is more free form,its where we can cut loose a little, and see what we get.But a little care must be used or we can wind up with a ruined box.That happened on occasion when I first started playing around with this concept a few years ago.Just go slow and you will be fine.

I like to mount my box to the “Moaning Stool”,to keep it from moving.This places it at a comfortable height and allows me to shape the top,front and both sides.To shape the back,I remove the box and reset it facing backwards.(The corner of a low bench would work as well.)

How I do this:
I cut a 3/4’’ piece of wood with a smooth face that will just insert into the bottom recess of the box.I then screw this to my stool and put a couple of strips of two-sided tape down.I set the box down over this base and press it onto the tape.
The lip formed by the recessed bottom,plus the tape,will prevent the box from shifting while you are pressing the grinder into it.

Like this...

OR…you can just run a screw through the bottom and into your bench.You can then pivot the box on that screw into a new position as needed.No doubt you will cover the inside with felt,or velvet anyway.You can then fill the hole on the bottom with putty,or place a smiley face sticker over it :-),or cover it with more felt.

Here,I have marked the location of the hinge pins and handle.Use care when shaping around these areas.Its very easy to remove too much wood,weakening the pins or cutting below the level of the handle.These areas do need to be profiled,blending them in with the overall shape,just be sure you are paying attention.

The grinder. Just a 4’’ angle grinder,guard removed,and a 5’’ flexible sanding disc.This is a 50 grit,but an 80 or 100 will work just fine,depending on the wood and how much it wants to gum up the paper.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND REMOVING THE GUARD OR MODIFYING THE GRINDER IN ANY WAY THAT WOULD MAKE ITS USE UNSAFE. There is my disclaimer :-) Seriously,just be careful!

You can use a random orbit disc sander from start to finish,though it will take longer,and inhibits freedom of movement,at least to me.I like the way I can get wide sweeping strokes by using the angle grinder,because it removes material faster,I can move faster,with a more natural fluid flow.
You could also use a Dremel or a Foredom with different attachments.
Or the old fashioned tried and true tools,chisels and gouges are an option.
Even a stationary sander with a disc and belt will give nice results.

(I used the radiused edge of my stationary belt sander to do much of the shaping on the sides of the “Deco Box” I used the grinder to establish the top details though.)

What you use will determine how much control you have and the contours you can get.Obviously,a small handheld disc sander will allow much more freedom and will cut a tighter pattern than a 12’’ stationary sander.Feel free to use what you have,but experiment with it first on some scrap to see what profiles you can get.

This photo shows how I have beveled the top, cutting away the edge of the medallion,down through the edge of the lid and to the lip of the box.This will give your box a dome shape.

The dome shape from the side.

If you want to play it safe with your box,you can stop here and get on with the finish sanding.Just smooth everything out, hit the corners and edges a little to soften them up and call it good.It will be a great looking box,just like this,with this “pillow” shape and the medallion.I really like the simplicity of this type of box!

Here is a detail of the handle area.Keep checking your progress by slipping the handle in and out.As you can see,it would be easy to cut down too far on the edge of the lid “behind” the handle,thus making a gap between the two.We will come back later and shape this portion of the lid closer to the profile of the handle using something with more control,like a pad sander or sanding blocks,etc…

On with the shaping.
I cant really tell you how I do this.Its more by feel than thought.The grain of the wood,what is exposed,what I want to express, or to remove,will determine what I do to some degree.Of course we are limited to the size of the box and the thickness of the wood itself.We need visualize the inside of the box as we start shaping.I can tell you from experience,that it is easy to get carried away when shaping and cut too deep in certain areas.

Tip:
The danger zones are: the medallion at the edges, the box lip,the hinge pins, the handle area,the back edge where the lid swings down into the box, and even the dado for the bottom is lurking just below the surface.
Once you grind through one of those areas,its pretty difficult to make a hidden repair.

I know that I have cautioned you on this before,but now is time to put it to use: Remember that you will be removing additional material as you go through all the final stages of finish sanding.This will also double the gap between the lid and the lip of the body.It is easy to end up with a sloppy lid if you dont keep this in mind.

Here is my initial rough shaping on this box, using the grinder to quickly remove the waste.

Next,I will start blending in these profiles,making a smooth transition from one curve to the next.I switch to a 5’’ random orbit sander for this phase.

You dont really need a handle to open this box.You can just press down on the top,at the back, and the front will lift up.

But a handle keeps the finger prints down and adds to the overall design too.It can accentuate the linear flow if it is long and delicate,or it may add more of a whimsical feel to the box if it is stubby and rounded.And it is a visual tie-in to the medallion if they are made from the same wood.

For this box, we are going to make a handle, and cut out a section of the front lip to form a seat.

( Feel free to make your handle any size you wish.I am just going to show you how I did mine)

I chose a piece of Myrtle Wood to accent the medallion.I cut a blank 1/2’’ thick x 3/4’’ front to back,and 4’’ long.
Our handle is going to finish out at about 3.5’’ long and show a little of the lid front,above and below,after shaping.

Mounting the handle:
You could use concealed dowels,brass screws,or screws with plugs,small biscuits,or just glue it on.All of these will work just fine.I often cut a slot in the face of the lid and machine a tenon on the handle like this (but without the pins and magnet)...

But there is an easier way…its more forgiving and just as strong.Just route a slot mortise in both the lid and the handle blank and cut a floating tenon (spline).

How I do it:

Insert a 1/8’’ bit in your table mounted router and cut a slot in the lid and a matching one in the handle blank,about 3/16’’ deep.On the handle, stop your mortise about 3/8’’ from the ends.Now cut a spline to slip into the slot and make it about 3/8’’ shorter than the length of the slot.This will allow you to slide the handle back and forth to position it.If you do much shaping to the handle it may get shorter,maybe on one side more than the other.The wider slot will let you move it back into center.Ease the edges of your spline with sandpaper to make it easier to slip in and out.

Here is what it should look like.

In this shot you can see that I have done some shaping on the sander.
_Be careful that you dont sand through to the slot at the ends of the blank.

_

Mark the location of the handle on the lid and box.You can offset your handle to the right or left of center for a different look if you like.A typical way to do this is to make two marks that divide the front into 3 equal sections.Then position the center of the handle over one of the marks.This will keep it from looking like a mistake.

DO NOT GLUE YOUR HANDLE IN!
We want our handle loose until we are done shaping.The reasons for this are: It makes it easier to shape the front edge of the top with the handle removed,and just in case of a boo boo,and… we simply may not like the size or shape of the handle after we are done shaping the box.It just might look like a big fat lip sticking out there.We can always make another,very easily,if its not glued in.

This picture shows the seat roughed out.
Cut a kerf with a handsaw at each end of the box lip where we marked the seat for our handle.This will prevent the router from tearing out a chunk of wood.You can use a sharp chisel to remove the waste,but I prefer a spiral bit in my table mounted router.Make several shallow passes and clean up the last bit with a chisel and a sanding block.Just get it to where the lid will close all the way.Fine sanding can be done later.

And here we have our rough shaped handle, temporarily mounted,and resting in its seat.Now we know where we need to stay away from when we start shaping.

Next,we will start shaping our box.That is the scariest part but also the most fun of the entire project :)

The hinge pins keep the lid positioned during the carving stage.And its also to ensure that we know what areas to avoid with the grinder.We want to preserve as much wood over the pins as possible.The same holds true for the handle.Its best to cut the mortise in the lid for the handle while the lid is still flat.And we want to be careful around the area near the handle.

Pin location:
As the lid drops into the box it scibes a larger arc than it would if we were using barrel hinges or butt hinges.If we locted the pins at the far back corner,then the lid would contact the back lip before it fully opened.

After much experimenting, I came up with a placement that allows the lid to swing down into the box and then lean back enough that it will stay open on its own.Also,this location will position the pin 1/4’’ up from the bottom of the lid,which will be in its center after we grind away the top portion of the lid.
( Remember,we have a lid that is 3/4’’ thick,and our recess is 1/2’’ deep,which leaves 1/4’’ of the lid standing out of the box.So,if we shape the top of the lid down to the lip of the box,we will end up with a lid that is only 1/2’’ thick at its edges,which places the pin in the center of the edge.)
More on this later.

You can use a drill press or with a hand drill if you are carefull.I made up a simple jig using the hardened centers out of some old VIX bits.It is just a 90 degree corner with a bushing to drill one pivot hole and another on the other leg.I then move it around to the other corner and repeat.A good piece of dense hardwood would service just as well for many boxes.

The picture below shows the lid removed for illustration only.

Tip:
Secure the lid with tape while you drill your pin holes.Make sure the lid is bottomed out and all the way to the front.

Drill into the lid about 3/4’’ to ensure the pins are well seated.

I use roofing nails about 1 1/2’’ long as temp pins because they are easier to grab.They will be in and out many times as you trim the back of the lid so it will open.

Before we can open the lid we need to pare away some wood on the top and bottom,at the very back.
First,remove the lid and set it aside.Take a sharp chisel,or using a sanding block,remove the leading edge of the rabbet in the pocket.You will be making a chamfer about 1/4’’ wide.Dont worry about dressing it up at this point.Just take off the “corner” of the rabbet from pocket to pocket.As the lid sweeps downward its corner will hit this corner…so we remove a little of both.
(If your pin holes are a little low,or off side to side,then you may need to take more or less)

Next,set the lid back into place and while holding it firmly in place,mark a pencil line around back of the lid, at the point where it rises above box lip.Extend this around the corners,just past the pin holes.Now,bevel the top/back corner of the lid as shown,sanding down to that line.Do the back edge and just around the corner past the pin holes a little.

To clarify:
What we are doing is removing any wood at the back edge of the lid that sticks above the back lip of the box.As the lid pivots,the front comes up and the back drops down,but any wood above the pin actually moves backwards at the same time,hitting the inside face of the box which causes it to bind up,and thus,wont allow it to open.So why dont we just remove all of the wood above the pin holes ? You could do this,but you would need to grind away the back lip also,otherwise the lid would be below its level.And the top of the lid at the back would have a pretty steep taper,which I dont care for.

We need to leave the wood just below the taper you made,untouched for the time being.But we need to taper the bottom side of the lid,at the back and corners,so the lid will sweep downwards.This is difficult to explain,and takes alot of trial fitting to get it right.Its not hard,just sand a little,put the pins in and test it.Go slow and easy. Tip:
Wiggle the lid up and down when you have the pins in,even if its a little bit,remove the pins and look for rub marks where its tight and sand those away.Keep doing this.

Warning: I want to caution you about going too fast, because it is very easy to remove too much wood at the back, leaving a thin line that will disappear if you grind into it. Final fine sanding will remove additional wood,aggravating the problem even more.If you arent sure how much wood you have left along the back edge,then just stay away from there when shaping.

This photo
shows a side view of the lid after beveling the top/back edge and bottom/back edge and corners.Final fine sanding will be done later.
Here you can see the line where we stopped the top bevel,and if you look to the far right,in the middle,you can see a flat spot about 1/4’’ high.That is the only area that is still in contact with the back of the box.Carefully hand sand along this line until the lid opens without rubbing.Do this at a downward taper.
Keep in mind,that your finish will add little material to each surface and you may get areas where it will rub.This is one of those things that depends on many factores including humidity.Just be sure it works pretty good for now and you can fine fit it later,just before finishing.

And here we have a working lid.

Next we will be fitting the handle and cutting a seat for it in the lip.

This will be an open chapter,adding to it as I can.

#1-Moaning Chair

The most important item in the shop is of course,the Moaning Chair.These have been an important part of boatbuilding since the beginning.First there was the Moaning Rock,and then came the Moaning Stump and when wolves were present, safety could be reached by scurrying up the nearest tree to the Moaning Limb.Actually,any place to sit and cry over a recent blunder could be given a title of “Moaning ”
I have a Moaning Stool.I paid three dollars at a yard sale and with the help of Krylon,we gave it new life.
If you find yourself making frequent mistakes,then you might consider something a little more comfortable,such as a Moaning Lazyboy or a Moaning Sofa.
I try to downplay its heavy use in my shop by throwing a handful of sawdust on the seat when I get a visitor.

Moaning with dignity.
Its also important to keep your moaning down to a low level.Dogs have very sensitive hearing and will start howling out of sympathy.And,if you live in the city,keep in mind that some car alarms go off with very little provocation.I have learned over the years that wailing,or keening, will bring my wife out to the shop with her finger poised over the phone,ready to speed dial 911.By maintaining a low moan, I can convince her that its just a bearing going out in the router.

This is how I use my Moaning Stool.Feel free to select something that suits your personality and budget.And dont worry about posture,it will come naturally.Mine has been perfected by many projects.

#2-Bent Wrench

After mounting my Porter Cable router in a Jessem/Jet lift,I found a problem.The wrenches were not shaped for that application.The collet is below deck level,which means the wrenches are at a steep angle.They would barely grab the collet and I was never confident in how tight I was getting it.This did not instill confidence as that large rabbet bit was cutting away.
So,I did something about it.I threw the wrenches in the woodstove,onto the coals,and let them get a nice cherry red.Then I placed them in a vice and hammered them into a Z shape.(Actually one is a Z shape and the other is more of a sweep.) It took a couple of reheatings to work them into shape.When they were bent to the right shape,I reheated them and while red hot I quenched them in oil.After several years of constant use they still work perfectly.

A few thoughts: If you need bent wrenches,you may be able to buy them for your model.

If you want to try bending your own,just be sure they are not cast steel.It is not malleable.

This is not a tutorial on forging steel.My skills in this area are pretty limited.I have made a knife and a scoop and a few other things but dont feel qualified to instruct anyone.There is a lot of info,including videos on the web that cover this subject very well.

Be careful you dont start a fire when quenching.Do this outdoors and have something to cover the oil container with in case it ignites.

#3-Sanding Block

When routing the lip you will notice that the bit cuts a little deeper in the corners than it does on the straght sections.I dont know for sure why it does this,but I think its because it is cutting more wood all of a sudden that it pulls the bit in just a little.Thats hard to believe since I am using the largest router that PC makes,it is firmly mounted in a table and the bit has a 1/2’’ shaft.There should not be any flexxing.But,I always get this arc that is deeper by about the thickness of 2 sheets of paper.
The problem of course,is that when you fit the lid,you wind up with a gap at the corners.
You cant really cut the lid to fit that shape,so you need to sand the straight sections just a little to minimize the gap.BUT,you need to stay out of the corners,we dont want them sanded any deeper.

How I do this:
Do this prior to cutting the top to size.
I made up a simple sanding block that has corners that roughly match those on the box.Put a piece of tape or two on each end to act as bumpers so you dont ding up the opposing ends as you complete each stroke.
I use PSA paper and attach it only to the edges,so as not to sand the bottom of the lip.Cut the paper back from the corner too,so that you are only sanding the straight sections.Take slow deliberate strokes.Check your progress often using a straight edge.If you have burns in the corners,clean them up first.

I make these specialized sanding blocks whenever I need to sand one surface while riding against another that must remain untouched.I am sure you will find uses for this in your projects.

DO NOT CUT THE LID TO SIZE UNTIL YOU ARE SURE OF THE STYLE OF BOX YOU WANT TO MAKE!

At the start of this tutorial I mentioned that we would look at three ways to make this box.

I suggest following on with this tutorial and weighing the pros and cons of construction,before making a final decision.

Alternate lid #1.

The inlays are very simple to do, so I wont spend much time talking about it.

I make shallow kerfs,about 1/4’’ deep,using one or two passes on the table saw to determine the width, and then insert strips of contrasting woods,sized accordingly .I will often draw them out with markers,right on the top, to help get the right feel.Just leave the strips proud and grind them off when you do the shaping.

We start by routing out a full recess for the lid.Then we carefully cut away the lip at the back so the lid can extend to the back.This will allow the use of barrel hinges or concealed butt hinges.I like this style because we still get the lip on the front and sides for that molded look,but is a little easier to do than the full recess, which we will discuss later.

After routing for the full recess we need to cut away the back lip.I use a Japanese saw to cut a kerf,just shy of the side and just off the bottom of the lip.Be carefull not to scratch up the inside

Another way to do this is to make a template that sets on top of the box and using a guide bushing and a straight spiral bit,you can cut the rabbit on three sides and exit out the back,removing all the waste.Its a better way to do this but I dont do the Soss style often.

I spent a lot of time developing a way to let the lid swing down into the box,yet still maintain a fairly tight reveal on all 4 sides.Its not too difficult to achieve a similar look if you dont route the lip.Simply make a square box and a lid that sets down into the box,and bore through the side for hinge pins.Then install a liner or a stop ,which will give the lid something to rest on.I like this style but I was after a way to give my boxes a more organic feel,more natural in their lines,curvy.
The difficulty is the lip itself.It doesnt allow the back of the lid to drop into the box,so thats where we need to cut it away a little deeper at the back.I call these pockets.
The other difficulty is in getting the hinge placement spot on or it wont open at all or not far enough to stay open.

Here is how its done: We make our box and route the recess for the lip on all four side just as with the lift off style.Use the same pattern bit and bearing setup that you just finished with for the lip.What we are going to do is crank the bearing up in several passes to cut deep pockets just at the back for the lid to drop down into.

How to make the cut:

Make sure the shaft is inserted in the collet to a safe depth recommended by the bit manufacturer and the maker of your router.**

Personally,I feel comfortable exposing about 1/2 ’’of shaft which leaves about 3/4’’ plus in the collet.Its the only way to attain a cut that deep with my setup.I turn the speed down a little too,because of the mass of metal we are using here.Just be comfortable with whatever you decide and be safe.

Final depth.

Next time we will discuss the hinge pins and shaping the underside of the lid so it will drop into the pockets.

DO NOT CUT THE LID TO SIZE UNTIL YOU ARE SURE OF THE STYLE OF BOX YOU WANT TO MAKE!

This is where you can get creative.I wet the surface of the box with mineral spirits to get a feel for what it will look like when finished and then start laying my selections across the top.
Contrast is what you are after,either in grain or color or both.

Example On Page # 1 of this series you will find a picture of Rachels Box.It is my most popular box so far.The body is just a plain straight grained Maple and the medallion is plain straight grained Bloodwood.But the combination is very appealing.And notice what the shaping has done to that simple graining.The lines sway in and out like an exotic wood.So,keep that in mind when making your selection.The shaping adds a lot to the overall effect.You dont want too many things going on.Simple is often the better choice.

Feel free to vary the size of your cutout to fit the piece of wood you have selected.A little larger or smaller will work just fine.
Dont worry about having a perfect piece of wood for the medallion,the top of it is going to be ground away by about 1/4’’ to 3/8’’ when we do our shaping.

Just dont cut the medallion to size yet!

First.We need to make a jig to route out a recess in the lid to recieve the medallion.

I will show you how I do it.Feel free to use a method you are comfortable with,or have the tools for.

Make sure your bit is very sharp.Just like we talked about when doing the lid,any tearout along the edge of this cut will show.But….
If you do get some chip out,keep in mind that when you do your shaping, you may be able to grind most of it away.This will become more clear as we progress.

Lets get started:

I typically leave a border of about 1 1/4’’ or so.
Vary this to fit the wood you have for the medallion.Too small will lool lost in the top,and too large will just make it look as if it is the top,not the center piece.

Here I have cut two overlapping layers of 1/2’’ melamine strips 4’’ wide and butted them to the the lid on all four sides,and countersunk screws to attach them to a pice of 3/4’’ ply.This will keep the lid firmly in place.

After marking the position of the medallion,I cut a spacer block exactly that size,and screw that into positionon the lid,exactly where the medallion will be located.Make sure your screws dont go more than 1/2’’ into the lid.Double check your spacing on all four sides.

Now we need to cut some rips to make our jig.I prefer using melamine or mdf because of its consistant thickness,but a good ply will work.
Just make sure the edge the bearing will ride against is smooth and free of any blemishes.Any uneveness in thses edges will of course transfer onto the edge of our recess.
How wide and how thick? That will depend on what cutter you are using.The length of the shaft and where the bearing rides is what will determine the thickness.

FYI: I am using a 3/8’’ pattern bit that has a 1’’ cutter.I am using 2 layers of 1/2’’ Melamine for the jig, and a 1’’ thick piece for the top layer.The thicker top layer allows the bearing a wider face to ride against,thus giving me some height adjustment.It is all attached to a piece of 3/4 plywood.

Spacer is removed,and we are ready to rout.

Routing is completed to a depth of 3/8’’ +/-

Tip To make it easier on your router,take the lid to your drill press and cut away most of the waste using a Forstner bit.

If all goes well,then your spacer should fit into the recess nice and snug.If not,then just smooth the sides up and cut your medallion to fit,using the same process as described for the lid.

Here is the ziggurat,the lid projecting above the body and the medallion above the lid.

Next tutorial will cover cutting pockets for the lid to pivot into.

DO NOT CUT THE LID TO SIZE UNTIL YOU ARE SURE OF THE STYLE OF BOX YOU WANT TO MAKE!

For some, this may be the best option.They may not have all the required tools or may feel their skills need a little more honing.
Or, you could leapfrog over the next few stages and pick up the project again when we do the medallion.
Then you could continue on to the shaping if desired.

For now,just follow along with the tutorial,and continue at your own pace.

I strongly recommend making a test box.You will feel more comfortable when trying out some of the following procedures on a lesser grade of wood.

Next
We want the top edge of the box sanded flat.I use my sanding platform,but stick some sandpaper sheets down and level it off.

What we are going to do is route a recess on the inside top edge of the box to recieve the lid.We will invert the box over a router fixed in a table.Any bumps at the corner joints will transfer to the ledge we are routing down inside.Its much easier to sand the top edge than to sand inside.

Once the top edge of the box is smooth,remove and sawdust,etc from the inside of the box and the router table.

Next
We are going to route a rabbet,a lip,inside the box,all the way around.It will finish at 3/8’’ wide x 1/2’’ deep.

Keep in mind that any chipping is a real issue with this style of box.Any variations along the gap, which is called the reveal,between box and lid, will really jump out.We do need a reveal for the lid to open,but it needs to be small and very even.
So,if you sand out a chip,or router burns,on the inside lip of the box,it makes a divot,meaning it becomes wider at that point.The lid cannot be shaped to fit into those “wide spots”.The more you sand out the inside edge to clean up chips and router burns,the more you change its shape,it becomes wavy,and unlikely your lid will fit evenly on all four sides.

So how can we do a nice job on this detail ?
I route the lip using shallow passes for the depth and the width.This will minimize chipping and burning.
I use a rabbet bit with interchangeable guide bearings and start with one that gives me a cut just under 3/8” wide.I go fairly slow on the first shallow pass,not worrying about the burn marks.I cut down to just shy of the full 1/2’’ depth,leaving about 1/16’’.I then clean this up with a bearing that gives me the full 3/8’’ width and also I reset the router to take the full 1/2’’ depth.

”But I dont own a bearing set,all I have is the one on the pattern bit,how can I still do this?” Good question.

Tip
To leave just a little wood on the width cut to clean up on our final pass,try this trick. Figure where your guide bearing will ride on the inside of your box and run a band of masking tape horizontally on that line.Dont worry about a perfect fit in the corners,since the bearing doesnt reach into it completely.Tape is thin, so I use two layers,making sure they are pressed firmly together.When you are ready for the final pass,just pull off the tape and that will allow the bit to shave away the burn marks.
OR- You can use Formica panels,using double-stick tape to hold them in position for the bearing to ride on,this works great!

Tip:
On woods that are prone to tearout,like figured Maple,I dampen a rag and wipe down the area to be cut.Pay special attention to the inside corners.(This works very well when running wild grained woods through a planer too.)

Start
with the edge of the cutter about 1/8 above the table.Use a medium high speed setting,if you have that option,and lower the center of the box over the bit and move it in a clockwise direction,(moving into the bit).After a complete pass around the bit,center the box over the bit and turn off the router.Clean away all the chips and raise the bit to about 1/4” – 3/8” and repeat.Leave the bit about 1/16 shy of our total 1/2 depth.Last of all,change your guide bearing and raise the bit to exactly 1/2’’ deep,and make your final pass,moving at a little faster pace to prevent new burns.
Your final results will depend on the wood you are cutting and the sharpness of your bit,etc…

Pattern Bit.

First pass.

Routing.

Final pass is pretty clean and is 3/8’’ wide and 1/2’’ deep.

Next
Carefully and lightly sand the rabbet just enough to smooth it out.Then sand a very small radius on the inside edge of the lip to ease fitting in the lid.This will prevent denting as you test fit the lid… over and over.

Do not cut the lid to size until you are sure which type of box you are making!!!
Skip the following for now, and jump to Chapter #7 to read about lid/hinge configurations.
http://lumberjocks.com/Argyllshire/blog/9871

The following information basically applies to fitting lids to all three styles of boxes.Just dont cut the lid to size until you are sure how it hinges,or if it will just lift out.This will become clearer as we proceed.

Regarding wood movement:

Depending on the wood you use,where you live,and your own personal experience,you may want to allow more clearance.

This is what works for me.

I really dont allow for any movement at this stage.I know this sounds like trouble waiting to happen, but it works just fine for me.Even if we start off with a snug fit,we will still end up with a small gap around the perimeter.This is due to the final sanding and easing of the edges between lid and lip.Feel free to start off with a small gap (1/16) or so if you wish.But keep in mind that as you sand your mating edges,that its very easy to get a sloppy fit.This would allow the lid to move from side to side,which will just feel wrong,and the pins may show too much in the gap,and the handle may not drop straight into the seat,but might rub the sides on the way down.

The only time I have seen a problem was when one of my boxes was placed on a counter in the bathroom and over a few months the high humidity caused the lid to stick.Once removed from that room, it returned to normal,about two months later.

The (pin type hinged lid,Full Recess) and the (Lift Out lid) are identical in size and shape and how you fit them.

The (“Soss” barrel hinge or butt style hinged lid) is going to be wider and only two of the corners are radiused.

Now you can cut the lid to length and width and then shape the corners.

I cut the lid a little fat and ease into the final size.(I shape the corners only after I am satisfied with the fit.)
Obviously the lid wont drop into the recess yet,so I check the fit by lowering the edge of the end down into the rabbet and then testing the length by lowering in the edge of the side in the same manner,staying just out of the corners.I use a sanding block for final fitting,checking often.

Fitting the end.To aid with your test fitting,ease the bottom edge of the lid with sandpaper.But not too much!
(The deep rabbet visible on the left corner of the box will be explained shortly)

Next
Now to shape the corners.You can make a template from 1/4’’ masonite.Its less risky fitting this than your choice piece of wood.Get it to fit into the top of the box as perfectly as you can, and mount that to the lid blank with several strips of two sided tape or super glue.Then run that around your pattern bit.Remember to allow for sanding out burn marks and chips.It doesnt take much at all to end up with a sloppy lid.

Tip
I prefer to scribe the corners with a compass or a marking jig like this one and slowly remove the wood on a disc sander.(Less risk of tearout)
I leave the pencil line and ease into the fit using a palm sander with 220 grit.This finer grit ensures that I dont eat away the corner too quickly.I stop and test fit often and work only one corner at a time.I finish up the fit with a padded sanding block.

”Quick Corner” jig purchased at Woodcraft.

Shaping the corners.

The fitted lid.

Next time we will route out a recess for the medallion.

Thanks for reading,
Andy