twin sliding lid boxes

Very nice…I like the live edge.

Do you do you finger joints on the router table or on the table saw?

-- Greg - Charles Town, WV

Greg is right, the live edge really set it off. I really like the contrasting colors.

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

I love the natural edge as one side of the box… so cool. Nice piece of leopard wood too.

-- Happy woodworking! http://www.blakeweber.us

Thanks for the comments.

When I picked up the maple I rooted around to find a nicely figured piece. When you’re looking for the figure you take what they have and in this case it was the live edge. When I bought the piece I figured I’d just have to clean up the live edge when the time came. When I finally started laying the peices near each other I decided to leave the edge and see how it turned out. I decided I liked it and I’m glad to hear support for leaving it.

To cut the finger joints I use a router table and a solid carbide upcut spiral bit. I found using the standard 2 flute bits, even a shear cut, blew out the exit and end fingers far too often. With a spiral bit and a backing board I dont have any blow out. I dont need to scribe or tape, or support the end fingers.

The jig I use looks exactly like this one at The Router Workshop Boxjoint Jig.

I used a 1/4 inch bit for the two latest boxes. It’s so dang fast and easy I’ve started making sliding lid pine boxes as gift wrapping for other gifts. I use the jig to cut the finger joints, the bottom groove and the top groove for the sliding lid. Pretty much one setup and one tool.

I set the finger spacing to 1/4, then I cut the grooves for the top and bottom 1/4 of an inch in from the top and bottom. I cut the grooves 1/4 inch wide so the bottom is 1/4 inch thick. I do lower the bit when cutting the top and bottom grooves depending on how thick the sides are.

I do stopped grooves by lowering the piece onto the spinning bit and tipping it up at the end.

If I have a thin lid I’ll cut the top grooves on the table saw at 1/8 inch from a single pass on a standard kerf blade.

Minimal setup variations. It’s not a production setup but I do try to minimize the change up. Makes it faster and easier for me and lowers the chance that I’ll mess up a step.

The purple heart really adds effect. Great job.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Nice Job. These look great.

Thanks for posting them.

-- Martin, Kansas

Excellent work! The live edge is interesting…..

JC

-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan

I like the pull handle. Colour combination is beautiful.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

Gorgeous boxes, you look like you are an expert box maker.

-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -

Another good one.

-- Thos. Angle, Jordan Valley, Oregon

Very cool… I like the leopard wood… awesome…

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

Some great loking boxes. The live edge gives it a unique touch.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

great looken boxes

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com