New Guy looking for guidance.

I think that youll find that most do it on the tablesaw to get accurate and repeatable cuts but im sure that with a router plane you could achieve what youre looking for. There’s a couple of homemade router planes posted around here or you could go with a Stanley #71 or the like. The skil saw isnt a bad idea either but a jig would be needed to make it repeatable.

Welcome to the gang Rambo.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

Table saw or router. Someone posted a tool gloat recently about a combination plane they picked up at a yard sale for about 20 pence. I think you’d get more use from a combination plane than the #71. There’s always #45’s and #50’s on ebay as well.

and

Welcome to Lumberjocks, I must warn you, this site is very addictive!

(that gets me every time)

-- Do or do not, there is no try

Table saw and/or router. Depends on how the sides are joined, but typically those grooves must be stopped before the corner, which means you’d likely do stopped cuts with a router or perhaps use a table saw and then either a router or chisel to work toward the corner. This would be the case with box joints and dovetails. But if the corners are mitered or half-lapped, then I’d just do everything with the table saw.

The alternative is to use a different type of bottom construction or to use something like a #45.

-- jay, www.allaboutastro.com

Sans a plane, you can use a saw to cut the edges down and clean up with a narrow chisel. The woodwright shop has an episode where they are cutting sliding dovetails and they use a long block set at 6* to cut down both sides and chisel out, do the same with a straight block.

-- --Rev. Russ in NY-- A posse ad esse

If your preference is hand tools, you might look into building a router plane. Here is an LJ link of a more simple but useful model can find them on ebay as well, but those usually generate a high number of bids and they are not as reasonable as other, more standard, types of planes.

-- There is little that is simple when it comes to making a simple box.

David, great link if it worked.. hee hee… ya left a ”.You” on the end.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/33456

I really like this little home made router plane, gonna have to make me one. Thanks for pointing it out.

-- I'll grow up when ketchup bottle farts stop being funny.

Thanks for correcting Ted. And for posting the proper link. I guess I should do that “preview” thing from time to time :)

-- There is little that is simple when it comes to making a simple box.

This might be the way you want to go.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/49902

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Well, although I prefer hand tools myself, grooves and dadoes are much easier to deal with on a router table. If you have nice clear stock, a plow is nice but as soon as you have any knots or weird grain, they get problematic. One of the little grooving planes like Lee Valley sells (or an old one in the same size) would be ok for small stuff.

-- Woodworking shouldn't cost a fortune: http://lowbudgetwoodworker.blogspot.com/

can always make one, or make a router plane (old lady’s tooth). a router plane can come in pretty handy in many scenarios.

-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

1. For making the groove, a Plow plane is what you want, not a router plane…

2. Another hand tool method (though not an efficient one) is to clamp a batton to the work to guiide your hand saw as you saw the long groove, one saw cut on each side, then chisel out the waste…sort of like they used to do to make a sliding dovetail…Like I said, probably not the way you want to go, but possible.

-- I'm strictly hand-tool only...unless the power tool is faster and easier!