My first step is to install a 1/4" dado blade in the table saw. I then clamp a sacrificial fence to my fence which I slide over until it is just touching the dado blade. After setting the blade height to 1/4" I run a couple of test boards through to check my setup.
I then cut the rabbets on the fronts and backs that will hold the sides. These are 1/4" wide by 1/4" deep.
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| Fronts and Backs |
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| Bottoms |
With my rabbets complete I turned my attention to making the grooves that would hold the bottoms in place. I remove my sacrificial fence and set the table saw fence using the same template I used to shape the feet. This is accurate enough of a method for setting the fence because it is most important to have the grooves all be the same distance from the bottom rather than a specific distance. In the fronts and backs this is a 1/4" deep groove, in the sides it is 1/8". I use scrap to test the cuts and ensure they are the correct depth. I use my template to locate the position of the groove.
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| All the pieces |
With all the joinery complete it was just a simple matter of gluing up all the pieces. The first thing I did was to dry fit the pieces in order to make sure glue up would go smoothly.
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| Dry Fit |
Often the tongues on the bottoms would be a little thick so I'd use my shoulder plane to shave the thinner until I had a good fit. After I was happy with how all the parts were fitting together I'd glue them up.
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| Glue up |
I used another clamp across the top; however, I took this photo without for better clarity. After twenty or thirty minutes I removed the clamps and cleaned up the glue squeeze out with a chisel.
The finished boxes got some final sanding and then got move to the finishing room for cleanup.
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| Assembled boxes (Tulip, Chechen, Cherry, Spanish Cedar, Black Palm) |
Next up: Finishing!
