Design question

[Louie Ballis]

I may be placing this question in the wrong forum and if I am let me apologize for that.

I am making some jewelry boxes which a local jewelry store will sell in their shop on a cosignment basis (my first real sale my be in the near futrue).

These boxes have a 1 1/4 inch lift out tray, made of 1/4 in padulk which was assembled using a box joint router bit. What I need to know is how to attach the bottom of the tray to the tray its self. I think that if I rout a 1/8 groove in the bottom I risk tearing out the pins or fingers of the box joints. The rabbeting bit I have is also 1/2 inch tall (with numerous bearings) therefore I could only put a rabbet on the very bottom of the tray.

I do have a 23 guage pin nailer but I dont know it this would work very well or not.

Please, any suggetions?

Louie

[Sylvain Deschamps]

Would this work?
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=47818&cat=1,46168,46176&ap=1

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi louis,How about routing the groove before the finger joints?I like to make boxes also.I keep finding new ways.Stuff i didnt think of before.I find the little trays are time thiefs but i keep getting faster.

[Louie Ballis]

Thanks all for input,

Andrew,

I never thought of that. I could actually a couple of stop blocks and limit the length of the cut, thereby keeping the fingers of the joint intact. Just make sure to only remove 1/8 inch of material.

Thanks again.

And you are right. I ve never made boxes with lift out trays and find that they are time bandits for sure.

[Lee Schierer]

Use a locking rabbet joint instead of the finger joint for the corners. It is just as strong, Just as easy to make and will hide the grooves needed for the bottom. Here's an example:http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/maplebox.jpg

The inserts for this jewelry box were made with locking rabbet joints, the sides at 1/4" thick.http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/emilyjewel3.jpg

[Joe Scharle]

On my skinny trays/drawers, I prefer to glue small ledger strips (mitered) along the bottom inside edge. Usually I let the bottoms just lay on those.