Box cut - Router vs TS

[Mark W Pugh]

OK, building a router bit box. Building it all together, then cut off the top. I finished the inside prior to assembly. Now I need to cut off the top.

Question. What piece of equipment would be better for this, TS with Freud Glue Line rip blade or the router with an 1/8 upcut bit?

Thanks

[Rich Engelhardt]

TS with a combo blade is what I use.
I guess a GLR blade could be used.

[glenn bradley]

I use the tablesaw for that type of cut. I try to cut it close enough that a razor knife can finish the job but, if the material is plywood the inconsistencies of thickness can cause a problem. With ply I will use scraps of 1/8" hardboard taped into the kerfs as I go to be sure that the "halves" don't collapse toward each other and spoil the cut.

[Larry Frank]

I also think the table saw is the way to go. As Glenn mentioned closely adjust the blade height to barely not cut all the way through.

Depending on the size of the box, you want to be careful and maintain very good control. A box or lid can come flying out while cutting the lid off.

[Prashun Patel]

Those 1/8" upcut bits can be prone to snapping if used too aggressively. If you go that "rout"e, take shallow passes. Personally, I'd use a ts.

[pat warner]

If the cut is within an 1" or so of the top:
I'd use a 3-wing slotter, maybe ~1/16 - 3/32 thick.
(On the router table.)

[Aleks Hunter]

If you have the joinery done and just want to cut the top off by all means the table saw is the way to go. if you have a 40 tooth blade on a 5000 rpm saw that is 40,000 cuts per minute, some routers go up to 30,000 rpm and can be two or three wings, giving up to 90,000 cuts per minute,but the radius of the table saw at 10" vs the radius of the router bit at an inch or so tops means that the cutter on the table saw are moving through the wood about five times as fast. Its the same thinking that makes a shaper a better cutting tool than a router. downside of a shaper is they're still working on the handheld version :)