How are handles like this cut?

[Joe Hillmann]

I am trying to figure out how handles like these crates are cut.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/153197711/vintage-wooden-berry-crate-rustic?ref=listing_favoriter&atr_uid=8653949.

I hope it is ok that I posted a link to an etsy store. If not could the moderator just delete the entire post.

[Prashun Patel]

You could clamp the piece to your tablesaw and raise a dado stack partially into it - as if you're cutting a zero-clearance insert.

[Todd Burch]

Looks like a plunge cut on a tablesaw moulding head with a cutter designed in that shape. Very quick to make.

[Andrew Fleck]

Those look pretty rough. I would think you could knock those out with a chisel fairly quickly. Knocking them out with a chisel would match the rustic look.

[John Schweikert]

Looking at the third photo, I'd say one method would be plunge cutting with an angled dado set. Reason is that the interior top of the handle shape is angled, the cutout resembles a shallow dado and the angle would feather the lower curves. A jig on the table saw to set the angle would be safer than tilting the arbor.

Another more complicated method would be to use a swivel or pendulum jig for a straight router bit. Jig would be need to be at a slight angle and the router would swing back and forth to make the cutout.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you just want to make handles somewhat like that, you can do it with a plunge router, a template guide, and a shop-made template. This would be a lot less scary than plunge cutting with a dado head!

[Todd Burch]

If you just want to make handles somewhat like that, you can do it with a plunge router, a template guide, and a shop-made template. This would be a lot less scary than plunge cutting with a dado head!

How does a router make an asymmetrical cut?

[Rick Potter]

I would think that with the number of those boxes that were made, some company used a shaper cutter and a plunge cut, into the shaper fence.

[Jamie Buxton]

How does a router make an asymmetrical cut?

It doesn't. I said "somewhat". The method I suggested would make a flat-bottomed recess. It would be functionally identical to the pictured recess, but of a different shape.

[glenn bradley]

I use one of these (http://www.amanatool.com/bits-fv/54198.html) but, the profile is not that large. For cuting board grips I do one side which ends up looking like a small version of the linked item, then flip the board over and do the other half of the profile. My guess is shaper for the items shown.

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[Prashun Patel]

Given the bottom is coved, I bet they did this with a shaper.

IMHO, the easiest is still a plunge cut with a dado on the tablesaw, which is actually not scary nor unsafe IF you clamp the piece to the table top. I would cut the handles before assembly, and I'd use a long backer/caul that could be clamped at the rear and front of the saw. You just don't want the piece lifting or bowing as you plunge the dado.

[Peter Quinn]

Don't over think this. You clamp a board to the infeed side. You set the dado height, you make the crates, then using a tall fence clamped to or over the stock fence you plunge onto the cutter and lift back off of it. Easier on a shaper, but the exact same idea. Much more control holding the whole crate than just the thin little sides. And raising the blade or cutter requires knowing where to stop, which you can't do on a saw or shaper. How did they do these originally? Probably a "trauncher" where a foot pedal is pushed to advance a cutter into the work, the work remains stationary. Not a realistic method for the small shop I less you are making thousands.

i did some maple service boards, like long cutting boards for a friend with the same finger slots, easier to do than to contemplate. If it really scares you, you can make the sides Three strip glue up, or a two strip glue up. Rip a strip to expose the leading edge of a finger pull, make a jig to stand the side up, pull to the bottom, the jig has the arc of the pull in its pattern, use a pattern bit to route the shape in, then glue the strips back together to reform the side. I've done that using a single wide board for a slightly different application, you can't even tell its a glue up on straight grain wood.

[Joe Hillmann]

As has been pointed out the handles are probably cut on a shaper. I took a look at my router bits I found one that would make a similar cut if I do a plunge cut, run the board across the blade for two inches then pull it out. I will try it this evening but I don't know if I can raise the blade on my router table high enough to get the handle where I want it.

[Bill Huber]

I guess it comes down to how many you need to cut.
If you need a bunch of them like 50 or more then I would go with a molding head with a cutter made to that profile or shaper.
If you just need 6 or 8 then I think a cove router bit would do it something like this one. Frued makes one that is like 1 1/2".

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[Joe Hillmann]

Bill, With any luck I will need 1000's of them cut. But since it is a new product in my store I don't want to invest in specialist tools until I know I can sell them. I already have a router bit similar to what you put up a picture of, the issue is if I can raise the bit up high enough on my router table to cut the handle where it needs to be. And if at that heigth my router is stable enough to not deflect when I push the wood into the bit.

[Todd Burch]

I guess it comes down to how many you need to cut.
If you need a bunch of them like 50 or more then I would go with a molding head with a cutter made to that profile or shaper.
If you just need 6 or 8 then I think a cove router bit would do it something like this one. Frued makes one that is like 1 1/2".

275282

Bill, you are a genius. THAT'S how you make an asymmetrical cut with a router.
Jamie, I believe you were saying (or at least eluding) to the same thing.

[Mike Henderson]

I think there was a thread here earlier that discussed how to make those. I don't remember what was suggested in that thread but you might search.

I recall someone posted a YouTube video of a guy making those and the idea was pretty good. I think the original posting had to do with handles cut into bee hives.

Mike

[I found it. Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5yWQCARkUw).]

[phil harold]

Check out this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5yWQCARkUw

[Joe Hillmann]

Check out this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5yWQCARkUw

That is exactly what I was looking for. I was figuring some type of ramp on the table saw but couldn't figure out a safe way to hold the ends of the boxes. Thank you.

[Joe Hillmann]

What Keywords were you guys searching for to come up with that video? Most of my searches kept bringing up metal hardware or drilling two holes and using a saw to cut out between them.

[Lee Schierer]

Given the bottom is coved, I bet they did this with a shaper.

IMHO, the easiest is still a plunge cut with a dado on the tablesaw, which is actually not scary nor unsafe IF you clamp the piece to the table top. I would cut the handles before assembly, and I'd use a long backer/caul that could be clamped at the rear and front of the saw. You just don't want the piece lifting or bowing as you plunge the dado.

Lowering a piece of wood onto a moving blade is extremely dangerous even with the precautions noted above, as you cannot control the speed of cut as you lower the board to prevent grabbing. The only safe way to do this is to set the blade at the desired depth of cut. Then lower the blade counting the number of turns to get the teeth below the table surface. Then with the saw turned off place the piece on the table and have a stop located behind it and clamp the piece down to the table. The start the saw, raise the blade the correct number of turns, turn the saw off and lower the blade the same number of turns.

[Mike Henderson]

I think I did a Google search for "how to cut handles for beehives". The YouTube video was one of the results.

Mike

[Prashun Patel]

I see how my post was misleading. I am not espousing LOWERING anything onto the blade. I'm suggesting exactly what you clarified: lower blade completely, and raise it INTO the clamped workpiece.

[phil harold]

I searched for
cutting handles for bee hives