Box making help needed.

[Dan Forman]

I want to make a fairly simple box with dovetailed sides and 1/8" plywood bottom. How can I groove the sides to accept the bottom without leaving holes showing on two of the sides, which is what would happen if I made the grooves as through cuts on the table saw? I seem to recall hearing that 1/8" router bits break easily when cutting grooves, is this true?

The box will be about 12 X 6 X 3" deep, really just an excuse to practice dovetails and use a scrap of spalted birch. It will go on the workbench and hold chisels, to protect them from mishaps while working with them.

Dan

[Roy Wall]

This gives you a chance to practice the Half-blind DT's......that will hide the grooves. Just make sure the groove goes within your "bottom-most" tail and you're good to go. Since its a box, you'll need to make the other face HB also......double the fun - and good practice

Use the TS and groove all four sides.. the groove will also be between the Pins but covered with the adjacent tail board.

[john whittaker]

Stop dado
1/8" spiral bit should do fine...If you think it might break just take multiple light cuts.
Nice hair:eek:

[Chris Padilla]

What Mr. Whittaker said...just take it easy on the 1/8" bit and don't hog the groove/dado out all at once.

Set up stop blocks on the router table or for the handheld router

[Barry O'Mahony]

I seem to recall hearing that 1/8" router bits break easily when cutting grooves, is this true?While not "easily", they do break often: always have more than one around. Especially if it's 10 pm on a Sunday night and you have to get something done that night; that's when they like to break the most.

[Charles McCracken]

Dan,

Another option is to dry assemble the box and use a slot cutter bit to make the groove. Then radius or clip the corners of the plywood bottom to fit the groove.

[Cecil Arnold]

Dan, I made a half dozen boxes similar to what you describe and used stopped dadoes. Didn't have a problem with chip out or breaking bits but having a spare bit would be a good idea.

[Danny Buie]

Dan,
How about a mitered dovetail. If you are praticing handcut dovetails this one is chalenging. Ian Kirby's book, The Complete Dovetail from the Cambium Press, provides an excellent explanation of this joint and handcut dovetails in general.
Thanks
Danny

[Dan Forman]

Hmmm, lots of things to think about. Thanks for all the suggestions, let you know what I decide.

Dan