Po

"Paul"

15/11/2003 5:21 AM

Making a large chest

After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the bed
some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to make
one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the chest.
I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on my
smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
procedure involving a circular saw? My reason for considering doing it this
way is that I think it would be easier for me to get the top to match the
bottom easier. Is this way a ridicoulous idea? Should I try to make the top
and bottom seperate? Thanks for your advice.
--
Paul
[email protected]
"You can make it foolproof, but you can't make it Damned foolproof."





This topic has 8 replies

BA

Bay Area Dave

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 4:57 PM

oh, I thought this was about implants...

My bad.

dave

Paul wrote:

> After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the bed
> some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to make
> one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the chest.
> I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
> wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
> making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on my
> smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
> procedure involving a circular saw? My reason for considering doing it this
> way is that I think it would be easier for me to get the top to match the
> bottom easier. Is this way a ridicoulous idea? Should I try to make the top
> and bottom seperate? Thanks for your advice.

RB

Rob Bowman

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

24/11/2003 1:49 PM

On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 05:21:45 -0800, "Paul" <[email protected]> emerged from the woodpile and
uttered:

>... As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on my
>smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
>procedure involving a circular saw?....

I've seen this done very successfully using a hand saw to cut the top & bottom apart. If, like me,
your handsaw control leaves a little to be desired, then you can clamp a straight batten along the
cut line as you go round. Going slowly will at least limit you to small mistakes (which, after a
bit of "fettling", will be unnoticeable), as opposed to ripping the top off with a TS/CS, which
could result in a big mistake on your nearly-finished chest, especially if your power tool setup
isn't big enough for the job.
Cheers,
Rob.

Cheers,
Rob.
Remove all capital letters to get real email address

Dw

"47Driver"

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 11:04 AM

Just as a suggestion why not make a slight overhang on the top. Like the
one found here perhaps.

http://www.ch47.org/wood.htm

Ken Gunter

Woodworker & CH-47D Pilot

http://www.ch47.org
[email protected]



"Paul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the bed
> some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to make
> one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the
chest.
> I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
> wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
> making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on
my
> smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
> procedure involving a circular saw? My reason for considering doing it
this
> way is that I think it would be easier for me to get the top to match the
> bottom easier. Is this way a ridicoulous idea? Should I try to make the
top
> and bottom seperate? Thanks for your advice.
> --
> Paul
> [email protected]
> "You can make it foolproof, but you can't make it Damned foolproof."
>
>
>
>
>

Sk

"Swingman"

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 4:06 PM

You're welcome. The method works as well as with a circular saw as it does
with a table saw. Keeps the top and bottom from moving apart, and the kerf
open.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/21/03



"Paul" wrote in message

> Thanks for the advice. I may still want to do it with a circular saw as
the
> table on my DW744 is smallish, but will try a dry run before I cut to see
> how it feels.

Po

"Paul"

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 7:49 AM


"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It is an excellent idea and makes a perfectly fitting top.
>
> A little trick for cutting a top off the box safely with a table saw.
>
> Before you glue up the box, mark where you want to make the cut line on
the
> inside and, using hot melt glue, glue 1/2" thick strips across the cut
line,
> like stitches, three of four on each side.
>
>
> --
> www.e-woodshop.net
> Last update: 9/21/03
>
> "Paul" wrote in message
> > After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the
bed
> > some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to
make
> > one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the
> chest.
> > I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
> > wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
> > making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on
> my
> > smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
> > procedure involving a circular saw?
>

Thanks for the advice. I may still want to do it with a circular saw as the
table on my DW744 is smallish, but will try a dry run before I cut to see
how it feels.
--
Paul
[email protected]
"You can make it foolproof, but you can't make it Damned foolproof."




Po

"Paul"

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 11:42 AM


"47Driver" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just as a suggestion why not make a slight overhang on the top. Like the
> one found here perhaps.
>
> http://www.ch47.org/wood.htm
>
> Ken Gunter
>
> Woodworker & CH-47D Pilot
>
> http://www.ch47.org
> [email protected]
>
>
>
> "Paul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the
bed
> > some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to
make
> > one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the
> chest.
> > I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
> > wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
> > making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on
> my
> > smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
> > procedure involving a circular saw


That one is very nice, much nicer than what I envision myself making.
Actually was going for a different style.
--
Paul
[email protected]
"You can make it foolproof, but you can't make it Damned foolproof."




Sk

"Swingman"

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 2:34 PM

It is an excellent idea and makes a perfectly fitting top.

A little trick for cutting a top off the box safely with a table saw.

Before you glue up the box, mark where you want to make the cut line on the
inside and, using hot melt glue, glue 1/2" thick strips across the cut line,
like stitches, three of four on each side.

When you go to cut the top off, make sure that the saw blade is at a height
that won't cut through these strips. The strips will hold the top in place
while you make the cut on the table saw.

It is a simple matter to then cut through the strips, with a small hand saw.
Use hot melt glue as it is easy to remove from the inside of the top and
box.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/21/03

"Paul" wrote in message
> After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the bed
> some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to make
> one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the
chest.
> I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
> wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
> making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on
my
> smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
> procedure involving a circular saw? My reason for considering doing it
this
> way is that I think it would be easier for me to get the top to match the
> bottom easier. Is this way a ridicoulous idea? Should I try to make the
top
> and bottom seperate? Thanks for your advice.

Pn

Phisherman

in reply to "Paul" on 15/11/2003 5:21 AM

15/11/2003 4:56 PM

On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 05:21:45 -0800, "Paul" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>After promising the wife to make her a chest to go at the foot of the bed
>some months ago, I have been looking at plans and mulling over how to make
>one with the tools at hand. My main question concerns the top of the chest.
>I suppose everyone makes the top seperately from the bottom, but was
>wondering about just making a box and cutting the top off as they do in
>making small boxes. As I think about it, I think this would be unsafe on my
>smallish DW744, but was wondering if any of you have used a particular
>procedure involving a circular saw? My reason for considering doing it this
>way is that I think it would be easier for me to get the top to match the
>bottom easier. Is this way a ridicoulous idea? Should I try to make the top
>and bottom seperate? Thanks for your advice.

Your circular saw should work. Don't cut all the way through. Leave
maybe 1/8" and cut that by hand. Some kind of jig or fence attached
to the circular saw will keep the blade where it belongs. Sometimes a
small saw is good when working on a big project.


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