Arch:

It's a simple fact: inside-fitting box lids are a problem to fit. In
addition to going from too-tight to too-loose in a single cut, they take up
space in the box and have a tendency (mine do, yours may be quite a bit
better) to move less with humidity than the box itself, resulting over time
in a beautiful, tightly-closed, hollow form. Outside-fitting lids, ala
Raffin's, are quite a bit easier to adjust to a nice soft "pop!" fit, do not
take up space in the box and, since they themselves are hollow, move nicely
with the base of the box. As you can probably tell, I am a convert and very
seldom turn in-fitting lid boxes any more.

But to answer your question, I'd rather have a loose lid than one I can't
get off, so the few in-fitting lid boxes I turn have (slightly) loose
fitting tops... for that much-appreciated, one-handed feature that I always
point out. To hit the fit it without endless trial and error, I turn the
top first, measure the flange with dividers, move the dividers IN a full
turn, then transfer the measurement to the box. This gives me a (safe) line
(circle actually) to hollow to, which is slightly smaller than what I need.
It is then a simple matter of trail and error (more than twice and you are
playing with it) to adjust for the (loose) fit I'm looking for.

There may be more sophisticated ways of doing this, possibly adapting
Raffin's lid fitting technique. He holds the finished lid to the spinning
taper of the mating surface, then burnishes a line on the taper which marks
the diameter of the box lid flange, no measuring. Turning to that diameter
gives a perfect fit, every time.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI


"Arch" wrote in message
...
It is taking me as long to fit a box top on or in its base as to make
the rest of the box. Even taking my time and being patient (I don't have
much of either) some of my box tops fall out of the base when held
upside down and I have to pretend that's for easy one hand removal. I
guess I could morph the bases into small cups, but I hate to throw the
tops (or anything else) away.

There has to be a better way than cut & try, cut & try, cut & try, cut
& overshoot! We can put a man on the moon, etc.

I know and have used several ways for making an accurate "pop fit', but
all the methods that I know of end up with the sameole 'cutting &
trying' and a miserable success rate.

I don't want to go to the moon, I just want a quick & easy way to fit
box tops. What method do you accomplished Boxers find best to fit box
tops so they don't fall out?


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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