DIYbanter - View Single Post - How do you fit box tops? (Longer than it needs to be)

In article ,
(Arch) wrote:

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

Arch,

I use a locking vernier or dial caliper. You need one that when you lock
it the inside and outside readings are the same. Some of the cheap ones
are NOT!. Make your lid first and measure the recess with the calipers
when it is finished. Now open the calipers another 1/32" inch or so and
lock it. Forgot to mention that you need to round the ends of the jaws
slightly that you use to measure outside diameters. Now that you have
modified the calipers, use them and your parting tool to cut the tenon
on the box. I make the tenon slightly oversize, so that I can fine tune
the fit, or in case I get heavy handed with the parting tool. Also
starting with the tenon a bit larger means that I can make it a very
snug fit for the lid, so that I can finish turn the lid using light cuts.
To size the tenon I taper it slightly so that the edge is smaller than
the body, when the lid will just slip over the begining of the tenon,
hold it lightly against the spinning wood and it will burnish a ring on
the tenon at the correct diameter for a correct fit.

--
Dan Kozar

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