Need Advice

[Al Stramiello]

I'd like to try to make a box with a sliding dovetail lid . . . but I want the lid to look like the one in this drawing. I'm not certain how to go about making the lid and dovetail joints.

Could someone take me through the steps? I'm a rookie at this . . . your patience is appreciated! Thanks!


Sliding Lid (Small).jpg

[Steve Bracken]

I'd like to try to make a box with a sliding dovetail lid . . . but I want the lid to look like the one in this drawing. I'm not certain how to go about making the lid and dovetail joints.

Could someone take me through the steps? I'm a rookie at this . . . your patience is appreciated! Thanks!


Sliding Lid (Small).jpg

The dovetail joints can be cut with a router, and are best done BEFORE the lid is profiled.

Make the box and lid ... all squared up then cut the dovetail on the box. Use the final bos dimensions to mark out the dovetail in the lid, then rout the lid. Do the lid profiling last.

There are probably many ways to do this .... That's how I might do it, at first sight

[Al Stramiello]

I'm sort of a visual learner kind of guy. Has anybody come across a tutorial on making lids this way? I've seen plenty of lids that slide in . . . but not like the one in the drawing.

[Frank Drew]

Al,

I've never seen a tutorial on the subject, but I think Steve's approach is right on. This is a job that could be done more or less by hand, but by using the same dovetail router bit for both the box and lid, you can get a near perfect fit with minimal fuss. A dovetail plane could accomplish the same, but they're not so commonly found.

I'd hollow out the lid's underside before the final cut, or final fit, of the dovetails, in case removing that much material causes the lid to warp necessitating a re-flattening. Same with the box portion.

And I agree with Steve that the final refinement of the top's curve can be saved until last.

[Ray DuBose]

Here is a video from the wood Whisperer episode 105 that has a sliding dovetail box. His dove tail is in the middle and not on the edges but the concept is the same.

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/oh-for-keepsake/

I'm sort of a visual learner kind of guy. Has anybody come across a tutorial on making lids this way? I've seen plenty of lids that slide in . . . but not like the one in the drawing.

[Joe Jensen]

If you are new to this, be careful on selecting wood for the top. If you use a piece of wood that is flat sawn (the grow ring grain on the end of the board goes mostly side to side) it may cup (warp) enough to make the top slide poorly. You want quarter sawn wood for the top. Ideally when looking at the growth rings running perfectly perpendicular to the top and bottom. If you can use a piece like this, it will not cup.

Also, make sure the wood is dry as if you use wetter wood, it will shrink as it dries and this could make the top tough to move.

[Lee Schierer]

If you are new to this, be careful on selecting wood for the top. If you use a piece of wood that is flat sawn (the grow ring grain on the end of the board goes mostly side to side) it may cup (warp) enough to make the top slide poorly. You want quarter sawn wood for the top. Ideally when looking at the growth rings running perfectly perpendicular to the top and bottom. If you can use a piece like this, it will not cup.

Also, make sure the wood is dry as if you use wetter wood, it will shrink as it dries and this could make the top tough to move.

Good advice Joe, also the finish should be applied to both sides of the lid so that moisture absorption stays the same. You'll need to allow some space for the finish on the underside in your fit up.

[Frank Drew]

Excellent points raised by Joe; I think I'd consider gambling on flat sawn just because I think it can be more attractive than quartered or rift, but I'd use the oldest material I had, and accept come what may.

[Josiah Bartlett]

You'll get a better action if you make the dovetail ways tapered, so it only fits tight when the box is closed.

If it was me, I would make the lid first and then fit the box to it. I find fitting the dovetails that are visible when machining to be much easier than the ones that are invisible.

If you really wanted a smooth operating box, you could inlay some sort of adjustable or spring loaded gib to the ways, much like a jointer has.

[Al Stramiello]

Thanks to all of you for the great advice. It's beginning to make sense.

[Joe Jensen]

Excellent points raised by Joe; I think I'd consider gambling on flat sawn just because I think it can be more attractive than quartered or rift, but I'd use the oldest material I had, and accept come what may.

Funny, some prefer flat sawn. I usually prefer quarter sawn in the woods I use.

[Steve Bracken]

Funny, some prefer flat sawn. I usually prefer quarter sawn in the woods I use.

Depends on where you want the movement. You can plan for it.

Quarter sawn will move across the face, and flats awn, providing it doesn't warp, will change thickness.

[Frank Drew]

Quarter sawn will move across the face, and flats awn, providing it doesn't warp, will change thickness.

Other way around.

[Frank Drew]

Funny, some prefer flat sawn. I usually prefer quarter sawn in the woods I use.

Joe,

I guess it depends on what wood I'm using and how I'm using it; for panels and such in walnut or cherry or old pine, I'd prefer well centered crown cut flat sawn, for the figure; genuine mahogany table boards I could go flat sawn, but then again quartered mahogany has such a shimmer to it I could go that route just as readily.

For drawer sides in oak or ash or mahogany, or door or panel rails and stiles in whatever -- quartered/rift.

[Steve Bracken]

Other way around.

Well that depends which way you are looking at it