Making a large chest

[Paul]

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.

[Swingman]

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.

[Paul]

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.

[47Driver]

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

Gunter

Woodworker & CH-47D Pilot

[e-mail]

[Swingman]

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.

[Phisherman]

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.

[Bay Area Dave]

oh, I thought this was about implants...

My bad.

dave

Paul wrote:

[Paul]

That one is very nice, much nicer than what I envision myself making. Actually was going for a different style.

[Rob Bowman]

On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 05:21:45 -0800, "Paul" emerged from the woodpile and uttered:

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