Replies

1. 
   BG | Dec 14, 2004 12:37am | #1

   Frank,

   I'll be curious to hear what others say, but I wouldn't worry too much.  Because you'll be primarily ripping you could go out and buy a rip blade..and for 1/2" stock...maybe a 40 tooth...but I would not make such an expenditure and rely on planing (smoothing)the two edges (or 8 sides) after the cut.

   PS. many like to cut these on the bandsaw...I've done it both ways but only a few times...

   
   

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   Edited 12/13/2004 4:38 pm ET by BG

2. 
   cft353 | Dec 14, 2004 05:43am | #2

   Frank,

   I just finished one of these, very similar to the one you describe. I used a thin-kerf combo blade. Though you might get by with your standard size Craftsman, if you can afford to get a thin-kerf blade I'd suggest you do it. This will insure that you don't bugger up your project that you've put a lot of work into. Plus, it's probably a Christmas gift, right? so time is of the essence.

   Good luck!

1. 
   nikkiwood | Dec 14, 2004 06:32pm | #6

   I would listen to Vern (post #4).

3. 
   vern | Dec 14, 2004 06:18am | #3

   I have probably opened hundreds of boxes on my unisaw using my Forrest woodworker 11--before starting to do this there are a couple of things I aways do first --reach for my trusty shop wizard to be sure my fence has about .003 to ,005 positive on the incut side and about 005 on the out cut side second be sure there are no outcroppings on all 4 corners that is roughness or blobs of glue clean up the corners third mark the box to designate the back of the box-- this way you won't be reversing the grain direction when you put the hinges on fourth -- set the fence at the distance you want to cut off and actually put all four sides against the fence to be sure you don't have a "rocker"-- a rocker is a box the gets glued up a little bit crooked you can try to correct it or proceed with caution( the purpose of doing this is, of course, is to split the box BUT also to have no blade burn and have all the corners match in heigth) sixth -- set the blade heigth just a scotia higher than the thickness of your box stock next , I go around to the left side of my saw so that I get a better grip and keep the uncut portion against the fence-- it doesn't matter which side you cut first --the last cut is the one you have to be sure you haven't got pressure on it against the blade-- it will usually just drop away from the blade-- but I usually help it with a little push with my finger and probably almost the most important thing to train yourself to do is to have a long follow-thru--get that box out of there so you don't snowshoe the corner--that's it----you will probably continue leaving a thin sleve of wood until you get secure--I did

   making sawdust
4. 
   TXJon | Dec 14, 2004 05:01pm | #4

   I just made a bunch of these as presents.  I used whatever blade happened to be on the saw, probably a combination blade, and did not have a problem with tearout.  I did some in oak, walnut and birch.

   I did not completely separate the lid on the tablesaw, though.  I left a strong 64th or so all the way around, and finished the cut with hand saw.  It seems like asking for trouble to cut the top completely off on the tablesaw.

5. 
   derekb | Dec 14, 2004 05:25pm | #5

   You can wrap masking tape over the cut line and you will suffer little to no tear out on the outside.  As for the inside, I have never had any trouble.  

6. 
   douglas2cats | Dec 14, 2004 06:42pm | #7

   I'd go with #4 as well, but to minimize Vern's concern about "pressure on it against the blade" for the last cut, you can make things a little less scary by taping a shim (same thickness as your blade) into the kerfs on the sides you've already cut. That way you can't accidently apply pressure and pinch the blade.

1. 
   fgnoel | Dec 14, 2004 07:44pm | #8

   Thanks for all the responses.  I decided to use the blade I have. But out of caution and because I am new at this I left about a 64th of an inch that I will cut through with utility knife and then sand or plane.  I have a sliding ts cross cut jig that I made several months ago when I was just getting into this new hobby and it has zero clearance.  I also clamped a piece of wood about 6" high onto the sliding jig to act as a kind of fence.  The box rested comfortably against it, and the whole contraption slid across the blade.  It worked fine.  No tearout.  Very clean cut.  Thanks again.

   Frank