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Construction details for the CARBA-TEC Sliding Lid Box.
See www.carba-tec.com.au for store locations.
For ease of printing, a high quality PDF version is available here.
THESE BOXES ARE DESIGNED TO BE THROUGH DOVETAILED ON THE LEIGH® DOVETAIL JIG OR THE CARBA-TEC EUROJIG® BUT THEY MAY ALSO BE HAND DOVETAILED, BOX JOINTED OR JOINED THROUGH OTHER MEANS. BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT A CHOICE OF OTHER JOINERY MAY REQUIRE THE PANEL SIZES TO BE ADJUSTED.
**WARNING** WOODWORK AND WOODWORKING TOOLS ARE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. YOU SHOULD TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY. THESE INSTRUCTIONS DO NOT CLAIM TO INSTRUCT YOU IN THE SAFE USE OF MACHINERY. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED WITH YOUR MACHINE AT ALL TIMES.
PACKAGE CONTENTS
In your pack of beautiful Western Queensland Hardwood timber you should have;
BOX COMPONENTS
2 of 200mm x 83mm x 8mm (long sides)
2 of 100mm x 83mm x 8mm (short sides)
1 of 192mm x 92mm x 8mm (neutral timber for base)
FRAME AND PANEL LID
1 of 168mm x 68mm x 8mm (decorative panel)
3 of 200mm x 20mm x 8mm (2 x long sides for frame, and 1 to machine prior to cutting to size for smaller rails.)
ALL THE TIMBER IS KILN DRIED, CUT TO SIZE AND SANDED TO 150GR.
STEP 1. LAYOUT
A feature of this timber is that it has been end matched, being sawn from the one piece. You can therefore ‘wrap’ the timber around the box, matching the grain. Layout your box and label the components clearly. It is also wise to label the corresponding edges to avoid confusion.
STEP 2. DOVETAILING
**REFER TO YOUR DOVETAIL JIG INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CUT DOVETAILS.**
On a Leigh® Jig, arrange your dovetail guide pins to suit the dimesions of the timber being machined. The dimensions used in these kits will also suit the Carba-Tec EuroJig® without modification. Cut your dovetails. A backing piece is recommended to avoid chip-out. Masking tape applied to the timber where the dovetails will be cut prior to machining will also help to prevent this. We recommend the use of CMT® Spiral Router bits for this task, as they will provide the cleanest cut.
NOTE - If you are unfamiliar with your dovetail jig, it may be wise to machine some material to the same dimensions as your box components and cut sample dovetails to check the fit and the layout first. (FIG. 2, 3 & 4)
Figures 2, 3 & 4
Figure 5
Dry assemble the box and hold it together with masking tape. Set up a 4mm slot cutter with a bearing in a router table. The rebates should be 4mm deep. Run the rebate around the inside of the box, 4mm up from the edge, on both the top and bottom edges. (FIG. 5)
NOTE - This will leave a rounded cavity in the corners. If you don’t have a router table you can cut this rebate on a tablesaw, with the box disassembled, but you may need to plug the ends of the dovetails where the blade comes through. The top rebate, in one end panel only, is to be cut right through. This accomodates the sliding lid.
STEP 4. RABBETING THE BOTTOM PANEL
To fit the bottom panel into the rebate you will need to create a tongue around the edge of the base. A rabbeting bit is ideal. This tongue will need to be 4mm deep and a fraction under 4mm thick so it will comfortably fit into the 4mm rebate. If you have cut the rebate with the box assembled you will need to round the corners before you cut the rabbet. A 10 cent piece is ideal for this. (FIG. 6)
Remember if you don’t have a router table, the rabbet can be cut on a tablesaw on the same setting you used for your rebate.(FIG. 7 & 8)
Figures 6, 7 & 8
STEP 5. GLUING UP
Finish sand the inside faces then glue and assemble the main body of the box. Take care not to use too much glue. Excessive squeeze out may leave marks under your finish. Wipe the excess off before dry. We suggest using Titebond® Original wood glue as it creates a very strong joint and sands well.
Figure 9
The lid is a standard frame and loose panel construction. (FIG. 9) It has a rabbet on 3 of its outer sides to fit into the rebate on the top of the body of the box. The 4th outer edge is not rebated.
PLEASE NOTE - TO AVOID MACHINING VERY SMALL STOCK, WE PROVIDE THE FRAME IN THREE LONG PIECES. THESE ARE ALL TO BE REBATED, BEFORE ONE OF THE THREE IS CUT TO SIZE FOR THE SHORT RAILS OF THE FRAME. THE TENONS ARE THEN HAND CUT.
The frame is joined using an 8mm tenon on the ends of the rails. It fits into the 8mm rebate that runs right around the inside of the frame to fit the panel into.
Figure 10
Set up your router table with a 4mm slot cutter.
Set up the fence so there is no more clearance
than is needed for the router bit to come through.
Position the cutter height so the rebate falls in the centre of the workpiece.
The depth of the rebate needs to be 8mm.
Rebate all three rail sections. (FIG. 10)
Figure 11
C. CUTTING THE TENONS
It is safest to cut the small tenons on the rails by hand. Mark them out with a marking gauge. They are to be 4mm thick and 8mm deep and should run the full width of the 20mm wide rail. We suggest a fine precision Japanese Dozuki saw such as a WDG-150 or a Z-7029. These saws are per- fect for fine accurate cuts such as needed here. If you want to cut the tenons on a tablesaw take care doing this as the rails are tiny and your hands are close to the blade. Use a push block for support or better yet, make a jig to hold the rails. It may seem like a lot of trouble to go to, but jigs can save your fingers and/or your sanity. On a tablesaw set the height to 2mm (taken off each side), the thickness of the tongue (or tenon) therefore should be 4mm, and a depth/width of 8mm.(FIG. 12 & 13)
Figures 12 & 13
Figure 14
To fit the top panel into the frame you will need to reduce the thickness of the edges down to 4mm by cutting a mould around the outside. A cove cutting bit, dish cutting/bowl and tray bit or similar is required. (CMT® 851-502-11 is ideal.) The panel fits into the rebate 8mm all round. (FIG. 14)
Figure 15
Dry assemble the lid, make sure it all goes together well and the panel fits in to the frame.
When you are happy, glue the lid together, check for square and gently clamp it over night. Don’t use too much clamping pressure which can distort the job, or too much glue. It can be hard removing all the squeeze out from the corners. (FIG. 15)
Figure 16
Fine sand the sliding lid. The last job is to run a rabbet around 3 sides of it to slide into the top rebate. This needs to be 4mm deep x 4mm wide. It can be done on a router table or a tablesaw. If you have cut the box rebate on a router with the box assembled, you will need to round the tongue to fit into the curved ends. (FIG. 16)
Test the fit, the lid should slide easily and sit nicely into place.
STEP 7. FINISHING
Native western timbers take a variety of finishes very well and can be cabinet scraped or sanded to a very fine level, bringing out and burnishing the natural oil in the timber. The more effort you put into this pre-finish routine, the greater the reward will be. FIG. 1. The Organoil® products, particularly the Hard Burnishing Oil are highly compatible with these beautiful timbers. ENJOY !!!