Wow Steve, can you believe you've been doing Lockdown Woodworking for almost six months? Thank you for continuing to do it, it is one of the best things ever happen to RU-vid!
Ha! I kept saying "I know this guy from somewhere. I feel like he should be telling me what color shoes to wear with my suit". I watched some of your videos before my wedding last year.
I made my first box and did the first "bravery test" and cut the box on all four sides with the table saw and it worked out perfect. I raised the blade up another 1/4"" and had no additional sanding to do. Thanks for the great videos Steve.
So true about being hyper critical about ones creation. --- I had a chuckle about putting the 'crappy' side to the wall, because that's what I've done.
Im from central Alberta, Canada. In 2016 we had really bad forest fires that took out a portion of a Northern city called Fort McMurray. About 500 km away. (310 mi) We experienced that same red/orange sky, and "snowing" ash for weeks. It even blotted out the sun. The Air was horrible. We had to wear dust masks outside. I feel for you brother. I hope it settles down soon. Stay safe my man. Peace.
I haven't made the same shoe shine box as you Steve, but I did follow your instructions for how to cut the top off a box I'd built. It's my first attempt at anything like this and I did it with hardwood plywood (I'm in the Somerset in the SW of England, UK). I was making a sewing reel and accessories box for my wife as a belated birthday present. Still waiting for the box hardware to be delivered (piano hinge, ornate chest handle for the top and some buckle clasps for the front). Have finished it with Danish oil on the outside and clear satin, water based varnish on the insides as I thought it would be more hard wearing. Thank you Steve for all you do and all that you've taught me to date.
When I make boxes I glue 2 peices of scrap wood inside along the cut line before closing the box off. Then when you run it through the table saw you only cut through the box and not all the way through the scrap. Finishing cutting through the scrap with a hand saw. When gluing the scrap wood I usually go side wall, glue, a peice of paper the same width as the scrap, glue, and then the scrap wood. This is so when you remove the blocks from the inside the paper let's go and doesn't damage the wood.
In Sydney Australia, we often get burnt leaves raining down from bushfires at Christmas instead of snow. And no, it is nothing new. I can remember a Christmas in the '90s where our whole lawn was carpeted in burnt leaves from fires on the other side of the city.
All right- I'm number 100. I asked my wife if I should make a shoe shine box. She asked, when was the last time you shined flip-flops? Grrrrr Steve, my man, the beard looks great. Thanks for the videos, they are helping me stay, sorta, sane.
I learnt something today! I had known about using sawdust/glue as a filler since school but never used it because it always seemed to yield poor results. Now I see I should have been using "sanding powder" rather than "saw dust" (doh). The sawdust is way to coarse - the result you are getting is perfect. It is amazing that I have never thought more about this over the past ~50 years - I guess I always just thought the woodshop teacher was stupid and dismissed the technique when it didn't work for me.
If you're going to be applying a clear finish, sometimes it's better to mix your filler paste with your finish material rather than with glue. For example, if you're going to be finishing with polyurethane, just use some polyurethane with your sanding powder. Then later when you apply your polyurethane finish, the whole repair will completely disappear. Polyurethane over glue rarely turns out well, but poly over poly is perfect.
Cutting mortises for the hinges will remove that little gap for a nice unbroken look when closed. With a little chisel practice, it's fairly easy to do.
As a maker of quilts, garments, and now woodworking I think the biggest lesson I've learned is to forgive myself right away for mistakes because if I don't I won't have any fun.
I finally got around to make an auxiliary fence for my router extension on the table for my jobsite table saw yesterday. Man, what an improvement, actually having a fence to press the work piece against, and some real dust extraction. It was pure bliss seeing all that dust being sucked away from the bit instead of building up on the table top and beneath the router. :) The fence clamps onto the fence of my Dewalt DW745. I removed the holders on the back side of the fence for the push stick that came with the saw to get maximum clamping area (didn't want to warp the aluminium). I used Bessey TK6 clamps to fasten the fence, and the flange on the body of the clamp lets it sit perfectly level on the top of the saw's fence. The rods on the clams are press fitted into the fence itself, and the "load spreader" on the back is secured to the clamps wit some big washers that I cut some slots into and fastened to the board. That way everything stays nicely together when I pull it off. I might cut off the "handle" on the clamps and put on some finger screws secured with a lock nut if I cab find some with the correct thread, as they are hard to get a good grip on.
Glad to see you are not apparently too close to the fire. I did worry when it took a long time between videos. Stay safe and well. I always enjoy watching.
I finally dove into my first woodworking project and it doesn’t have any problems at all. ;) It’s a desk for my oldest boy. Top is my first glue up of 3 2x10’s that I ripped. Did every cut with just a circular saw and some homemade jigs (technically those were the first projects). I spent so much time on just the top alone, but the reward of seeing it done and how happy my son is with it was worth it! After watching you and so many others on RU-vid for so long, it was nice to finally give something a shot! Thanks for all the inspiration and information.
I use an old school rubber sanding block that basically is used for auto-body sanding. Sanding sharp edges on wood projects kinda scares me as a splinter is just waiting to shoot up my fingernail. OUCH! You can get them on sale on Amazon for about 5 bucks. And they work great, faster, straighter, and you know (less scary).
when rounding the edge, you will get better results if you use a small block of scrap wood to wrap the sandpaper around. I use 120 or 220, or even old discs
When I was a Senior in High School, I took Woodworking as an elective subject. I built a “Sewing Machine Cabinet/Table” for my mother’s old sewing machine. I took great care to get all the pieces cut & sanded & with the help of our “Shop Teacher” everything came together so well. It is still a beautiful piece of furniture, 51 years later. Anthony
This is such a great beginner's project. People can build their skill with it and make different shaped/sized boxes without difficulty. And if you are into carving, you can do one on the lid. Like maybe some knot work. It will make it a real keepsake.
This video is actually very helpful to me for a completely different project. I undertook the task of building a chest for a friend's aunt about two months ago, and after many unforeseen complications, I have finally got to this point. Just to hear a few tips to make the process go a bit smoother has raised my confidence, and I suspect I'll be able to knock this out in the next few days. Thanks Steve!
I'm 51 and I made a box exactly this way when I was in IA as a teenage girl at school. Using sanding dust and glue to make the filler too! I failed the lathe safety test so I used a rasp to file down nubby legs. My mom had the box to store her treasures in before she died. I left it in Canada when I moved to the UK and kinda wish I still had it. BUT I have my first table saw now so I can make a new one. Not sure if they will sell dado blades for it (second hand saw) but sure. I'll do the pass, move the fence, pass again way... I wish I had a garage. Love this channel
I love that you bring up Bob Ross. I tell people that you are like Bob Ross because you say woodworking is for everyone, whether you have a small budget, or you've never done it before. Thanks for your message Steve.
Wiping off the excess glue seems like a good idea...right up until you try to stain the work. It is soooo frustrating when you then see spots where the stain does not soak in at all! If you are going to wipe off the excess, then you need to really, really wipe it several times with a damp cloth. The alternative that I often do is to wait until the glue sets up somewhat, and then take a very sharp chisel knife edge and "cut" it off.
I like using piano hinges on boxes. I run the saw in a 1/8” cut ( thickness of the hinge ) across the back bottom of the box. To keep the hinge square to the box, I open the hinge and clamp it at the back of the box then pre drill from the center and insert the screws from the center outwards on both sides.
I just started watching this video series and I'm keen to have a go. One problem is that I don't have a table saw and, due to space constraints (houses, and hence the spare space, are smaller in the UK!), I'm unlikely to ever have one. Just watching the video here and seeing the technique of using a table saw to cut the top box lid off has left me wondering... If one does not have a table saw how would you go about doing this? Or is it the case that if you don't have a table saw then this method of box building is essentially a non-starter?
Depending on the size of the box you could try clamping a guide fence onto the lower portion of the box and make your cuts with a circular saw. You would have to pay close attention to the placement of the guide fence to keep your cuts well aligned across all four faces. For smaller boxes, make your lines across all four faces and use a hand saw. Go slow and focus on keeping your cuts square and even, sand everything to get a nice fit. Just some ideas, however, I am no master craftsman. Best of luck.
Marcus Jackson You could use a track saw which is a circular saw in combination with a track which the saw runs on. For cutting the rabbets you could use a router. Of course, you could do all of this with hand tools, too. You could cut dovetails as the joints for the box and a Japanese pullsaw to cut off the lid. The beauty of woodworking is that there is no one way to build something which means that you can set up a shop in the tiniest space. Problem solving with the means and tools you have at hand is what makes this so much fun.
Another great video, I like the collaboration because you take the time to explain and we see the interacting with Antonio so we get a really good understanding of the steps and what you are doing... I've watched you over the years and signed up for all of your woodworking courses, but these videos, in some ways, are better! Thanks so much. P.S. I've got the same white ash on my car too, going to put a smile face on my window too so we match 😁
After cutting the lid, I use a board with a piece of abrasive paper cut from a roll stuck on it. I clamp the board to my bench and move the box and lid across the abrasive paper. I find this gives me a better finish.
it always takes the stress out of me and put a smile on my face , ( put the crappy side against the wall ).✌🏼💯 geeh and I thought I'm the engines one who made the box first and then cut the led from it. well this shows there's a world of work out there.
Always enjoy your videos. I'm in a home garage shop in SF so living through this Mars-like atmosphere along with you. Your tape measure actually caught my attention because it shows the fractions, something I can really use. What brand is it?
Steve, I first gotta tell ya that I hope and pray you and yours are safe during this crazy time... Second. At first, I thought the shoe box project was a tad cheesy. Then as it has progressed, I think it has become, maybe, the most valuable series you have ever done. The video where you actually built, the box, Gosh. When I've watched that one 5 times, I will probably have just gotten started. The instructional value on that one and since, has been off the charts. Even the cat tree project shows how every project can benefit from thought and innovation. No surprise at the number of sub's you have. All the best.
Great video and fun project. I may make one just because it's a fun learning project. Thanks for sharing not only the video, but the links for parts as well as the plans. I have a radial arm saw so cutting the lid off is going to be a task. I watch how to make kind of a table saw out of a sheet of wood and a 7-1/2" hand circular saw. I thought of making one, but now I know I need one. Barry
Rabbet/rebate..........As an English viewer my old wood work teacher used to call softening/ easing the edges "breaking the arris"- the arris being the sharp corners. Enjoy your videos. An other expression, mine this time, for woodworking projects is: "Done is (generally) better than perfection"
I was always told to make boxes the same way. I think I would try to find something to cover my vehicles with. I'd be afraid of the ash damaging the paint on them. Thanks for sharing and stay safe!
Great question. When I’ve done this it kindof doesn’t matter and I’ve done it both way. Can do what feels comfortable to you and that is going to be determined when you dry run your cut. The important thing is to not pinch the lid too the box on the blade. That’s your critical point.
Great question. When I’ve done this it kindof doesn’t matter and I’ve done it both way. Can do what feels comfortable to you and that is going to be determined when you dry run your cut. The important thing is to not pinch the lid too the box on the blade. That’s your critical point.
I like to make some large sanding sticks with sandpaper glued to some scraps of think plywood and go over the lid and top of the box to flatten them out. I usually will get a tighter fit than with the random orbit sander. But I'll also usually mortise out the area for the hinges too, so if you're not going to do that then it doesn't really matter like you said.
What do you think of the technique that does not cut all the way through? Leave 1/64th or so and then finish with a hand saw. No need to tape 1/8" spacers when separating the top and bottom.
Trust me, ppl see your/my mistakes, they just don't say nothing. Someone who takes pride in the craftsmanship doesn't worry about pointing out mistakes...it makes you a better craftsmen in the long run
im a newbe. I was going to make the box.glued up my panels and was ready togo. then I discovered that my old craftsman table saw will cross cut no larger than a 6" board. so much for triming my panels or cutting my rabbits. feeling a little hopeless at the moment
We're with you in the ash & smoke department in Oregon. Very brave working outside right now. We've been snowing ash since about Monday or Tuesday in my area & it's piling up & blowing in the wind a lot. Our sun's got that weird red glow too. I hope it's not as bad there. Here a lot of cities are being evacuated due to fires or smoke/ash.
I'm loving this collaboration Steve! Even though I'm not nearly classy enough to ever shine a shoe, it's great to learn general tips from watching you respond to Antonio. Thanks!
Top tip (results may vary), depending on the capacity of your table saw, cut the lid away from the box (opposite of what's shown in the video). This way there is no need to support the lid with folded card as there is no reason the it should bind... unless you decide to turn a sharp corner mid feed. Love the vids mate, been watching them for years. First comment though.
I prefer not to stick the lid to the base for the last cut, it allows me to push the lid all the way through to clear the blade, and not have to deal with the floppyness, by all means inster a spacer if that makes you feel better. You said you were using a piano hinge, if you run the hinge side of the lid through the saw just taking off the thickness of the hinge, the lid will sit flat.
Steve, ash & water makes for acid - so wash that ash of the cars when it is all done - and keep safe. If the fire gets close, save the cats, leave the table saw - I know, I know, tough choice
Too much glue would make the folks at Kings Fine Woodworking happy ;) Eventually I will get a dado set, for now I just have to use my table saw blade, and then since it is not a flat top/bottom cut, then I have to clean up the rabbits to make them flat. I have found a stewmac dremel plunge router base and a spiral upcut bit makes that go really well for dado cleanup. I have also had good luck taking the lid off by instead of doing a through cut, cut just shy of all the way through (ie 64th or at most a 32nd) and then cut the rest with a razor knife. Then it stays together until you are ready to split it.
The biggest problem with glue is if you use too much it gets all over the wood and seals it. Much of the time sanding won't get it all off, so when you apply stain you have these spots that won't take stain because of the glue.
You should use a pencil to add a witness mark across the cut before making the last cut. That way you can be sure to orient the top and the rest of the box exactly as they were before you separated them.
I’m near the Rose Bowl in Altadena - orange skies and ash covered car here as well. Been given our evacuation warning. Fires about 8 miles to the East.
It’s funny, when Steve starts talking with his house and cars in the background, it looks like a green screen or something since he is such a different color due to his lights and the red sky
I think, when you make the final cut to separate the lid from the box, it would be better to support the two sides adjacent to the side being being cut, as close to the cut as possible. The way you've done it here - packing out and taping the side opposite the cut - you've formed a hinge which doesn't prevent the cut on the fourth side from closing when the blade completes the cut.
The ‘glue-sawdust filler’ method must be one of the oldest woodworking in-house secret going,my grandfather used that all the time on early gramophone & radio repairs/restorations(1930-50’s).
Steve, the DIY wood putty is certainly a good hack for woodworkers to know but I have a feeling that Antonio will want to stain his box. Will that glue mixture look OK after staining or will there be an obvious line there?
Perhaps. I guess it's a decision... Either accept the gaps in the joints or a accept a color variation. Or don't apply stain at all and just use a clear finish.
Hey Steve, I always enjoy your videos. Two comments: I just retired and have begun purging the unused tools collected over 40 years and making the power tools more mobile. You inspired me. Also, I notice that you don’t have a zero-clearance insert on your saw. You must have one, right?
He definitely does. In fact, he used it in a recent video(within the last couple months). He made his own, to fit. I believe he said it was because he could not find one for his table.
At the risk of adding too many tools (occupational/hobbyist hazard), might think about a small (3") block plane to ease corners and edges (Sheffield 58452 3 Inch Block Plane, $14 on Amz; Kobolt at Lowes for $11; Buck at HD for $11). Set for a very light cut, it forms a tiny chamfer which is then refined with a stroke or two of the sandpaper. The combo of plane and s-paper goes really fast. I've cut fingers on raw edges, so easing is a must for me. And any purchase under $15 in woodworking isn't a tool, it's an expense. I was almost a CPA.
I have to say, the part at the end where you're in your daylight-spectrum/white lit shop with the orange light from outside behind you, it almost looks like you're green-screened in.
Tv I built 5 of these boxes as toy boxes for family members. They turned out very well but stopped because I couldn't find a hinge with a strong enough damper. I was always afraid that little hands would be hurt by a falling lid. What / where did you find a suitable hinge?
