one, two three...

First cuts are made sliding work pieces between stops.

With the right tools, box making can be easy as one, two three, as shown in the photos below. This joint is cut on the table saw. It requires a sled and a stop on each side. Raise the height of the blade so that it cuts to a depth equal to the thickness of the box sides plus any extra you want the laps to extend beyond the sides for clean up or visual effect. Then slide the work piece back and forth between the stops to gradually remove the material between the two fingers or laps.

Use sled to craft adjoining parts.

Then use the sled on the table saw to form the additional finger or lap, on the adjoining parts. This requires that you adust the stops carefully on both sides and then turn the stock on edge to make the final cuts. With care, you can get a tight fit. Easy as one, two, three.

These photos were taken by Mario during my box making class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking.

A carefully cut box.

What may not be quite so easy is to remove two powerful rare earth magnets when they become aligned on  each side of your finger or hand. They can attract each other with sufficient force to do damage to skin and bone. KJ Magnetics has devised a tool for removal of magnets from endangered fingers and hands, and a video that shows how. It is explained here.


Fit, fix, make, be careful and create...