Need 5 hands

[Foxfold]

Well, I have cut out my first 'proper' bandsaw box. It has a plywood middle and mahogany back and front. I'm quite liking it at the minute.

However,  I've just glued the back and front back on the carcass and the drawer.  Nobody told  me  I had to be an octopus !!!

Now I know I'm not a 'seasoned' wood worker but in heavens name how do you get clamps on without other bits sliding, albeit only  a fraction ?  

I felt like I needed 5 pairs of hands to get the job done, a 'task' that I thought I'd have done in 10mins took me almost ½hr.

I feel like I've been put through a wrestling match 

[Falcon]

I've wanted to try making a bandsaw box just haven't made time. Pic's and pointers from you would be nice. Maybe I can learn from your headache lol.

[Foxfold]

2 minutes ago, Falcon said:

I've wanted to try making a bandsaw box just haven't made time. Pic's and pointers from you would be nice. Maybe I can learn from your headache lol.

On the surface it doesn't seem difficult. With the one I'm doing I glued 3 pieces of thick ply together with a piece of ½" mahogany on either side. A plywood sandwich...  Glued on the pattern and with my 1,2,3 list by my side, cut them out as per instructions.

The clamping together of the bits was a bit awkward as I've never used clamps before, but I've just gone down to the shed and unclamped them and all seems fine.

The hardest bit is to follow I think, sanding, sanding, sanding and more sanding  

I've also bought a 'flocking kit' which should arrive this week. Now that could well be worth filming

[meflick]

Brenda - one tip I got was not to clamp the first clamps firmly all the way down - just enough to hold slightly - do them all that way until you have all your clamps generally in place - then make sure that your glued pieces are still where you wanted - if not - shift back into place and THEN firmly clamp.  I am not sure what type of clamps you have, but some only require one hand (at least that is what they say) to work the clamp.  These are easier to work with then clamps that need both hands to close.  However, that is what all that sanding is for - to remove the parts where the woods did not match back up right.   Flocking - that is another story in its self.  Make sure you set it down in a deep box to help contain the extra flocking.  Put paper under it to help collect the excess flocking to put back in the container so you can reuse and finally, definitely wear a good face mask covering your mouth and nose when doing the flocking.  You do not want to inhale those tiny microscopic fibers! I look forward to seeing your final piece.

@Falcon - bandsaw boxes are not too hard - after all I have now made several so clearly they cannot be.   That said - I had purchased a book called "The New Bandsaw Box Book" by David Picciuto.  It is a very good book and gives you I think 6 patterns to work with.  He also has a website and does Youtube videos that are good to see the "process" - I know this is also who Brenda watched and got some patterns from.  There are lots of free patterns out on line with a little googling.  However, you really don't necessarily need a "pattern" if you are comfortable "free handing" your design. He used to use the moniker "The Drunken Woodworker".

Here is his website: https://makesomething.com and this link takes you directly to his "boxes" which include others besides bandsaw boxes. https://makesomething.com/boxes

This is his tutorial he has entitled "Everything you need to know on making a bandsaw box" - which has a link to a video. This is his youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtaykeSsGhtn2o2BsPm-rsw - again it has several things besides just the boxes.  All the bandsaw boxes that I recently shared that I made were from that book.  (Couple were a slight modification of his plans.)

[Falcon]

10 minutes ago, meflick said:

Brenda - one tip I got was not to clamp the first clamps firmly all the way down - just enough to hold slightly - do them all that way until you have all your clamps generally in place - then make sure that your glued pieces are still where you wanted - if not - shift back into place and THEN firmly clamp.  I am not sure what type of clamps you have, but some only require one hand (at least that is what they say) to work the clamp.  These are easier to work with then clamps that need both hands to close.  However, that is what all that sanding is for - to remove the parts where the woods did not match back up right.   Flocking - that is another story in its self.  Make sure you set it down in a deep box to help contain the extra flocking.  Put paper under it to help collect the excess flocking to put back in the container so you can reuse and finally, definitely wear a good face mask covering your mouth and nose when doing the flocking.  You do not want to inhale those tiny microscopic fibers! I look forward to seeing your final piece.

@Falcon - bandsaw boxes are not too hard - after all I have now made several so clearly they cannot be.   That said - I had purchased a book called "The New Bandsaw Box Book" by David Picciuto.  It is a very good book and gives you I think 6 patterns to work with.  He also has a website and does Youtube videos that are good to see the "process" - I know this is also who Brenda watched and got some patterns from.  There are lots of free patterns out on line with a little googling.  However, you really don't necessarily need a "pattern" if you are comfortable "free handing" your design. He used to use the moniker "The Drunken Woodworker".

Here is his website: https://makesomething.com and this link takes you directly to his "boxes" which include others besides bandsaw boxes. https://makesomething.com/boxes

This is his tutorial he has entitled "Everything you need to know on making a bandsaw box" - which has a link to a video. This is his youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtaykeSsGhtn2o2BsPm-rsw - again it has several things besides just the boxes.  All the bandsaw boxes that I recently shared that I made were from that book.  (Couple were a slight modification of his plans.)

Thank you for the info!

[Foxfold]

Ha Ha Ha,  I've just realised that in my enthusiasm to 'see' what my box looks like, I've taken the 'pattern' off.

But I haven't done any sanding yet !!!!

Will print another pattern tomorrow and try and put it back on where the original was.

As my mother always said... " MORE  HASTE  LESS  SPEED ''   

[loftyhermes]

Brenda,

You could try gluing up less pieces in one go, say if you have 4 pieces to glue, glue them up in 2 lots of 2's then glue the 2 together, it might help. Also you could try sprinkling a few grains of salt on the glue to stop them sliding, I've heard a lot of people use this method but not tried it myself.

[barb.j.enders]

I too am trying my hand at a band saw box for the first time.

  Isn't going quite as well as I hoped.  Not liking all the sanding either.  Latest mistake was cutting the final shape of the box, but realized that I didn't glue the back piece on.  It is now sitting in the "to finish" pile!  This isn't my work, just a video of the box I am trying to make!

Edited March 27, 2019 by barb.j.enders

[meflick]

LOL, well as far as all the sanding - I started out doing intarsia work and started by taking classes with Judy Gale Roberts.  Anyone who has taken her classes will tell you you spend 3 FULL DAYS (9-4:30/5:00 - 45 minutes to an hour for lunch maybe) shaping your pieces which means SANDING for 3 FULL Days and when you leave, you are still not done with the sanding!  So, sanding a bandsaw box is nothing compared to that!  So, probably why it didn't bother me, and enjoyed making the boxes.

Brenda you don't necessarily need to put the pattern back on to do the sanding.  You can "eyeball" it depending on what you are trying to do.

Thanks Steve for the hint on the salt, I have seen people mention putting the salt on there when gluing up, but never knew "why" - now I do and will give it a try.

Barb, I have that pattern downloaded to try.  I really like it.  I just need to get back out there and glue up some more blanks to do some more boxes.  As far as trying to fix that "mistake" - couple of ways you could try to fix it.  You could trace the final shape of the box you have cut onto the wood for the back piece and then cut it out, stay just outside the line and then sand down to meet your shape would probably be the one I would try.

Falcon, you are welcome.  Always happy to try and help fellow Villagers and scrollers out as everyone here has always been so helpful to me when I ask.

[Foxfold]

20 minutes ago, barb.j.enders said:

I too am trying my hand at a band saw box for the first time.

Thank you, much appreciated, have downloaded it.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Rubber bands are your friend. Can not tell you how many times I clamp just with rubber bands. Walmart has many sizes and get good thick ones. Works for me. Then if I need to add a clamp or two, no big deal. I am a one person shop at all times.  

[Foxfold]

1 hour ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Rubber bands are your friend. Can not tell you how many times I clamp just with rubber bands. Walmart has many sizes and get good thick ones. Works for me. Then if I need to add a clamp or two, no big deal. I am a one person shop at all times.  

I'll try that, thank you. I'll have to 'Google' elastic bands here as we don't have 'Walmart' here.

[loftyhermes]

Brenda,

Posties use strong elastic bands on the mail, around here they drop them on the streets so I collect them up whilst I'm out with the dogs.

[bazzz]

Seems like I read not to use salt in a Wood magazine with water based glue. Small brads driven in and cut off with a pair of diagonal pliers leaving a slight sharpened point will also make great "anchor" points to help with the glue slide.

[teachnlearn]

17 hours ago, bazzz said:

Seems like I read not to use salt in a Wood magazine with water based glue. Small brads driven in and cut off with a pair of diagonal pliers leaving a slight sharpened point will also make great "anchor" points to help with the glue slide.

I seem to remember seeing it in Wood Magzine. They had a good issue on glues, epoxies with a referral chart. Either we both saw the same issue or we are both having the same delusion. RJF

[amazingkevin]

Good news is you wrestled and WON!!!

[Sycamore67]

Using too much glue makes it more difficult to align the pieces.  

I use blue tape to glue many things.

[oldhudson]

I have a couple tips. As mentioned glue up a piece at a time so there's less to control. Second you can add some salt to the glue, the crystals may help prevent pieces from sliding.

Finally, on larger pieces, I've tapped in small brads (not in fully, just so they hold) into one surface to be glued where I'm expecting slippage. Then I cut off the heads with a wire cutter, leaving a nice sharp point (about 1/8" proud) that grips the mating piece.  In some cases I use painters tape instead of clamps to hold together while the glue sets up.

Certainly glue ups can be a frustrating. Always dry fit before actually doing a glue up. Try out different clamping  options when the stock doesn't have glue on them.

[Bill WIlson]

Plenty of good gluing advice given, just want emphasize a couple points.

First, the dry fit is important.  Consider it dress rehearsal for when you actually apply glue.  Do it multiple times, if need be.  It forces you to think through the entire gluing process, from the sequence of events, to placement of clamps.  Have all the clamps you will need staged within arms reach, so that you don't have to go looking for more in the middle of a glue-up. 

Use supplemental means of holding things together, where appropriate.  This includes using tape, rubber bands, brads, etc.  You may only want them temporarily, until you get things lined up and other clamps applied, but this can be very helpful in keeping parts in position. 

Now the salt trick.  A little salt will help keep parts from creeping & sliding out of alignment, once glued and clamped, by providing just a little grit to add some friction.  I know there is some debate as to whether one should do this or not.  I look at it this way, you only need to use a few grains in any glue joint.  I can't imagine this would create a problem.  I might not recommend using salt in a structural joint, that has to undergo a lot of stress, such as chair legs.  But for scrolled pieces, I don't think it would be a problem.  I've done it and haven't had anything bad happen.  Again, use the least amount possible.

Some glues offer a longer open time than others.  It may only be 5 or 10 minutes, but that may be enough to prevent things from sticking together too much, before the entire glue up is done.  On the other hand, a glue with a quicker tack may be preferable in some situations.  Most wood gluing applications are handled well by yellow carpenter's glue.  Sometimes common white glue is better.  Read the label to make sure, but white glue can offer a longer open time.  I sometimes use liquid hide glue for critical glue ups.  It is much less prone to creep than yellow glue.   Weldbond is a brand of adhesive, but it has some properties that give it advantages over other glues.  This is also true for epoxy and CA glue.  All adhesives have their pros and cons.  There really is no one adhesive that is truly all-purpose.

Good luck on your next bandsaw box! 

[OCtoolguy]

On 3/26/2019 at 3:00 PM, Foxfold said:

Ha Ha Ha,  I've just realised that in my enthusiasm to 'see' what my box looks like, I've taken the 'pattern' off.

But I haven't done any sanding yet !!!!

Will print another pattern tomorrow and try and put it back on where the original was.

As my mother always said... " MORE  HASTE  LESS  SPEED ''   

Sort of like my motto, "measure twice cut once" or more likely "dang, I cut it twice and it's still too short". Oh well...............