Make a Bandsaw Box Without a Bandsaw - an Unbandsaw Box

by CanKenMakeIt in Workshop > Woodworking

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Make a Bandsaw Box Without a Bandsaw - an Unbandsaw Box

How to Make a Bandsaw Box without a Bandsaw - An Un-Bandsaw Box

I like the look of bandsaw boxes, but I didn't have a bandsaw at the time I made this. I wanted to see if I could make something that emulated a bandsaw box anyway. It's not emulating the more familiar drawer style box, but the kind with the removable lid. All you absolutely need is a jigsaw, drill, router table with flush trim bit, and some sandpaper.

Make a Template

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  • I sketched an irregular shape on some 3/4 inch MDF.
  • I rough cut the outside of the shape with my jigsaw.
  • I drilled out the center and cut out the inside with the jigsaw.
  • I used a sanding drum on my drill press and a disk sander to do final shaping of the template.

Make the First "ring"

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  • I traced the template shape on a 1/2 inch piece of poplar.
  • I cut out the outside and inside of the poplar as with the template, leaving about 1/8 inch or less on the waste side of the line.
  • I applied double sided tape to the rough shaped poplar and attached the template to it.
  • I used a flush trim bit on the router table and used it to transfer the shape of the template to the poplar.

Make the Other Rings

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  • I traced and roughed cut the next ring.
  • I glued the rough cut ring to the finished ring.
  • I also tacked it on with a few brad nails.
  • I shaped the rough ring on the router using the previous finished ring as the template.
  • I repeated for all the rings, not using the brad nails on the top ring as it would show.
  • I used some sandpaper taped to a dowel to smooth the inside and outside of the rings, while wished I had a spindle sander.

Make the Top

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  • I sketched the inside shape of the box on some 1/4 plywood for the lid insert.
  • I cut it out with the jigsaw.
  • I finished shaping the insert with the sanding drum and belt sander.
  • I glued the insert to another 1/2 inch piece of poplar.
  • I rough cut the outside shape.
  • I taped the lid to the rings.
  • I shaped the lid on the router table with the flush trim bit.

Make the Bottom

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  • I traced the outside shape on another piece of polar.
  • I rough cut it with the jigsaw.
  • I glued it to the rings.
  • I finished the bottom with the flush trim bit.

Final Shape and Finishing

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  • I rounded the top and bottom with a rounding bit.
  • I used a chamfer bit in the underside of the lid and the top of the box.
  • I finished the box with a few coats of Danish oil.

Complete

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Now you have a box that looks like it was made on a bandsaw. Would it be easier to make with a bandsaw? Probably, but I didn't have one at the time.