# What to use to cut 1/8th channel



## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

So I've my box glued and i want to cut an 1/8th wide channel an inch from the top and bottom to inlay a different species of wood. 

usually i would use a table saw before i glue up but....after many failed attempts at this damn box, i was so anxious to get it glued up i said F it.

Now I'm real hesitant to use the table saw because id rather not take the chance of the side riding the fence not being 100%.

Would a router with an 1/8th bit be the best bet?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*probably not*

There is no reason you couldn't use the table saw fence as the register for your groove. Just make certain there is a perfectly flat surface on the bottom.....or top to use as the reference.

Is the top removable...or loose? If so, take it off before making the groove and calculate any difference to get the groove equally down from the top to match the bottom.

Are the grooves going to run all the way around on all 4 sides?

Use a zero clearance throat plate if possible. 

You could use a router bit 1/8" in a table router, but I would prefer the table saw personally. :smile:


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

lateralus819 said:


> So I've my box glued and i want to cut an 1/8th wide channel an inch from the top and bottom to inlay a different species of wood.
> 
> usually i would use a table saw before i glue up but....after many failed attempts at this damn box, i was so anxious to get it glued up i said F it.
> 
> ...


I dunno what that part means.
Personally, I would do it on a router table with a slot cutter. 1/8" straight router bits aren't the most robust tools in the world.:smile:


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

jschaben said:


> I dunno what that part means.
> Personally, I would do it on a router table with a slot cutter. 1/8" straight router bits aren't the most robust tools in the world.:smile:


Point being, if my top/bottom arent perfectly flat to each other, they are what rides against the fence when its on its side getting cut...

I'm just nervous, I've come wtih far and literally this is my 4th attempt at this box. I cant give up because its a special gift for my mom! 

Also, i dont have a router table.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

You could attach the box on a piece of scrap plywood using double sided tape. If you place the piece carefully on the scrap, you should be able to cut the groove you need with the table saw.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

lateralus819 said:


> Point being, if my top/bottom arent perfectly flat to each other, they are what rides against the fence when its on its side getting cut...
> 
> I'm just nervous, I've come wtih far and literally this is my 4th attempt at this box. I cant give up because its a special gift for my mom!
> 
> Also, i dont have a router table.


Ok gotcha - 

In that case, I think Dave has about the best suggestion. I thought about an edge guide with the router but if the box isn't square, the groove wont match going around it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*this may work but...*



Dave Paine said:


> You could attach the box on a piece of scrap plywood using double sided tape. If you place the piece carefully on the scrap, you should be able to cut the groove you need with the table saw.


Why not glue or sticky tape some 100 grit or more coarse sandpaper to a flat surface large enough to flatten the bottom of the box. It won't take off more than you want since it's a hand process....sand it, check it ....sand it, check it... etc. Check ir by placing it on a flat surface like a marble countertop or you table saw top. If it rocks, you're not done yet. 

How about a picture of this box?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I see a real problem with this box. If you know there's an out of square condition to begin with, it would be a stroke of luck to sand it with any degree of predictability. Doing that by hand would not guarantee that the opposing sides would sand parallel to each other. Even if done by planing, or a drum/belt sander, sides may end up parallel, but out of square to their adjacent sides.










 







.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*a little surgery is needed*



lateralus819 said:


> Point being, if *my top/bottom arent perfectly flat to each other*, they are what rides against the fence when its on its side getting cut...
> 
> Also, i dont have a router table.


Without a picture or 2 it's hard to see what the condition is.
So, I would do the following. Sand the bottom flat and smooth so it doesn't rock on a flat surface. 

Then set the fence on the table saw to a dimension that would remove the least amount of material off the top edge. Saw the top edge all the way around to get the top edges on all the sides parallel to the bottom 

You can now set the fence to 1" and make your grooves on all the sides, then allowing for the top thickness, make the grooves around the top edge. Always keep the bottom referenced against the fence so that all the grooves will be parallel to each other.

Just go slow and be careful not to shift the box when making the grooves. You can practice on a scrap to get the feel of it and get the depth right. 

All this assumes the table saw's blade and fence are properly set up to be parallel to the miter slot and therefore to each other........ :blink:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

If the grooves are to follow all around the box, the top and bottom surfaces have to be parallel and flat to each other. For the groove to follow, the sides have to be the same way to each other, and 90 degrees to the front and back, and to the top and bottom.









 







.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

I think the TS will work fine now. I bought a new combination square, better quality, and sanded and double checked every measurement and its even across the board. My old square was crap, wouldnt even lock down tight! 

Now my next question, the box is 11x9. would it be alright to run it down the fence or should i affixed a taller sacrificial fence? 

Also, i have used this same powermatic TS at work to cut these same grooves with great results BUT this last time before this right at the end of the cut it did almost a sweeping cut at the very end.

What would cause that ?


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

I would recommend a scratch. As someone once advised, a power tool will screw it up far faster than I can by hand. You can make your own or buy one from Lee Valley or Lie Nielsen.


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

Woodenhorse said:


> I would recommend a scratch. As someone once advised, a power tool will screw it up far faster than I can by hand. You can make your own or buy one from Lee Valley or Lie Nielsen. [http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?cat=549 /QUOTE]


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

Woodenhorse said:


> I would recommend a scratch. As someone once advised, a power tool will screw it up far faster than I can by hand. You can make your own or buy one from Lee Valley or Lie Nielsen.


http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?cat=549


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

Apologies for the multiple posts. Fingers, brain and iPad not on the same track.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

No worries. I used the TS and it worked perfectly, thanks for the help and concerns. :thumbsup:


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