# Fitting lids to boxes



## Treecycle Hardwoods (Feb 29, 2012)

I have been making these small keepsake boxes to sell in a local store. I have been using a forstner bit to hollow out the inside. There is a variance of almost .020 between the largest and smallest ID. This basically forces me to custom fit each lid. I have tried to make all the lids first at the same size and tried making all the boxes first then custom fitting each lid. Either way i average about 2 boxes per hour. Is there any efficient way to make the lids and the boxes a bit faster i am hoping to get up to 3 boxes an hour.

Thanks for the help

Greg


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## arkie (Feb 29, 2012)

If you're going to drill the body hollow, I think you have to fit the lids to the body. You could try drilling the body with a smaller drill first, then cleaning up with the forstner.



Treecycle Hardwoods said:


> I have been making these small keepsake boxes to sell in a local store. I have been using a forstner bit to hollow out the inside. There is a variance of almost .020 between the largest and smallest ID. This basically forces me to custom fit each lid. I have tried to make all the lids first at the same size and tried making all the boxes first then custom fitting each lid. Either way i average about 2 boxes per hour. Is there any efficient way to make the lids and the boxes a bit faster i am hoping to get up to 3 boxes an hour.
> 
> Thanks for the help
> 
> Greg


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## CodyS (Feb 29, 2012)

Can we get a pic?

You could set-up a jig for a router... that should produce a consistent fit.


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Mar 1, 2012)

I would love to share some however i keep getting an error message. I am using an android app to post here and i can't seem to figure out the configuration for photo uploads using this thing


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## CodyS (Mar 1, 2012)

Treecycle Hardwoods said:


> I would love to share some however i keep getting an error message. I am using an android app to post here and i can't seem to figure out the configuration for photo uploads using this thing



send some to me- cody . sheridan 1 at gmail . com (just take out the spaces and @)

Maybe you need to resize them before you upload?


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Mar 1, 2012)

I have been reading the support for the forum runner there are posts there about having to allow png's i am not sure what that is or how to turn that option on.


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## Gene Howe (Mar 1, 2012)

Greg,
Would it be possible to make your box stock large enough to allow you to cut the lid off of it, then form the cavity? 
In some of the boxes I make, the bottom AND top come off before the box is milled. Then I can exactly place the thin piece that fits in the box on the lid and finally, glue on the bottom.


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Mar 1, 2012)

Hey gene thanks for the suggestion i am currently having difficulty loading pix to the forum from my phone. Otherwise i would have some up here already. The boxes i have been making so far are spalted maple with a walnut lid. I will get back to this thread when i have solved the photo mystery.


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