cutting out a square box

[myxpykalix]

I want to cut out a square box that is approx 1.5"x3" square. I want to have a compression fit for the lid. In the past when i would make "round boxes" on the lathe you could easily make the "lip" that stuck up that held the lid.

Then you could sneak up on the inside diameter of the lid with your gouge or chisel till you removed enough for it to fit.

Since the lip for the lid was only going to be approx. .125 thick i guess my question is should i hog out the center of the box before cutting the outside dimension down to form the lip?

It seems to me one of the guys here who makes boxes all the time told me that you take one pass around the perimeter of the inside cut in a profile toolpath the width of your bit, then do a pocket toolpath on the balance in the center.

It has been a long time since i did a one piece box so i wanted to confirm if i remembered correctly:confused:

my dxf viewer i d/l'ed was just a viewer couldn't save so i took photo of screen. Couldn't get photo yo load right side up, turned it with 3 photo pgms:confused:

[Burkhardt]

I suppose you will cut this from a solid block of wood?

When I did the hollow egg lately (about 2" dia, see the "Who needs chickens" thread) I cut for both halves the outside first, then the inside cavity with 1/2" ballnose and while still clamped and x/y-zeroed I changed to a 1/4" end mill, cut the mating surface flat and then made a ring cut some 0.2" deep for the fit. One one part of the egg shell the cut removes half of the wall inside and for the other part it is half of the wall outside.

Since the matching diameter is identical, and the cut direction was "conventional" this gave a pretty precise fit. Actually a bit too tight since I need the help of a fingernail to pry them apart. For easy opening you may want to leave a little clearance but how much will depend on the accuracy and rigidity of the machine. You must make the female "socket" a little bit deeper than the male "plug" or you may not get it together snugly and see a gap.

[myxpykalix]

G,
I followed that thread and based on the pictures i saw i don't quite understand your comment
"One one part of the egg shell the cut removes half of the wall inside and for the other part it is half of the wall outside."
Do you have any other pictures that better illustrates that? Sorry for my confusion:confused:

[Burkhardt]

Sorry not a good picture but maybe it helps.
I did not sand or finish the inside of that egg. You can also see that the left hand (female) part is symmetrical while I screwed up the x/y registration of the right hand (male) part inside hog-out so it is a bit cock-eyed. But the slip-joint fit is correct.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-E-jxXk9OPiE/VIvUeb4jvfI/AAAAAAAAFfk/Xbu8Y7Ibwlc/w1437-h853-no/DSC02934.JPG

[myxpykalix]

"...part is symmetrical while I screwed up the x/y registration of the right hand (male) part inside hog-out so it is a bit cock-eyed..."

That's what happens when you have a crooked eye:eek:

That basically was what i was trying to accomplish. I think based on my picture i might have it figured out.