Routing / Mitre Help

[Simon83]

Hi guys,
New(ish) woodworker. I need to make some simple boxes but I really want to do 45 degree mitered corners. I did this no trouble on some thin wood using a small bit I got in a set, but the material I'm using now is 3/4" thick.

I ordered a 45 degree chamfer bit from Amazon which stated it had a 1 1/2" cut, but on arrival it was only a 1/2" cut. So after returning it I went to eBay and ordered one from someone else - but this appeared to be the same seller under a different name and the incorrect part came again.

Can someone help me to source a large enough guided bit for this thickness of material? Or tell me how to do it with a smaller bit?
Thanks a lot!
Simon

 

[Adam9453]

Speak to wealden, I get pretty much all my router bits from them as they're a fair price for top quality bits.
There website can be a bit of a maze to find the bit you want so i'd just give them a ring.
Do you have a table saw you can do the mitre cut on instead?

 

[Simon83]

Thanks Adam. No I don't (I'm on the look out though). I do have an old bandsaw but it can drift a lot and I can see it making inferior cuts.

I have a router which takes quarter and half inch shanks, I was looking on that website earlier but wasn't too sure. I think TB16B 1/2 would do the job but I'll give them a call.
Simon

 

[sunnybob]

Have a surf for one of these. There are modern ones available. This will give you a TRUE 45 degree.
https://mvflaim.wordpress.com/2015/01/2 ... r-trimmer/

 

[Adam9453]

Have a surf for one of these. There are modern ones available. This will give you a TRUE 45 degree.
https://mvflaim.wordpress.com/2015/01/2 ... r-trimmer/

Thats good for a picture frame but not much use for a deep box, which I think is what the OP was referring to.

 

[sunnybob]

mitre corners arent very strong on deep boxes without extra support of one kind or another.

 

[Adam9453]

mitre corners arent very strong on deep boxes without extra support of one kind or another.

Yes I must admit I wouldn't make them that way either.
You could add keys or splines which would make the mitred corners ok but a bit of a faff in my opinion.

 

[skipdiver]

If you really want to use a router for these, to add strength you could go for a mitre lock cutter like this:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-mi ... r-ax805970

They take a bit of setting up and best used in a router table but it's an option. Or you could make yourself a Donkeys Ear shooting board. A search on this site for one should yield results.

 

[custard]

If you really want to use a router for these, to add strength you could go for a mitre lock cutter like this:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-mi ... r-ax805970

They take a bit of setting up and best used in a router table but it's an option. Or you could make yourself a Donkeys Ear shooting board. A search on this site for one should yield results.

Mitre lock joints add a lot of strength but they don't look great when they're visible. So on a nice box you'd want to cover them up with a lipping on both the box and the lid, perfectly do-able but it means quite a lot of extra, fiddly work.

If you plan on lining your box you can make little L shaped mitre keys from plywood, or you can buy them ready made from Ian Hawthorn,

http://www.jewelleryboxhardware.com/Ven ... -Keys-pack

 

[Roxie]

Simon, Can I refer you to the thread "mitre joints for boxes". I have just made a mitre shooting board as I am undertaking a 8 x 6 x 6" high box which will be separated into a three tier box.

John

 

[Simon83]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Well the bit I need is out of stock, and a little out of my price range! I just thought of mitres because I want it to look as neat / seanless as possible. I'll go and have a look at those threads now....