How to make a "square" enclosure

[johngalt47]

What method do you use to build an enclosure so that everything is "square" and "plumb"? My little enclosure is a little out-of-kilter.

[theAnonymous1]

Proper tools and checking your measurements.

A table saw with a loose or misaligned fence and guide is sure to throw things off. Use of a free hand circular saw for for long straight cuts is a big no no as well.

Skill helps as well (not the name brand ).

[GM]

There's all manner of ways, but maybe these basics will help:

http://www.cabinetmaking.co.uk/new_page_4.htm
http://sawdustmaking.com/Keeping%20i..._it_square.htm

[planet10]

Originally posted by johngalt47
What method do you use to build an enclosure so that everything is "square" and "plumb"?

I give the drawings to Chris and wait (usually not long)

I can make a square box, but usually not pretty so i am not allowed anymore.

dave

[leadbelly]

One key tip is to never move the fence until ALL panels requiring to be cut to the same width are passed through the saw. Saves time as well.

[AJ]

First of all John, let me say, I feel your pain.

I make enough boxes that I finally broke down and built a fixture just for making two edges square. It works very nicely for that, but it can also be used for making any number of pieces the exact same length by clamping a piece of stock along the first reference edge (where the clamps are). If you can make the reference edge and the router guide close enough to square, it will also let you make two ends parallel as well.

I had access to a CNC mill, so I was able to cut the two edges square within .001 over 26 inches - close enough.

There are only two requirements for this to work - two STRAIGHT edges and those edges have to be SQUARE. How straight and how square depends on how much you're disturbed by things not lining up when it comes time to glue. Personally, I'm pathologically anal about it.







My life has been alot less stressfull since making this fixture. I'm going to build a router table shortly that does nothing other than cut two sides parallel. Nice thing about a router table for parallel cuts is that the fence only needs to have a straight edge. Since you're cutter is effectively a point rather than a blade, anywhere you clamp a straight edge is always parallel to the cutter. Hard to mess that up.

[sreten]

Originally posted by theAnonymous1

Use of a free hand circular saw for for long straight cuts is a big no no as well.

Hi, it is do-able as long as a straight clamped guide is always used, /sreten.

[theAnonymous1]

Originally posted by sreten


Hi, it is do-able as long as a straight clamped guide is always used, /sreten.

Yes, I have done it that way many times. You can get a pretty straight cut it just takes some time and effort to setup the straight edge.

What I meant was trying to make a straight cut using a circular saw without any sort of guide is sure to be a disaster.

I will actually be using the clamped straight edge method soon to build some line arrays and dipole subs. I don't have a proper workshop so a table saw is not an option. I do have some nice new lithium ion powered tools to help the project along though.

[Vikash]

What method do you use to build an enclosure so that everything is "square" and "plumb"? My little enclosure is a little out-of-kilter.

You'll be tearing your hair out if you try to cut all panels perfect before attaching them. It never works IME.

Assuming you can cut panels straight (table saw/router + guide etc) then you should simply over size most of the panels and just flush trim for perfect finish.

Walkthrough and pics here: http://www.vikash.info/audio/W3-871S/build.asp

Vikash

[TroelsM]

Hi.

After some (a lot.. ) of trials my conclusion is:

1.Measure
2.Adjust STABLE "cutting fence" (= straight edge)
2.Measure
3.Measure
4.Use BIG circular saw (mine is a Skill 1400W, Ø190mm blade)
5.Done

This will get very close to square.

Instead of a small carpenters angle I use a big piece of ply/MDF/whatever that I know to be square.

The big saw will have better "steering" and more "umpff" that will make for a cleaner cut. Cleaner cut gives a better surface and PVA-glue works best when the surface is perfect and pressure is applied over a large surface.

I don't know what the tool (in the attached picture) is called but it makes it a lot easier to hold to pieces together when gluing (with nails or screws if you like.)

BTW: Nice idea AJ. A router-table will ensure perfect parallel sides and repeatability (two routed pieces will be exactly the same with). I haven't build one yet, but probably will next time the MDF-bug gets me...

I Hope my ramblings make sense. Hard to explain this kind of stuff in a foreign language.

Regards TroelsM