Just curious on how much a shop should charge for a box if i supplied them with cut sheet and just had them supply and cut the wood? I enjoy the box building process but don't have the time,skill or equipment to do nice straight cuts. I should be able to design assemble and finish. What do you think? Around $100?

Ill talk to my local shop this week but wanted to get yalls opinion.

Where do you live? you might find someone on here to help you out.

Lowes and Home Depot will make the cuts for free, so $35 or the cost of a sheet of MDF.

after the first 2 cuts, they start charging, or at least Lowes does. It's pocket change per extra cut.

how do those big box stores do when it comes to keeping tight tolerances? don't they quote +/- 1/8th inch? I'm not a box builder, but if your doing a ported box aren't tight tolerances a must?

1/8th of an inch either way wont do shit. Just need good straight cuts so your boards fit tight. They have a panel saw, so that helps even the seriously inept.

I have seen the sign that says .25 after the first 2 cuts, but have never been charged.

Well shoot, I didn't even think about getting hd or lowes to do it. That'd be dirt cheap. Ill stop by the one near the office and see how they do it. Thanks all

I've always gotten HD to do my cuts. Once it came out horrible because the saw wasn't square. I ended up having to square all the ends, which resulted in the box being slightly smaller. Usually its a little off, but not enough to make much of a difference.

Also, I've never been charged for cuts. If they do, go somewhere else.

i went down to a lowes and he told me basically his cuts werent worth a shit lol.. needless to say i went home to do my best... maybe ill go back down there some other day when another person is workin.. its only 2 mins from my house.

Ya, i talked to my Lowes couple days ago. He said their gravity saw isnt made for precision cuts. Its pretty much for cutting down sheets for easy transport.

Edited June 23, 201015 yr by Morals

Ya, i talked to my Lowes couple days ago. He said their gravity saw isnt made for precision cuts. Its pretty much for cutting down sheets for easy transport.

It depends who's running the saw. I had one guy do it for me and COMPLETELY ruined everything. The guy before him was 100% spot on. EXACT. Your best bet is finding someone local to you that does wood working and just pay them to do it.

yeah home depot dont do precision cuts i was pissed. and lowes here in oklahoma city costs like 15 bucks more for a sheet of 3/4 mdf than h.d.

IF all your doing is cutting a 36 x 18 board for example, How does that get screwed up on a panel saw? I have had them cut slightly off (.125 too short or long, but honestly nothing too bad I could not fix with sanding or some MDF and glue. It is easier to make cuts on a panel saw then a table saw, I just don't get it. Yall must have some tards at your local lowes.

Oh, and the biggest reason I have them make cuts is I have nothing to haul a 49" x 96" sheet of MDF home in. lol

If I have to cut something myself, I clamp a board or straight edge to the piece I am cutting as a guide for my skill saw. Easy.

IF all your doing is cutting a 36 x 18 board for example, How does that get screwed up on a panel saw?

It's a good question. I'd like to go back and ask the kid to did EVERY SINGLE one of my cuts SHORT by 1/4".

IF all your doing is cutting a 36 x 18 board for example, How does that get screwed up on a panel saw? I have had them cut slightly off (.125 too short or long, but honestly nothing too bad I could not fix with sanding or some MDF and glue. It is easier to make cuts on a panel saw then a table saw, I just don't get it. Yall must have some tards at your local lowes.

Oh, and the biggest reason I have them make cuts is I have nothing to haul a 49" x 96" sheet of MDF home in. lol

If I have to cut something myself, I clamp a board or straight edge to the piece I am cutting as a guide for my skill saw. Easy.

You are correct. I've had people cut some cuts on a panel saw and cut them crooked as hell. I mean almost 1/2 inch shorter on one end than another. I'll never do that again.

A big tip if you want great cuts is to call around to local custom cabinet makers. Many of them would be willing to make a simple box for you on the cheep. It would take them seconds if you have a proper cut sheet.

Heck they may even have 3/4" MDF on hand for some reason. Either way it will be better than 90% of the average local guy. You could comission one of the builders here on SSA though.

Someone told me HomeDepot wouldn't cut MDF because it's toxic...Is that not true?

the glue binding the mdf together is toxic. Your not supposed to breath in the dust.

A big tip if you want great cuts is to call around to local custom cabinet makers. Many of them would be willing to make a simple box for you on the cheep. It would take them seconds if you have a proper cut sheet.

Heck they may even have 3/4" MDF on hand for some reason. Either way it will be better than 90% of the average local guy. You could comission one of the builders here on SSA though.

That is true any really good construction person that does precision cuts are really good at making cuts. Are contracter that re wooded are kitchen floor was a beast at cutting stuff.

Dont know about that! One of my good friends owns a cabinet shop and he needs work.

He asked me if he could build my box and i would have let him until he said $675.00.

He is my boy, but had to tell him no on that one.

Really if it bothers you and your local Lowes is ridiculously tarded, just clamp a 2x4 to what you are cutting and use it as a guide with your skill saw. Yes, even you can make perfect cuts.

I went by the shop and they quoted $60. I'm gonna go by later this week and talk to their box Guy and see what he thinks.