How do i get the lid cuts square on a table saw for a keepsake box?

[PatrickT]

I’ve been trying to make a simple wooden keepsake box, but I can’t get the lid to fit snugly without sanding it so much the gap becomes obvious. My main issue seems to be getting the initial cuts for the lid perfectly square on my basic table saw.

[AlexanderMM]

I've hit that wall before. I kept sanding the lid until the gap vanished, and it looked fine from a distance, but up close the fit was riding on a sliver of wood. Turns out my table saw fence wasn't truly aligned and the blade wasn't perfectly square to the table. I did some quick test cuts on scraps, checked both sides, and adjusted the fence until the trim on each side matched. It took longer than I expected, but once the cut edges lined up, the lid closed with just a whisper rather than a sigh.

[NatalieS]

Mine was a tiny off cut on one corner. I measured with a tape and felt sure, but the lid still bound when I set it down. After a failed attempt I remembered I had a bit of humidity warp in the stock. I let the pieces acclimate a day, then trimmed again and rechecked.

[Paul.W]

One week I just used a hand plane for the final pass instead of more sanding. It left a cleaner edge and the lid sat a lot better. I may have shaved too little, though, and had to go back and adjust again.