Cutting Box Joints

I built this one and it works well:

If you have a dado head for the table saw this is a very easy jig to make. Depending on the size of stock you're going to be using you can also make a nice jig for the router. So a google search man theres plenty of variations for making a box joint jig out there.

Jim

Given you have a dado, then look at Fred Bingham's book, Practical Yacht Joinery.

Is that enough bang for the buck ?

I use a sled with a drop in pin board. Very easy to setup any size.

Don't buy one. They are very easy to make, either for a tablesaw dado blade or router table with a straight-cutting bit.

Lynn jig. Some scrap hardwood and a threaded steel rod...oh, and a few nuts and some Tnuts. Works like a charm.

TomL

Router my favorite. See the examples at

How is this used?

Is there a part not shown in the photo?

Thanks, Barry

The "fence" is the key in your miter jig, the bit your blade. You butt the fence to make the first groove, then straddle for subsequent. For the opposite piece, you run a pusher board through against the fence, then use the distance established by the groove to reference the first cutout. I've had good success with middle school kids on this setup. Wouldn't let 'em near the tablesaw.

If you've not seen the router guys, and have a desire, I can e-mail you some demo pics I did a year or so ago for another guy, or perhaps put 'em up on my personal page.

Let me know.

Looks like a good concept, but what makes it worth $20? Why wouldn't one made out of scrap work just as well?

OH! It's used with a miter gauge. Now it all makes sense.

Thanks! Barry

I watched the video of this jig in use. Looks like it would be a pain to use. Very slow. The demonstrator (Mark of Mark's Woodshop) even says something like "it's kinda slow and tedious." Turning that knob several time for every cut isn't my cup of tea.

Like others have said, make one. Plans abound. Try it. You'll like it. They're a little ugly to my eye, but *strong* and easy.

Plan to cut your pieces just a bit oversized and cut the fingers just a bit too long. That way you can plane off all the glue you missed wiping up at the same time you make the ends of the fingers smooth as a baby's butt.

In the pdf file at this site, he says don't worry about it being square to the table, that will buck out.

Can someone please explain what he means by "buck out"? Does this mean even if the jig is not perfectly square to the blade, the angles of the cuts will compensate when the joint is assembled and it will still be tight? And if so, I'm wondering if this is true only if you're stacking all the pieces to cut them at the same time?

Danke