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Author Topic: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!  (Read 42198 times)

Offline Robo

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #20 on: July 03, 2008, 09:47:34 am »
There is an adjustable key that the previous cut rides on.  It takes some adjusting at first, but once you get it adjusted and locked your good to go.   I don't use it anymore as I've found the half-blind dovetails with the router and jig are much quicker.  I can do one joint (ends of both boards) in one pass.
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Offline SgtMaj

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #21 on: July 03, 2008, 12:16:45 pm »
If you added on to the jig in the picture, you could theoretically do 10 or 20 per pass, or however many your table would support on the front end of the saw.

Offline Jerrymac

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #22 on: July 03, 2008, 02:22:37 pm »
SgtMaj  is right. Didn't there use to be pictures at the beginning of this?
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

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Offline danno

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #23 on: July 03, 2008, 03:37:04 pm »
I tried doing 5  at a time and they werent perfect. Everything has to be rock solid which most crosscut guides are not.  I went back to one at a time
« Last Edit: July 07, 2008, 08:48:56 am by danno »

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #24 on: July 06, 2008, 12:12:34 am »
Well I created a schematic for a table saw box joint jig that seems like it would be cheaper and easier to build and use than any of these others that are selling the plans to them.  I was going to upload it, but photobucket keeps failing to upload it, and websense won't let me upload it directly to the forum... so you're out of luck at least until I make it and take some pics.  I think I'll make it tomorrow, if not Monday at the latest.

Offline Robo

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #25 on: July 06, 2008, 08:31:21 am »
  I was going to upload it, but photobucket keeps failing to upload it, and websense won't let me upload it directly to the forum...

What is the format?   Try ImageShack -> http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,6691.0.html
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline SgtMaj

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #26 on: July 06, 2008, 02:28:21 pm »
Jpg, just like all the other's I've uploaded in the past.  I suspect it was the computer I was using.


Offline SgtMaj

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #28 on: July 06, 2008, 07:13:01 pm »
I'm having a problem understanding something here...

The dadant mediums are 6 and 5/8ths inches deep... so my problem is this, the largest size dado that will divide that size up evenly, is 1.8th inch.  But that would require 53 cuts per joint.  That just seems insane to me.  You suggest using a 3/4 inch dado, but that leaves an extra bit on either end of the joint... how do you deal with that? 

Offline Robo

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #29 on: July 06, 2008, 07:22:28 pm »
The top one is 5/8"  and not full depth because of the frame rest.  The 6 of them at 7/8" and the bottom one is 3/4".
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline SgtMaj

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #30 on: July 06, 2008, 08:50:59 pm »
Well if you're going to make the one 5/8ths... 6" is evenly divisible by 3/4"...

Offline Robo

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #31 on: July 06, 2008, 10:23:20 pm »
Well if you're going to make the one 5/8ths... 6" is evenly divisible by 3/4"...

Then you'll have an odd number of joints, but hey if it works for you go for it.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline SgtMaj

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #32 on: July 06, 2008, 10:55:46 pm »
Well, my one problem with doing it the other way, is that most dado's I see only go up to 13/16ths, so they won't cut a 7/8th's.

Here are some pictures of the box joint jig, it's basically complete, but before I could make the dado blade cut to measure out the block, I found out that the dado blade I bought won't fit my table saw, so I'll have to exchange it tomorrow.  So anyway, here it is basically ready to go.  You can see the board that clamps down on the piece being cut, on the other side there's some wingnuts I just have to turn each of the 4 twice and it locks in the pieces so tight a sledge hammer couldn't budge them.  Also, there's enough room up front to cut two at once.  (the board that's in there now, is just a test piece of wood by the way)



Here's the best part of my setup... I put these railings on the bottom to fit into the mitre slots on the table, so they let me slide it forward and back without ever having to worry about getting a diagonal cut like you do if you're just holding to the mitre thing. 


Offline Robo

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Re: So You Want To Cut A Box Joint!
« Reply #33 on: July 06, 2008, 11:47:56 pm »
Well, my one problem with doing it the other way, is that most dado's I see only go up to 13/16ths, so they won't cut a 7/8th's.

The Freud 8" goes up to 7/8th with the shims.

Quote
You can see the board that clamps down on the piece being cut, on the other side there's some wingnuts I just have to turn each of the 4 twice and it locks in the pieces so tight a sledge hammer couldn't budge them.  Also, there's enough room up front to cut two at once.  (the board that's in there now, is just a test piece of wood by the way)

That will surely hold it, but I think it will be a pain in the butt and very time consuming.  Even if you go for 7 dadoes and can do 2 boards at a time,  your looking at 56 wing nuts per box :shock:

Quote
Here's the best part of my setup... I put these railings on the bottom to fit into the mitre slots on the table, so they let me slide it forward and back without ever having to worry about getting a diagonal cut like you do if you're just holding to the mitre thing. 

All the jigs I have seen use this method,  it works well as long as your mitre slots are true.

I can't tell by the photos, but I assume the pin is changeable for different size dadoes?  Do you have any micro adjustment of the pin?

Here are some photos of mine. (Had to blow the dust off of it since I don't remember the last time I used it :-D)

Front side with replaceable backing insert



Micro adjustment of pin


Pins for different sized dadoes



I don't use mine anymore because I've found that the locking mitre holds up better as there is no end grains exposed and is less time consuming to do.


And the half blind dove tail holds up just as good as is super quick to do (only 4 passes per box) :-D

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline shakd

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Re: So You Want To Cut a Box Joint!
« Reply #34 on: October 18, 2010, 04:09:55 pm »
This is an awesome Thread! Never created a Box Joint before! But if I did, this def. helps! Kudo's!