Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Box Joints  (Read 3167 times)

Offline OldMech

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Gender: Male
    • The Outyard
Box Joints
« on: August 20, 2013, 02:45:02 am »
OK, Sorry for all the questions, but wanted to know what you all use..

   I have Hive bodies and supers with finger joints, rabbited joints, and butt joints.

   The finger joints I definitely don't like, not because it takes more time to cut them, but because they seem to rot out faster than either of the other type, even when well and repeatedly painted. I switched to the rabbited joint which was a bit faster, still strong, easier to seal, but not as easy as butt joints.  To test the strength, I built a box with butt joints and used Gorilla glue on them. The following evening I stood said box on its corner, and stood on it, both feet while balancing precariously holding my truck bed rail, with my wife looking at me like I was an idiot..   I guess shes not ALWAYS wrong...

   Anyhow.. it made me wonder how much strength was necessary? Less surface area to worry about seems like it would last longer??
   How often do your corners rot out/warp with the type you are using?
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

Offline specialkayme

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 935
  • Gender: Male
Re: Box Joints
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2013, 08:23:15 am »
Finger joints with Tightbond II (or III, depending on what I grab), sealed with two coats of Sherwin-Williams Duration exterior paint.

Over 10 years I have NEVER had a joint rot out. I have had boxes rot on the bottom, or near the frame rest, or in the top corner where I shove the hive tool, but never at the joint or the fingers.

Offline Joe D

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2246
  • Gender: Male
Re: Box Joints
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2013, 03:41:37 pm »
I use the rabbited joint, I cut several boxes out and the run the ends through the router to get the frame rest and do that end on the sides for the rabbit.  I use Gorilla glue, tightbond or liquid nails which ever I have at that time.  Put staples in and they are ready to paint, put two or three coats on and store for a few months.  Good luck OldMech.
When you go to paint, go by local stores and ask about wrong mixed colors (exterior paint), you can get it at a good price.



Joe

Offline OldMech

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Gender: Male
    • The Outyard
Re: Box Joints
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2013, 04:15:06 pm »
I use the rabbited joint, I cut several boxes out and the run the ends through the router to get the frame rest and do that end on the sides for the rabbit.  I use Gorilla glue, tightbond or liquid nails which ever I have at that time.  Put staples in and they are ready to paint, put two or three coats on and store for a few months.  Good luck OldMech.
When you go to paint, go by local stores and ask about wrong mixed colors (exterior paint), you can get it at a good price.



Joe

   Oooh...  Excellent Idea!   Going to town tomorrow, will get my name in with the places I know that mix paint. Thanks!
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

Offline capt44

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 740
  • Gender: Male
  • If it don't work I'll always think it should have
    • RV BEES
Re: Box Joints
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2013, 05:40:10 pm »
I use the box joint jig built by Carl Korschgen.
I can cut the box joints about as fast as you can cut a rabbet joint for 4 boxes.
It only take around 10 minutes to complete.
I can cut the box joints as fast as I can run them thru the saw.
So far this year I have made around 400 or so boxes.
Customers like the box joints over the rabbet joints.
I actually like a rabbet joint but the customers make the call.
I use tite bond II glue and brad nail them.
I put on the corner clamps to square the boxes and let them dry for an hour or so.
I also made a jig to put my boxes together in.
It is a 3/4 inch plywood 2x2ft.
I cut 2x2's and use a framing square to set them.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline Better.to.Bee.than.not

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 524
Re: Box Joints
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2013, 04:17:16 am »
you are right, the more surface area the faster it will rot or give out, however, a proper box/finger/dovetail joint is sealed properly and doesn't have more surface area, really. I make box tail, though I could just as easily make dovetail joints, and I use my router. I can do ten sides of a box in as much time as it takes for me to move the router across them, move my jig to the next position and do it over again until I'm done. it goes fast, honestly. very fast, and it is very clean.
 I also assemble on a jig I made, which makes sure it is flat and square, and it is as simple as putting the glued sides (I use tightbond II, but have used tightbond III also.) up and brad nailing them together with my airnailer. though I've used staples also. tap, tap, tap,tap, tap next side until its done. then wipe off the joints, and its done.
 

 

anything