Do you think this box joint jig will work?

[Ptron]

I have an idea for a boxtail joint router jig. First I would have to get a template made. I was thinking either 1/8" steel or 1/4 aluminum.





Then I would mount it to a piece of scrap countertop with countersunk screws and use a couple 1xsomethings staggered by 1/2 an inch for stops.





Just clamp in a couple boards, use a 3/8" collar and 3/8" bit on the router, set the depth so it goes into the boards 1/2", and rout away. Note that the bit would have to go into the counter top a bit.

So whad'ya think? Would it work? My main question is how big do the gaps in the template need to be? If exactly 1/2" as shown, I would think the joints would be too tight, but I imagine even a 33/64 gap to 31/64 finger ratio that it would be too loose. But then again maybe not. It would be quite a waste to have a template made only to find out it's no good. I still have to figure out where and if I can get the template made cheap enough to even bother.

[Chuck H]

I guess I don't really get how your going to rotate the bit AND stabilize it. I haven't seen the tool that will accomodate a router bit that size (10" for an average combo cabinet, more for a 4x12 type thing) unless it was a large specialty machine in a specialized shop. At that point you could just buy a used industrial finger jointer. But if you have a plan on how to mount and stabilize it...You will need to use a tool steel. Any mild steel or aluminum will be beaten into a mis-shapen wad in no time. Because it's a very simple design you could probably get a machine shop to work the ANNEALED steel for a decent price. Then you would have to get your blade heat treated. There are many shops that do this for one off items very reasonably. Then you will have a tool you can use..And resharpen...And use again.

Common tool steels for a blade like that would be O1, A2 and D2. You can get steel in it's annealed state through Admiral Steel online. Look under "blade steel" at their site.

Oh, FWIW the joint you propose is a "finger joint". A "box joint" involves a fitted groove or cleat that follows the long edge of the corner.

HTH

Chuck

[R.G.]

I have an idea for a boxtail joint router jig. First I would have to get a template made. I was thinking either 1/8" steel or 1/4 aluminum.

You might save yourself a lot of trouble if you look up "Lynn's jig" and "box joint" on Google. In fact, here, I'll do it for you:

Lynn's jig

[Ptron]

Oh, FWIW the joint you propose is a "finger joint". A "box joint" involves a fitted groove or cleat that follows the long edge of the corner.

Gotcha.

Here's maybe a clearer picture of how it would work. I realized that the gaps in the template and the collar would have to bigger than the bit to give clearance between the bit and the template. Either that or there would need to be a thin ply of wood under the template as a spacer.

You might save yourself a lot of trouble if you look up "Lynn's jig" and "box joint" on Google.

I actually built a simple jig for a table saw and dado (sp?) blade when I made my last cabinet a few years back. Nothing anywhere near as fancy as that. It worked ok. Unfortunately, I don't have access to a table saw or dado blade set anymore.

[Chuck H]

OOOH, I get it. I thought you wanted to turn the whole tmplate as a bit. Like those blades used to make wood mouldings and such. Ignore the need for tool steel then. I don't see any problem with what you propose. The measurements will be tedious to establish, but it should certainly work. It's really a good idea as long as the collar spinning on the template doesn't cause too many problems. Also, there will almost certainly be more "tearout" with the router than with a saw. No big if you plan to cover the cabinet. Probably nothing a little wood dough couldnt hide well enough if your not.

Remember when you make the template that the "fingers" should be minutely smaller than the slots. Otherwise when you apply the glue the wood will swell and you won't be able to beat the pieces together with a mallet. Trying under those conditions could even split fingers off. If you used a non water based glue with equal sized fingers and slots you MAY be able to mallet the pieces together. But such glues usually dry fast and stain the end grain of the wood.

FWIW you could probably get a decsent table saw at Home Depot for under $300 U.S. Building the jig R.G. proposed would be just as easy and you'll have a better tool for cutting your lumber in the first place. I promise, making a straight line that you can finger joint with a hand held saw will be impossible.

Chuck

[Sock Puppet]

http://www.woodrat.com/

Amazingly versatile machine but so expensive I only bought the DVD...

S.

[Ptron]

As you noted Chuck, the big problem (as I see it) is just how much bigger the gaps need to be than the spaces, so that the pieces will go together snugly with glue.

I get one shot at it unless it turns out its really cheap for a fabricator to knock these out (it won't). I'm going to fax the template to a shop today and see how expensive it would be to make. I have my doubts that it will be cheap enough to be worth it, but we'll see. I only plan on making 3 cabs immediately but there could be more in the future. That might justify one of the Porter Cable jigs but I think if I built this one right, it would actually be easier to use.

Oh, and the collar doesn't spin. It's attached to the base, not the shaft of the bit so that shouldn’t be a problem.

[Denny_A]

PTRON,

You could order the 1/2" fingerjoint template from grizzly wood and metalworking for like $12.95. I am just getting into this myself and from what I understand from routerforums.com when you make a cut, it is 1 pass with the bit. Not in on 1 side of the opening and then out the other. My 1/2" fingerjoint jig actually has a 5/8" openings and the router guide template bushing is also 5/8". The router bit of course is 1/2" for the correct joint size.


D ;>)

[Ptron]

Ha! That's pretty much it isn't it? Thanks Denny.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/sear...spx?q=template

What's really funny is I actually own that jig it goes with. I picked it up for something like 40 bucks a couple years back. It came with a half blind dovetail template. I never ended up making anything with it. It's too sloppy and finicky to set up and I was never happy with how the test pieces came out. It didn't come with info on the other templates available. I searched but never found anything.

[Chuck H]

If your only going to do a couple of cabs for now...How bout something like this http://www.udb.cc/CustomDrawerQuoteForm.aspx

You can get a dovetailed cherry wood box sized for a combo for under $100 US shipped and just put do the router, baffle, etc. yourself. You would have to call them to say "Don't put in the bottom board" I havent called them yet, but it looks like a great option for one off builds. Only hitch is that the stock offered is 5/8" and not 3/4" but that might actually sound better for harder woods like cherry that have more density than pine. I suppose you could also ask them about 3/4" stock as a custom option...You never know until you ask.

Unless this is all about doing it yourself.?.

Chuck

[Ptron]

If your only going to do a couple of cabs for now...How bout something like this http://www.udb.cc/CustomDrawerQuoteForm.aspx
Chuck

Good find. Didn't check it out real thoroughly but that looks like a pretty good idea. I entered the dimensions for a 20x20 11-deep cab in maple and it only came to 60-some bucks(+ shipping)

I already ordered the template. I'll post my results when I make something with it. If it doesn't go well, I will definitely look into that further.

Also, I already have the wood... some clear pine I bought a year or so ago, however... I'm a little worried about it. It was pretty flat when I bought it, but now it has some slight cupping. I'm not confident it will work that well anymore. Guess we'll see.

[Chuck H]

You know, I have met a couple of small time side job type contractors (guys that work for someone else and have skills but no tools) who rent time at wood shops. I've never seen one of these places. But I know they exist. I'm not sure how to find them either.You pay a small fee and have access to shop tools. With some planning you could get alot of work done quickly and you would have access to a planer so you could level those pine boards. Only hitch I see with going below 3/4" thickness is that you won't have the option of using those cool wrap around to the inside corners (I like those too).

Chuck

[Ptron]

I used to live in Ames, Iowa and ISU had a full wood shop that pretty much anyone could sign in and use. You didn't even have to be a student. I built a cabinet there when I was in high school. I don't even remember having to sign a waiver or anything, although there had to be something like that. That was a sweat deal.

[WMThompson]

I had a machinist make a router template similar to yours out of 3/8" aluminum for cutting 1/4" box/finger joints on the cabs I've made.
Should work great, mine does!
WT
Utah

[Ptron]

I got sidtracked for a while but I've been finally putting the jig together the last couple of days. I'll post some pictures of it when I'm done...and hopefully some pictures of the beautiful cabinets I made with it.