Most affordable way to make box joints for head shells?

[OverDriven]

I have very few power tools at the moment. I'm going to need to create some head shells soon, and I'm looking for the most affordable way to create the box joints. Most table saws I've looked at are pretty damn expensive. Is there some other way that doesn't cost a fortune?

[cminor9]

I bought a reconditioned Ryobi for $100 at overstock.com. I have a good Porter Cable router and a router table with a good quality 1/2" bit, but I found using the table saw was the quickest way to cut box joints in the 3/4 birch plywood I used.

The cheapo table saw I bought won't even take a dado blade (arbor is too short). So I just carefully measured 3/4" box joint fingers and cut them with my table saw, one bit at a time. I did one cab at a time, four boards that is, c-clamped together. I cut 24' of box joints (two cabs and a head) in maybe 2-3 hours. Those cabs will last forever.

With a bit of care for both the accuracy of your cuts and your fingers it ain't too trick to use a table saw. I have seen some jig patterns online that would make things quicker, but I saw the jigs after my work was done.

Unless you are going to use the saw every day and thus need something very high quality, get something economic. The Ryobi I got had good reviews elsewhere, and it's worked well for me thus far. Not bad for a $100 saw.

[Paul P]

With a bit of care for both the accuracy of your cuts and your fingers it ain't too trick to use a table saw.

The bit about your fingers is worth repeating. Cutting finger joints on
a tablesaw requires 100% concentration on what you're doing and where
your fingers are. The board hides what's going on up front so you don't
really think about what's going on behind it, namely the blade that's
carving a slot in your thumb...

Very much like working on a live amp. One second of daydreaming and boom.

Paul P

[wrathfuldeity]

making a slider box with tab/key will make it easier

[OverDriven]

How about a dovetail jig like the Rockler 12" one? It looks like this would be absolutely perfect for putting together head shells quickly and they appear to make a very high quality joint. I already have a router. Of course I would be using dovetail joints instead of box joints, but that doesn't matter much does it? Is one preferred over the other for amp building?

[cminor9]

Rockler makes all kinds of jigs, so not sure which one you are talking about. I found a site that is selling a reasonably priced adjustable box joint jig for a table saw. Looking at it and thinking about I figure I could make one of them and that would make it easier. But without dado capability it's still a tedious process.

I measured 3/4" fingers, put an X on the parts that would be removed and went to town. Just keep moving the fence about 3/16 each time and give it a pass. Again, c-clamping four together makes it go quick, and if you position those c-clamps correctly you can use them as handles and this also provides a well thought out place for your hands (as opposed to grabbing the wood any old place which could result in loss of bilateral symmetry.) I could go reasonably fast using this method and never even feel the wind from the blade. Just put your hands on the clamps and wrap your fingers around them.

If you have a router, you could do one of two things for box joints: buy a jig or make a table with a fence. I made the table with the fence. The problem with using the router is that it takes too long. I gave up and went to the saw. Sure, a router makes a cleaner finger joint. But a saw makes one good enough for a cab that's gonna have tolex on it; you just may need to deburr the insides a bit.

Dovetails are nice, pretty, and strong, bit when you glue finger joints they are extremely strong just not as pretty. I am a pretty big guy (6'2" 240lb) and I sit on my cabs all the time. If you want to do dovetails, then you will *definitely* need a jig. But unless you are trying to do the whole stain and seal thing as opposed to tolexing, then it's wasted effort IMO. Dovetail joints have been around for centuries, and are considered a hand-made joint (according to the woodworking books I own). They can be used with or even without glue when made correctly. They are very craftsman-y -- precisely the thing it would be a shame to hide under your tolex. Most commercial amps use box joints as far as I know.

For you, if it comes down to having to buy a jig or a table saw, which is most useful to you? Most jigs I found were about what I paid for my table saw. Also, I would be nervous about any half-blind dovetails if you are using any kind of plywood. And most of the time, plywood you use is 3/4" and the typical router bits for dovetails are designed to go 1/2". That means half-blind dovetails. Sorry for the long rambling post. It's just that I have given this quite a bit of thought recently for my own first project. I tried both tools, really considered the dovetails, etc. My end result was pretty good, and like I said, they can take some weight. Hopefully my experience can save you some headache.

[R.G.]

Lynn Sabin's jig. Google "lynn's jig".

[VictoryNVH]

I'm sure the Rockler dovetail jig would work just fine. I used through dovetails on my cabinet just for kicks but I can't imagine that the difference between a box joint, through dovetail, or half-blind dovetail could have any effect on the sound of the cabinet. The only difference would be glue surface area. If you go with the Rockler half-blind dovetail jig, I'd at least orient the joint so the "tails" cut on the sides of your cabinet and the "pins" or "sockets" are cut into the top and bottom in case you felt like jumping up and down on top of your head cabinet.

[stingray_65]

There are alternatives to finger joints that are as strong or stronger, mush simpler and require minimal wook working skills.

my amp head i just built with my son is made with a dowling jig.

a rechargable drill, the jig, a couple small clamps and dowelpins are all that is nescassary.

the amp head and speaker cabinet were dry fitted with no glue and sat around the shop over a week.

in the mean time my son was showing off HIS handy work to a few of his friends that week. that weekend he was devistated when i knocked the box apart for glue. he had thought it was done and i had broke it.

from what he was saying he was using the speaker bin as a chair all that week in the shop and it never wiggled.

unless you are trying to make a true clone in every aspect i highly recomend this sort of joinery.

from the exposed areas inside the cabinets, you cannot tell it is not finger jointed.

his wood working skills leave much to be desired, but was able to make these strong joints neatly, acuratly.

wood working is a long time hbby of mine and i have a pretty well stocked shop with tools and machiney i have colected over the last 15 years.

i chose to buid his amp head and speaker bins in this manor for its simplicty and stregnth.

as far as economy a dowling jig like this from rockler

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18059

costs $11 compared to $60 - $120 for a dado blade.

if i were to buy one today i think i would buy the smart dowel

http://www.mikestools.com/SD373-Smart-Doweling-Jig.aspx

it does everything my jig does only more straight forward.

you might also look into some large pipe clamps or those quick grips no matter what style joinery you decide to use.

it is imperative to the boxes stregth to clamp it while drying.

[cminor9]

There are alternatives to finger joints that are as strong or stronger, mush simpler and require minimal wook working skills.

my amp head i just built with my son is made with a dowling jig.

Oh yeah, I didn't even think of that! I can see how that would work well, and it's essentially the same principle as a box joint. How far apart did you space those dowels, and what diameter of dowels did you use?

[stingray_65]

i used 1/4 inch dowels 1 1/4 in long spaced 1in apart

i also started in an inch from the back side and stopped 1 in plus what ever remained from the last dowel

for example a 16 1/2 inch board would have 14 dowels

the first one would start at 1 inch from the rear edge and stop at the 15th inch

the reason is not structural but to make a key of sorts so that it could only be assemled one way.

i started from the back because the front had a slant

the wood was 3/4 birch plywood

i used a similiar construction in making my motor stand for my chopper.

i used 3/8 dowels in that and was concerned when building it that the dowel was too big not leaving enough wall thickness to contend with lateral forces.

well that motor weighs about 165lbs dry and it gets scooted around alot on concrete when its out and it hasn't wobbled

i still think 1/4" looks right tho, divides the wood into 3rds (probaly just my OCD)

OH! if your going to make a doweld joint use dowels with flutes or a spiral cut into it.

use glue sparingly and dont hammer it together quickly or with force.

also drill a bit deep on one side.

the glue is a liquid and the dowel a piston. if you hammer a dowel into a hole filled with glue the hydraulic pressure will literaly explode the wood.

the spirals or flutes will allow the glue to pass the dowel and seep into the joint.

you will be amazed at the odd places the glue will exit.

[cminor9]

Thanks, stingray_65. That all makes sense. I think I'll try that on the build I am doing now. It's just a head, but that sure is quicker than cutting box joints.

[black_labb]

i have used butt joints. their simple and seem plenty strong when you use a square bit of timber inside the corners.

[tubeswell]

i have used butt joints. their simple and seem plenty strong when you use a square bit of timber inside the corners.

Yeah me too

I also put dowel pegs across the butt joint for extra strength.