Box joints...Ugh!!!

[Derekkest]

For two nights now I have been surfing the net, building jig, burning jig, surfing more, building another jig, burning that jig....All to make 1/4" box joints for a jewelry box.

Is there any simple little jig that is easily made or bought to cut box joints on my router table? It seems simple enough but yet it is so aggrevating!!!

[PaulMarcel]

Rockler has one for router tables. It doesn't look too complicated so maybe give it a look and build something similar. I believe there is a video showing how it works; at least it would have been around when that jig débuted a year ago.

[TomP]

Woodsmith just had a program on the other day on making small boxes with finger joints. The jig isn't that hard to make. Go to woodsmith.com and search out.

Happy hunting

[bywc]

This is an identical jig to the one I made to use it works perfect every time. Here is a link to the original poster of this jig picture and the thread with other ideas hopefully its ok to post a link to another forum which deals with most router related topics if not sorry in advance Marc!

http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/23247-simple-box-joint-jig.html

[iSawitFirst]

Here's a link to FWW's page for a table saw jig. Should work for the router also.

Linky

[Derekkest]

I wound up buying a wood creek(?) jig from woodcraft today. Works rather well, little bit of tweajing and I think I got it.

[Kari Hultman]

This is the one I made from a ShopNotes plan. It's excellent and has replaceable fences: http://www.shopnotes.com/plans/box-joint-jig-multiple-fence-system/

[Jim DaddyO]

I built the same one as Kari...works well.

[Bobby Slack]

This is a different approach but I am about to pull the trigger on this jig. If you stay long enough in the video, you can see your drawers can have a double dove tail or a box joint. Looks great to me. And is not that much money http://www.dovetailspline.com/index.html

[nateswoodworks]

I used to fight with mine, would work great and next time I would use it it would be off slightly. What I did to fix it from ever happening was the indexing and spacer pins I started using keys for pulleys. They are perfectly milled and never will expand or contract at all, between that and using plywood I have never had a problem since. Don't get too frusterated and remember it does take some fussing around to get it perfect, after that it is smooth sailing.

Nate

[PurpLev]

I made a box joint jig a while back while building my toolbox - was cumbersome to make and use (your usual fence attachment with a spacer that matches the saw kerf/bit). at first I used one on the router table - but there was much tear out without a good backer board, then I used one on the TS - which worked better, but making the jig with the 'perfect' wood spacer was kinda overwork.

I now build an attachment to the miter gauge on the table saw that uses a drill bit for the spacer, it's more rigid than a wooden spacer, and if you use a 1/8" bit it matches perfectly with a 1/8" blade - and 1/4" respectively. works GREAT! and super easy and fast to make and use.

[bois]

I've used the Rockler router table jig with some decent results. The key to box joints is dead-on accuracy, and the Rockler jig has some pretty fine adjustment capabilities to really dial in your box joints. I find that's what is usually lacking with the shop-built jigs for either the table saw or router. That being said, I've just gotten to the point where I feel like it's faster, easier, and a better end result just doing hand cut dovetails. I only use box joints if I need to batch out quite a few pieces. For one or two, I can layout and cut my tails faster than I can get a box joint jig dialed in.