# Favorite joint for boxes?



## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

Curious what you all prefer to use to join corners of a box. 

I'm getting fed up with miters and think i may just switch to dovetails and invest in a decent jig.


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## nblasa (Nov 29, 2011)

Have you tried finger joints? They look pretty neat. Miters can be dressed up a bit by adding a couple of perpendicular exposed splines of a different wood type. You know, like maple splines on a walnut box or vise versa. Good luck with the dovetails if you try them. I still need some more practice with them before using them


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

nblasa said:


> Have you tried finger joints? They look pretty neat. Miters can be dressed up a bit by adding a couple of perpendicular exposed splines of a different wood type. You know, like maple splines on a walnut box or vise versa. Good luck with the dovetails if you try them. I still need some more practice with them before using them


Yeah i know, I just really don't have the quality of tools i wish i had. I just get down on myself, i think I'm expecting to be better then i am, but in realty I've only been doing this stuff for a few months.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

+1 on the finger joints.
Check this out.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

DTs... All ya need is a saw and chisel, jigs need not apply.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

firemedic said:


> DTs... All ya need is a saw and chisel, jigs need not apply.


Im itching to start doing them by hand, I've watched a great vid by this gentlemen check it out.






Ive thought of buying his magnet too. Seems relatively easy once the effort is put forth to master it.


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

firemedic said:


> DTs... All ya need is a saw and chisel, jigs need not apply.


Firemedic's right. You need a good saw, some chisels, a mallet and a coping saw or fret saw and lots of time to practice. You learn to cut dovetails by cutting lots and lots of dovetails.

But don't start by trying to make an heirloom jewelry box. Start by making stuff for your shop; tool boxes and shop furniture that will be strong and will last. Then, when you know what you're doing, make that jewelry box.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Have you tried a box joint. :laughing: I don't put much into building a box. I normally either miter the corners or just butt joint them.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

I'd go with a dovetail joint. The first dovetailed box I made was using a $30 jig from Home Depot (which certainly wasn't the greatest, but it did the trick). It was a great introduction to a basic half blind dovetail and produced ok results with some patience and a bunch of test cuts to see how to adjust the joint. 




















True they're not hand-cut, but came out not bad for a first attempt. Give it a shot man!


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Nice box. I was trying to read your arm. What's it say?


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

BZawat said:


> I'd go with a dovetail joint. The first dovetailed box I made was using a $30 jig from Home Depot (which certainly wasn't the greatest, but it did the trick). It was a great introduction to a basic half blind dovetail and produced ok results with some patience and a bunch of test cuts to see how to adjust the joint.
> 
> 
> View attachment 53978
> ...


Probably the general dovetail jig i assume? I used that on my guitar amp build and experienced the same results you did. Its an okay jig, but i do wish i would have gotten a better one as my cabinet does have a few gaps but you live and learn. 


I deffinitely want a better jig soon. I'm torn though, i don't want to jus give up on certain parts of woodworking (miter joints) As I'd like to be proficient with as many aspects of woodworking as possible.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Dominick said:


> Nice box. I was trying to read your arm. What's it say?


It's the Prayer of St Francis


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

lateralus819 said:


> Probably the general dovetail jig i assume? I used that on my guitar amp build and experienced the same results you did. Its an okay jig, but i do wish i would have gotten a better one as my cabinet does have a few gaps but you live and learn.
> 
> I deffinitely want a better jig soon. I'm torn though, i don't want to jus give up on certain parts of woodworking (miter joints) As I'd like to be proficient with as many aspects of woodworking as possible.


Yep, the general indeed lol. I ordered a Leigh super 12 last week and can't wait to get it this week. I'll post a review, well my opinion anyway, after I get familiar with it. 

I think each particular type of joint has its advantages and disadvantages, as well as its strength and weakness. Unless you're doing a splined miter, a miter is probably the weakest joint for a box and a PITA to boot. I use miters way more often in trim carpentry than in joinery. 

But then the key to anything is practice, practice, practice, as you surely know if you are a guitar player


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## nblasa (Nov 29, 2011)

Do you have a table saw? if you do you can start working on some different strategies by getting a dado set, building some different jigs, and experimenting a bit.


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

lateralus819 said:


> Curious what you all prefer to use to join corners of a box.
> 
> I'm getting fed up with miters and think i may just switch to dovetails and invest in a decent jig.


I only use dovetales and pin's, i do jewelry box's and i can make dovetales and pin's before you can go the 45's ect. I have 2 router tables with 2 routers that stay in their all the time. My dovetale jug is made by Gifkins which cost lot's of $$ but you can get one that is cheeper but i my self wouldn't do the hassel i have heared about some. This one out of the box does perfect every time with 2 set up's for the thickness and width and than you are ready to do both from the same jig , which you just move over the dovetales and then move it ovet for the pin's of course change the wood, like the frount is for the dovetales and the side's are for the pin's, that way you see the tale from the frount of the unit. Here is the link of the one i have , i been using this one sence 1996 when it first came out. the link http://www.gifkins.com.au/ you can get it from Japan Wood worker in Cal. look up on the web here are my box with dovetale and pin's


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

Here's a system I wish I had gone for instead of the Rockler dovetail jig (porter cable clone).
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/fast_joint_system.html

Just seems like a lot more variety available:smile:


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## mark c (Aug 26, 2012)

I absolutely love my Leigh 24 . Not only the versatility of variable dove tails but also the isolok joints. 










24" heart dovetails on a cedar Chest. 










Latest is a drawer jewelry box out of walnut and Spalted maple.


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