# best joints for beginner?



## krazyness (Dec 30, 2008)

so...for someone w/ little tools, and zero experience...what's the best way to join the sides of my toy box together?

i've read through all of the joints posts....and i see the dovetails - which wouldnt really have the tools to do at this point. (i dont think)

so....what's the best way to do this?

any help would be appreciated!


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## Sawduster (Dec 30, 2008)

With the limited amount of tools you have, I would suggest a 3/4" cleat in each inside corner.


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

If you have a table saw, a lock joint is a fairly easy joint to make. draw your cut lines on the edge of the board and make your four "tab" cuts first. Assuming it's a small box you can do this with a miter guage on the table saw. Transfer the shape of the tab on a piece of scrap equal to the thickness of your good piece and adjust the saw blade while removing a little material at a time till you get a nice fit.

No table saw? (you did say limited) You could do this with a circular saw and a straight edge with clamps and a whole lot of time and less accuracy...:yes:

Your options are limited to anything more than a basic butt joint or miter joint. Have fun with it. Make butt joints, but for stability and design sink some contrasting dowels through the mating edges. Basic dowel joinery.

Here's a lock joint:


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## Jiffycake (Jul 22, 2008)

I second dowels. I have been itching to start with some more complex joints. I have only used dowels, mortise and tenon, and rabbet.

If you decide to go with the lock joint a dado blade on a table saw would work well. I don't know how much they are but I was given a very old craftsman dado blade with my saw and it really comes in handy.


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## jwcole (Nov 22, 2008)

Maybe boxjoint... http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Box%20Joint/boxjointjig.html
I googled this you could do it with a router too.

Jonathan


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## Deadhead Derek (Dec 15, 2008)

I would second the box joint.. decorative and functional. simple to do with a table saw, or by hand. though if you have the hand tools ( dovetail, back cut or pull saw) and a chisel, dovetails are in play as an option.


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## Sawduster (Dec 30, 2008)

I'm new here too so I don't want to bang heads with the other guys but apparently they didn't read your list of tools. The joinery I suggested is pretty basic and the only thing I'd try with the tools you have. Get some Durhams water putty, some Titebond III glue, some one inch drywall screws, a sheet of 1/2" plywood, AC grade, I believe (sanded on one side) and some 1x8 pine boards. Here's where a little table saw would be nice. You could probably find one on Craigslist for under $50.00. No table saw? Clamp your straightest 1 x 4 to another to put the shoe of your circular saw against and rip a #/4" strip off the edge of the bottom board. Plan your sheet of plywood for the size box you want to build. Don't forget to plan for kerf loss (That's the wood that you'll lose because of the thickness of the saw blade.) Cut out your five pieces, four sides and the bottom, I'd go with an open top so no one gets their fingers pinched. Cut your cleats out of the 3/4 x 3/4 stock you ripped and clamp and screw four of them to the end pieces (edit, flush with the edges of the panels.) Make the cleats short enough to allow room for the bottom of the box, about an inch and a half. Now screw the front and back on to the ends. Attach a set of cleats around the bottom and put the bottom in and screw it down. That's a dry assembly. Once you're satisfied, take it all apart and reassemble it with a thin ribbon of glue. Set the screws just deep enough to make room for a little filler. Sand it, paint it, and stencil on a Winnie the Pooh.


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

Sawduster said:


> I'm new here too so I don't want to bang heads with the other guys but apparently they didn't read your list of tools.


We can bang heads sawduster, you couldn't possibly damage mine anymore...:thumbsup:

I didn't see a _list_ of tools in his original post.


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## Deadhead Derek (Dec 15, 2008)

what list?


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## Sawduster (Dec 30, 2008)

"i own a hammer...a screwdriver,,,circular saw...used twice...um...a tape measure and the only thing the wife would let me buy, because i convinced her i could use it for other things too was a miter saw. which i just completed checkout, and should be here in a couple of days.


so i added a few items to the mix today while waiting for the new saw...

a square as was told needed.
a yardstick.
some drill bits.
sandpaper.
a chisel set.
a carving set.
clamps.
stain.
and..

oh yeah! almost forgot....wood!"


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

krazyness said:


> so...for someone w/ little tools, and zero experience...what's the best way to join the sides of my toy box together?
> 
> i've read through all of the joints posts....and i see the dovetails - which wouldnt really have the tools to do at this point. (i dont think)
> 
> ...



To do woodworking there are some tools you should have. 

For those times when making boxes or cabinets and using hardwood plywood, butt joints are the simplest, but there is the exposed endgrain to deal with. For those without bits or certain tools to do joinery, or the know how, here's an easy fix. 

Butt joints aren't the strongest of the joints, but done this way will provide a good joint and give a finished look. For 3/4" material, machine a rabbet into the end, 11/16" towards the face veneer, and 13/16"" deep. 
Apply a thin layer of glue in the joint, and clamp up in both directions, and use a caul against the veneer. When cured, file off the veneer overhang, and you have a finished end. For metric thicknesses, adjust the machining dimensions.

I've used this procedure many times with no problems.


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