# what kind of joints are these?



## norcaljoey (Sep 5, 2016)

I have attached an image. Are these a type of butt joint?

I am trying to replicate the pieces shown in the picture. It assembles to be a box. It was cut with a laser cutter I believe. I am a woodworking novice and have a table saw, skill saw, jigsaw and router. So nothing fancy. My first attempt I used my skill saw and made a fence with a level. Then used my jigsaw to cut out the joints and it worked OK, but the joints are ugly and dont line up all that well and I want to try and improve but cant really purchase anything fancy.

My second attempt I am going to rip all the pieces with my table saw into the side needed and then cut out the joints with a jigsaw the best I can. Any ideas to make this easier/better without breaking the bank on tools?


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## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

Looks like odd variation on dovetail.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It's a box joint however normally with a box joint there are more cuts per edge than one.


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## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

Box joints are straight-cut, this has angle like dovetails.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Do I see a small pilot hole?*

It look like a small hole in each of the tails to avoid over cutting and make the job cleaner. Initially I thought a router with a template would keep a constant distance and a clean edge and then finish it with the jig saw. If you had a bandsaw, you could set the fence a stop then flip each piece over to get both ends.

I don't see using a table saw or circular saw for this operation. You could set the table saw blade over for the bevel angle and use a tall fence on the miter gauge, but that's a lot of trouble. A small diameter blade like a 7 1/4" thin kerf blade on the table saw would work for the long edges using the fence, BUT I wouldn't trust a novice to drop the pieces on a spinning blade. Rather raise the blade up from the bottom through the work... pretty risky for a novice.

No real easy answers as far as I can figure. :frown2:

A Japanese pull saw would give you precision for the bevels, but it won't help on the long edges.


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

Laser Cut is the key definition here. Is the stock 1/2" of 3/4"? If it's 3/4, I'd use a biscuit joiner (which I realize you don't have) and just do plain old butt joints. An alternative, I might again do glued butt joints and pin them together with 1/8" pins. I've done this on other projects and it produces a sturdy joinery. Since you have a table saw, you could rip some small triangular corner glue blocks to strengthen the joints. I use 1/8" bamboo skewers from the grocery store for pins. Just drill an 1/8" hole in the joint, put a bit of glue on the hole and skewer and gently drive it into the hole as far as it will go. Clip off the excess pin with a pair of side cutters or a sharp chisel and go on to the next one. Your only power tool required is a drill. I've also used a pin nailer in place of the bamboo pins on 1/2" stock, but you don't have one of those either. Take a look at the bed step in my gallery album. It's held together entirely with the bamboo skewer pins.


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

norcaljoey said:


> I have attached an image. Are these a type of butt joint?
> 
> I am trying to replicate the pieces shown in the picture. It assembles to be a box. It was cut with a laser cutter I believe. I am a woodworking novice and have a table saw, skill saw, jigsaw and router. So nothing fancy. My first attempt I used my skill saw and made a fence with a level. Then used my jigsaw to cut out the joints and it worked OK, but the joints are ugly and dont line up all that well and I want to try and improve but cant really purchase anything fancy.
> 
> My second attempt I am going to rip all the pieces with my table saw into the side needed and then cut out the joints with a jigsaw the best I can. Any ideas to make this easier/better without breaking the bank on tools?


Hey,
not a laser. I have a lot of laser cutting done, also waterjet for metal and CNC routing. Lasers and water cutting leave distinct artifacts and I've never seen a laser that can cut thick wood material, plus getting rid of all the scorching and ash can be a hassle.

What you have was done with a router, likely a CNC router. The little 'holes' in the corners were done to achieve an inside corner without the radius a router leaves, they just cut in far enough to eliminate the radius. Now a square-cut piece inserted into the recess won't hang up on the round corner.

If I was going to reproduce this item I would use it as a template for a router and a router bit with a top-bearing, clamp the original item on top of the new wood, and away you go with a very high chance of success. Fast, too.


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## MEP1 (Aug 14, 2015)

FWIW I don't see any advantage to that joint except that it would hold itself together while you glue it up.

It's definitely not laser cut - that leaves the edges black. It's most likely a CNC router which likely only over-cut in at the corners to clear material because it can't make a square cut that would assemble.

If you like the joint, it should be very doable with a table saw and jigsaw. Make most of the long cut with your rip fence and complete it with the jigsaw, then either complete the cutoff with the jigsaw or make a jig to stand them up to finish it.

If the pieces aren't fitting well, you'll just have to practice until you can get it right.

Edit: I see the advantage to the joint now that I know what it's used for: http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-flat-pack-games-box


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I assumed this was probably for box jumps, still need mechanical fasteners to make it all work safely.

If you don't plan to take them apart there is no reason for this joint at all. All of the boxes I use are just screwed together. 

FWIW I hate square and rectangle boxes, I prefer ones that flare out at the bottom, much more stable to me.

Like these:

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-wood-plyoboxes

Do yourself a favor and get one of these, and use it, they are great:

http://www.roguefitness.com/mobilitywod-super-nova-2-0


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

The posted photos were of CNC-cut wide box joints. The inner corner dogbone holes were used to clear out the fillet that would have been left by the spinning router bit. 
4D


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