Woodsmith Aluminum Box Joint Jig...

[Harold Burrell]

Does anyone here own the Woodsmith Aluminum Box Joint Jig? If so...what do you think of it???

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200...Joint-Jig.aspx

[Brian W Evans]

I used to own one. It works as advertised and is well-made. However, it does have some drawbacks:

• It uses a small plastic strip to prevent tearout. This strip gets chewed up if you change finger sizes and is overpriced when you want to replace it.
• I found that the jig needed to be recalibrated almost every time I used it - the old tradeoff: adjustability = frequent calibration.
• The price.

Unless you need infinitely variable finger sizes, make your own jig. Box joint jigs that work equally well are ridiculously easy and can be made from scraps in a very short time. There are countless articles and videos online about how to do this.

If you make your own and you want to reuse it often, try making the indexing pin from an old drill bit or piece of key stock (available at most hardware stores) that matches the finger size. The metal won't wear like wood and cause slop in your joints. You also won't have to mill it to size. I use 5 minute epoxy to hold the indexing pin in place.

[David Nelson1]

I'll agree with everything that Brain has commented on and add that your miter gauge you mount the jig to needs to have 0 slop in the guide to bar. If there is any then you have to develope a "hold" on the tooling and assume this holding position for every cut. They also ask that the fence be shimmed a few thousandths above the top, if you don't get this right your cuts are not plumb. All in all it work better than anything I tried to build. If you use key stack as mention previously I recommend very strongly that the stock match the kerf.

[John TenEyck]

You should make your own jig. You can build one for your table saw or router table in less than 30 minutes that will cut perfect finger joints. Of course, your miter gage should fit snugly in the slot but even that's not an absolute requirement as long as you keep it hard against the same side of the slot with every cut. A little patience and practice is all it takes. Making your own jig allows you to adjust it to fit the job at hand, both for the size of the parts you're handling and the size of the fingers. No store bought unit can do that, nor is it likely any easier to set up. My 2 cents.

[David Nelson1]

I think I have figured out that if you laid out finger joints with a divider(s) as you would for dovetails you would be done before you got the jig set or built! Well maybe not the first time but, you get my drift I hope.

[Harold Burrell]

Thanks all for the input. I will indeed "save my money"...and spend it on something else!

[Bruce Wrenn]

Thanks all for the input. I will indeed "save my money"...and spend it on something else!

Do a search, and find Nick Engler's jig. He adjusts it using a 10 -32 screw.

[Dave Gaul]

I made one using Woodsmith's hardware pack & plan. It is a huge overkill IYAM. The jig I made works very well, but a simple one would work just fine.

[Alan Schaffter]

I'm not cleared to provide full details because it is not ready to ship, but if you want the best box joint jig ever made wait a month or so for the new one from XXXX. It is a precision jig that addresses all the problems with the Woodsmith and other box jigs mentioned in this thread:

(the Woodsmith jig) uses a small plastic strip to prevent tearout. This strip gets chewed up if you change finger sizes and is overpriced when you want to replace it.

The XXXX jig backer is reversible (top - bottom) so will last though many finger size changes, and it can be easily replaced by the user with one made from an inexpensive piece of MDF or ply.

(the Woodsmith jig) needed to be recalibrated almost every time I used it - the old tradeoff: adjustability = frequent calibration.

The XXXX is simple and quick to calibrate- no calipers are required. When used on a tablesaw with a dado blade, it only needs to be calibrated once then it is easy to adjust for any size finger between tiny 1/8" fingers up to 3/4" . Just cut a notch in a piece of scrap with your dado blade or router bit and use it to set the finger size- you just dial it in! You don't need to fiddle with shims to set the dado blade- you set the jig to fit the dado. (it is the same when used on a router table)

The price.

Quality is not cheap.

Unless you need infinitely variable finger sizes, make your own jig. Box joint jigs that work equally well are ridiculously easy and can be made from scraps in a very short time. There are countless articles and videos online about how to do this.

The XXXX jig is infinitely variable and is adjusted to the cutter because it can be difficult and time consuming to set dado blades precisely and router bits aren't always sized as advertised. Box joints rely on all dimensions- cutter width, guide pin width, and cutter-to-guide-pin spacing- to be within a few thousandths of an inch. Many DIY jigs rely on fixed guide pins and will only work correctly if you always, precisely set the dado blade to that dimension. It is easy to over/under tighten the arbor nut, get dust between the blades, catch the edge of a shim in the arbor threads, etc. etc. which will result in slight differences each time you set the dado width. Router bits usually come in limited sizes and are not always machined to the advertized size. Many adjustable DIY jigs have the same problem and limitation- realistically, the dado blade or router bit must be a precise multiple of 1/32" and you must carefully set the blade-to-cutter gap to that measurement as well. The XXXX does that for you. If your cutter is not a multiple of 1/32" (depends on the screw) then you must figure out and use partial rotations- even Mathias Wandel's incredible (wood gear) box jig has that limitation!

your miter gauge you mount the jig to needs to have 0 slop in the guide to bar.

The XXXX does not require you to use your valuable miter gauge- it is free-standing and comes with its own patented, precision, adjustable miter bar.

Making your own jig allows you to adjust it to fit the job at hand, both for the size of the parts you're handling and the size of the fingers.

The XXXX allows you to make perfect joints on the first attempt without the repeated testing, adjusting, testing usually required with most jigs. In the unlikely event you need to adjust the fit of the joint, it has a micro adjustment feature that allows adjustments in .001" increments (and less)!

Making your own jig allows you to adjust it to fit the job at hand, both for the size of the parts you're handling and the size of the fingers. No store bought unit can do that, nor is it likely any easier to set up.

Until now!

In addition to perfect standard box joints, it will allow you to make symmetrical box joints with full fingers top and bottom, regardless of finger size or stock width. Also, an incredibly simple adjustment will allow you to quickly make decorative insert joints like these:

IMG_3332.jpg

For a one-time project, learn what makes a box joint tick and make one. If you plan to make box joints regularly (according to FWW testing they are stronger than dovetail joints) wait and get the best. Once you try it, you will look for opportunities to use it again.

As soon as I am cleared, I will provide more details. Oh, and how do I know this? I invented and licensed the design to a respected US manufacturer of woodworking accessories. We have worked together for over two years and they have turned my design into a truly fantastic box joint jig.

[Patrick Perry]

What ever came of the then secret "xxxx" box-joint jig?

[Alan Schaffter]

What ever came of the then secret "xxxx" box-joint jig?

Wow, this thread goes back a long time!!!

I'm happy to report the "secret boxjoint jig" was introduced to the market in early 2012 as the INCRA IBOX. It was and still is the best box joint jig on the market and continues to sell well. It is manufactured by INCRA and sold directly by them and through other woodworking retailers (Infinity, Woodcraft, Peachtree, Klingspore, Grizzly, Woodpeckers, Lee Valley, and several others). I believe INCRA and one or two vendors are currently running a sale on the IBOX. You can read all about it and watch several videos of it in action on the INCRA website.



Oh, and if you use or would like to use lock-miter joints in some of your projects but have found, like many woodworkers, that it is nearly impossible to set the bit height and router table fence position with the precision required, or haven't even tried because of the horror stories, check out the patented Infinity Lock Miter Master lock miter setup jig. It is sold directly by Infinity Cutting Tools. It comes in two sizes and fits almost all lock miter bits on the market.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Yes, the Incra iBox jig seems to be the top contender presently. I do not own one. I usually make my own for the specific pin size, although I do have, and still use, the aluminum Woodsmith (not Woodcraft) jig. The Woodsmith jig is fussy--lots of trial and error getting the pin spacing. I use a dial caliper and shoot for about 5-6 thousands of an inch slop. Less than that, is too tight and more than that is too sloppy.

Check out William Ng's video on making your own jig and how to use it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NutwD7B6tmE

[Bob Wingard]

Best I've ever seen.