Corner joins for lots of boxes?

[Bob Savage]

Hi guys,

I'm going to be cutting a lot of small boxes, let's say around 7"x4" and 5" tall, using various hardwoods (Cherry, Oak, Magogany, Maple) and need to find an efficient way of cutting joints that will join quickly and assist in keeping the box square during glue up.

My first thought was a double rabbet but I would like mitered corners if possible. A standard miter is out because getting them right quickly and in volume isn't feasible.

The locking Miter bit (for router table) looks interesting because I could run them on my router table but I've run across comments that lead me to believe this may not be time efficient either.

Finally, I found a rabbiting miter bit set at MLCS that looks promising but thought maybe I ought to come to the pros on SMC to see if perhaps I'm missing some available options or ideas.

Any advice on how to achieve this using standard power tools (table saw, miter saw, table router... No shaper available)?

thanks

[jack forsberg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr402Nvfhs0

Hi guys,

I'm going to be cutting a lot of small boxes, let's say around 7"x4" and 5" tall, using various hardwoods (Cherry, Oak, Magogany, Maple) and need to find an efficient way of cutting joints that will join quickly and assist in keeping the box square during glue up.

My first thought was a double rabbet but I would like mitered corners if possible. A standard miter is out because getting them right quickly and in volume isn't feasible.

The locking Miter bit (for router table) looks interesting because I could run them on my router table but I've run across comments that lead me to believe this may not be time efficient either.

Finally, I found a rabbiting miter bit set at MLCS that looks promising but thought maybe I ought to come to the pros on SMC to see if perhaps I'm missing some available options or ideas.

Any advice on how to achieve this using standard power tools (table saw, miter saw, table router... No shaper available)?

thanks

[Bob Savage]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr402Nvfhs0

Wow, that does look quick and with the right workflow, could allow for quite a production line with limited tools. Thanks Jack!

[Rick Whitehead]

I second the spline miter joint.
You can use a contrasting wood for the spline for an additional detail.
Rick

[Myk Rian]

How thick will the stock be?

[Myk Rian]

I was watching some of the other videos that came up with the one above, and this came up.
http://www.poopourri.com/

[Bob Savage]

How thick will the stock be?

I buy S3S 4/4 planks locally which are consistently .82" so if I can get away with not having to plane to .75" it would save time.

[Jim Finn]

I make about 350 cedar boxes a year, (11" x 8" x 2" with 3/8" thick stock). I cut all the 2" sides of the boxes on my sliding miter saw at 45 degrees bevel and they square up fine when assembled. I glue on the miters , tape the corners to hold them in place long enough to put some rubber bands around them to "clamp" them together until the glue sets.

[Bob Savage]

I make about 350 cedar boxes a year, (11" x 8" x 2" with 3/8" thick stock). I cut all the 2" sides of the boxes on my sliding miter saw at 45 degrees bevel and they square up fine when assembled. I glue on the miters , tape the corners to hold them in place long enough to put some rubber bands around them to "clamp" them together until the glue sets.

Hi Jim,

Thank you you for the input. I did watch some videos on the tape technique, very slick.

So I would assume it's safe to say that a glued only miter corner is plenty strong? Some articles I've read seem to infer that it's too weak a joint by itself.

Again, really appreciate your input. That's a lot of boxes.

[Mike Henderson]

I put FF biscuits in the miter joint. While glued miters are generally strong, adding the biscuit is good insurance. I made a jig to cut the slots for the FF biscuits. You can see more here, about half way down the page.

Mike

[Perry Holbrook]

Titebond makes a glue that some think is better for end grain/miter glue ups. It's white, much thicker than regular Titebond. Don't remember the name, but I find it at Lowes.

Perry

[Jim Finn]

[QUOTE=Bob Savage;2160089]Hi Jim,



"...So I would assume it's safe to say that a glued only miter corner is plenty strong?..."/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It is strong because I glue a top and bottom to the frame and then cut about 3/4" off the top,, using my band saw, to form the hinged lid. Making the box this way it does not matter if the box is slightly out of square either. I use Elmer's White glue. It is stronger than the wood, dries clear ,dries quickly, and is cheap. ($13 per GALLON) I also use this same glue to put inlays into the lids of these boxes.

[Bob Savage]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr402Nvfhs0

I just thought I'd follow up and mention that this ended up being the winner. I'll be building some jigging for a few of the operations since I really just worked through the process to figure it all out this time around, but once I got over a few hurdles I have to say, these are the nicest mitered boxes I've ever made and they are very square and flat on the top and bottom so no messing around with a sander because the bottom rocks on a flat surface.

If anybody wants to try this, unless someone has a method that didn't occur to me, don't make the splines where they fit the slot snugly otherwise you won't be able to slide the adjacent side together once you have glue applied, especially if you've applied it to the spline because it gets tacky really quick.

I ended up with splines that slid into the slot very easily. Not sloppily, but where there was no effort at all putting it in place. These kept the box aligned nicely and allowed me to get the box together without cursing.

Thanks for the link, Jack.