How do you clean up your box joints ??

[Bill Huber]

I do a lot of box joints, they are strong and I like the look.

I always cut them just a little longer then needed and then clean them up to get them flat and even with the box. The problem is how to do it.

I have tried a chisel, that really doesn't work that well for me, even with a really sharp chisel.
I have used a flush trim router bit and that generally comes out with a blow out on one of the pins.
I have used a block of wood with sandpaper on it and that does work but it take a lot of work with the end grain.

So now I am using my little PC (371) belt sander and that works well but I really have to watch it so I don't mark the surface of the box.

So what have you found to be the best way?

[Jamie Buxton]

Yep, belt sander. It may offend the purists, but it works well on lots of little bits of end grain and glue squeeze-out.

[Larry Copas]

Oakley oscillating edge sander. I was in a furniture factory one time and I heard somebody call them drawer sanders. Now I know why.

[Robert Engel]

Low angle block plane is better than sanding if you want a crisp look.

Please don't EVER use a belt sander on a ww'ing project they are nothing but project destroyers.

[jack forsberg]

Oakley oscillating edge sander. I was in a furniture factory one time and I heard somebody call them drawer sanders. Now I know why.

We called the waterfall sanders drawer sander and i have to live with my 10" wide Engleberg but i always wanted to to find 15" wadkin GKA




other than a side sanders the stroke sanders can be set up to sand drawers to.

[Prashun Patel]

Bill, do you own a good, low angle block plane? It's IMHO, the easiest way; the low angle blade enjoys tweaking end grain. There is a minor learning curve to avoid blowing things out, but it leaves a perfect surface.

[Bruce Page]

I use a ROS. It takes just a couple minutes to take the pin ends down flush. I never thought about using anything else.

[John TenEyck]

I'm with Bruce, I use my ROS. The key is to make the fingers only 1/64 or so proud. A few seconds with the ROS and the side is flush.

John

[Larry Fox]

Bill, do you own a good, low angle block plane? It's IMHO, the easiest way; the low angle blade enjoys tweaking end grain. There is a minor learning curve to avoid blowing things out, but it leaves a perfect surface.

This. The learning curve is not that great - you just need to back up the trailing side so it doesn't blow anything out. Keep it really sharp.

[Mike Heidrick]

Vega OES is what I use

[Roy Harding]

Oscillating edge sander. I've never heard the term "drawer sander", but it makes sense.

Belt sander would work fine, if I didn't have the edge sander - just go easy.

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi Bill, have you Tryd Useing a file.I add tape to the end to keep from scratching the field.Thats what I do when I am too lazy to shapen my block plane.

[Allan Speers]

Low angle block plane is better than sanding if you want a crisp look. .

This. A small LA block, like the superb Lie Nielsen, is one of the "must have" hand planes, even for guys that mostly use power tools.

They excel at trimming end grain. Plus, no noise, no dust, and a little mild exercise. You can even do it outside in the sunshine on a nice day: This particular task doesn't require a lot of "push," so you can get away with a smaller, portable bench. Even better is to use a shooting board, but you don't NEED one. well, actually, everybody needs a shooting board, they just don't know it.

Sanding should be a last resort, IMO. I'd rather be forced to listen to rap music for 16 hrs a day, than have to work in a shop filled with sanding dust.

[Bill Adamsen]

Oakley oscillating edge sander. I was in a furniture factory one time and I heard somebody call them drawer sanders. Now I know why.

Oakley actually made a dedicated drawer sander called the Model H drawer sander and the belt ran at 90° to the H-6.

When I trim the ends, depending on number of drawers, type of wood, amount of projection ... I use a belt sander, oscillating sander or hand plane.

[Mike Cutler]

Those that I've made I did with a belt sander, or plane. If I did them frequently, I'd probably get an oscillating edge sander, or that cool machine Jack posted.
I've done them with a plane, but the belt sander is pretty darn quick.