? On Making Box Joints

[Travis Hirst]

I am getting started on a buriel flag display for a departed friend and I have a question for you guys. I was thinking of using a simple box joint to join the corners of the display just to dress it up a bit. My dimensions on the flag are 16x16x24. So my question is how can I use a box type joint while incorperating the angles needed for the dimensions of the flag. My feeble little mind is a little burned out from work and this just is not as clear to me as it should be. I am sure that with the wealth of knowledge out there someone will be able to enlighten me. Any thoughts, comments, and ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Travis

[Lee Schierer]

There might be an easier way to do it, but lioke you after a tough week of work my mind is pretty much fried. To use box joints (also called finger joints) on a triangular box you will need to cut the fingers with teh boards held at the angle for each side. The top corner is 90 so those two pices can be held straight up. The remaining corners are 45 degrees each so the pice would need to be inclined 45 degrees as the finger is cut if you don't want any gaps inside or out.

However, if you cut all the fingers with the pieces standing straight up in your jig, you can angle the inside surfaces with a small chisel or hand file to get a custom fit with no gaps at the two 45 degree corners. It may take a bit of time for the hand work, but the results should be worth it. For a flag you aren't talking about hand working that many fingers.

As a hint. If only one side of your flag is to be seen, cut a piece of foam core board (purchase at any craft store) to the size of your window opening. Fold the flag and then arrange the last fold so that you can get the right number of stars arranged symetrically on the triangle of foam board. Use straight pins into the edges of the foam core to hold the flag fabric in place. Slip this pinned flag into the box and slip the rest of the flag in behind. The viewed flag will be perfectly flat and the stars will be perfectly centered and the whole display will look better.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Hi Travis, you are looking at building a jig to hold the pieces at about a 41.5 degree angle.

If I did this, a little careful marking and hand cutting would be easier than building and fine-tuning a jig.

However, I would miter the corners and use splines or keys to reinforce the corners.

Take care, Mike

[John Keane]

I have never done this, but have a thought. First thing is to test hop my idea with pine or poplar or other inexpensive wood. My idea is to cut the box joints the same on each side so that the sides meet but the box joint doesn't interfit. Then miter the ends so that the sides do meet flush. Then make splines of a different wood and insert them into the matched fingers. Sand the splines even with the wood, and there is the box.

I am proud of you for what you are going to do, and I wish you the absolute best

[Brian Dormer]

I *THINK* Router Workshop (the PBS show - also on web at the woodworking channel - and they have a web site) did a piece on box joints at other than 90 degree angles. It could also be in one of their two books (availble at their web site). I think the "trick" was to make the fingers extra long, then cut them off at the desired angle - but it's been a while.

Good Luck.