So what's YOUR strategy for box-joints (esp. the glue-up)?

[radhak]

This for future reference; I'm almost done with the current one. Pictures when finished.

I'm building a two-level cutlery tray for a kitchen-drawer, copying from something like this :



I decided to cut box (finger) joints on the router though I have a set of dado, because I thought the router cuts would be superior.

When I bought by router+table from CL, a set of box-joint set-ups came with it, as here; looks like this :



Advantage being the 'fence' is exactly 1/4" or 3/8" or 1/2" thick, so I just need to ensure that the distance between the fence and the bit be exactly the same (1/4" or 3/8" or 1/2") as the bit size. I got it right within two trial cuts.

My drawer has a bottom portion of 2" high, and a smaller upper portion of 1.5" high, both even multiples of 1/4" so neither my pins and tails were less than full width.

I found I could have planned the glue-up better : I ended up hustling when the glue seemed to dry up before I was done applying to the last of the pins (and this was just 4 pins at a time). I guess I should have used a narrow paint-brush instead of depending on my fat fingers .

Also, I had not planned on clamping after the glue, effectively depending on the joints to hold tightly enough till the glue did its job, because I thought the clamps might kick the 'rectangular' structure out of square, and of course the piece was too small for 4 clamps I'd have needed. Maybe I should have used my band clamp?

But after drying the glue-up seems to be strong enough, though the fingers were a bit 'proud' of the surface. I pondered using a handplane but ended up sanding with a ROS. A nice side-benefit was that the sawdust filled up a couple of microscopic gaps in the joints for a better look!

For the dividers within I simply glue-butt-joined and left it dry this morning, and later shall reinforce with miller dowels. Thoughts?

[pelligrini]

A small brush makes the glue go on quicker. The cheap packages at HF are what I usually grab. I like tightbond-III for the open times.

I'll usually clamp mine with 4 bessy parallel clamps. I tried a band clamp once, but the jaws didn't get around the pins.

It's usually a little better to have the pins a little proud and then sand. I found using PSA paper on a flat surface and then moving the box on the paper gives the best results.

[Black wallnut]

I buy acid brushes for joinrey glue-ups. I clamp as Erik staying away from the pins. I sand with my ROS. I've mostly used regular wood glue, Elmer's or Tightbond with the short open time; just have to work fast. Next time I do box joints I might switch to white glue for a longer open time.

BTW I always cut box joints with a shop built spacer fence on my router table. Boxjoint jig page.

[LCHIEN]

you can flush trim the fingers using a bottom bearing flush trim router bit mounted in the table router so the bearing is just above the fingers when the box is stood on end.

[cabinetman]

I use a small glue brush too. Good fitting joints may not need clamps. You may want to do only one side at a time. Routing with a flush trim bit (if there's enough to rout) may knock off a pin, so, at times I may use a block sander to flush out.

.

[AlanWS]

I use a foam brush that I have cut with scissors to roughly match the joint. This lets me quickly brush glue into each finger. For cauls, I adjust the dado set a little wider than the thickness of my stock, and make two rip cuts to remove the corner of a scrap, with the blade raised a bit higher than its width. These cauls (covered with tape or wax to prevent sticking) provide space for the fingers to slightly protrude, but touch at the corner and the faces right next to the fingers to hold the joint tight without distorting tightly clamped thin stock. I assemble the parts, hold them together with a rubber band, slip the cauls inside the rubber bands, and then clamp by wrapping with surgical rubber tubing. Each wrap gradually increases the clamping force, but leaves it pretty well balanced so nothing is pulled out of square. Usually at this point all you need to do is check the diagonals to be sure it's square, and set it aside to dry.

This is quick enough that I can easily use titebond 1 on 11" tall 1/4" box joints. I had problems with speed using an acid brush.

<img src="http://www.woodworking.org/photo/albums/userpics/13408/boxjoint.JPG" border="0" alt="" />

[MilDoc]

Another vote for acid brushes. But I use 4 wood blocks I cut with an "L" shape at 90 degree angles at each corner, with wax paper between the blocks and the joints to prevent sticking, then used to use 4 F-clamps. Worked well to keep it square.

Now that I have the Jet equivalent of Besseys (thanks to a birthday gift from the LOML) I still use the blocks, but better clamps.