# box joint question



## Jon1094 (May 12, 2012)

Well I've been giving it a think for an hour now and my mind just isn't working tonight. I'm making a Pochade box for my wife. The sides of the box are four sides 6"X3/4" box jointed. I just found out that the canvases I want it to be able to hold won't fit inside the box unless I make some more (inside diameter) room. The question is, being that my box joints are already made, if I plane down the thickness of the sides will it affect my box joints?

My guess is that they will stick out on the ends a bit…but I'm confused as to whether planing now will actually give me any more room inside or if it'll be a wash due to the joints fitting differently. Help please.


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## Donna77 (Oct 27, 2013)

It won't work. Depending on design you may be able to add a decorative piece to lengthen the sides


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## Jon1094 (May 12, 2012)

Thanks Donna. Yup the ID is the ID no matter what. I guess I could plane the wood down to .000001" and I'd just have really long finger box joints with the same inside diameter. Rats.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

It would be a wash. Best thing to do is remake it. Bummer, I have been there.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Another thing to take into consideration too that I've also learned the hard way is allowing clearance for bit height if set slightly above the work piece before the cut.


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## casual1carpenter (Aug 16, 2011)

Jon, if the wood is worth it, you could add material to the bottom of the box joints which would reduce the finger joint length and increase the internal dimensions. Then yes you would have to reduce the stock thickness. It would be a bit of tedious work for me but some people are good at that. 








There are people here that could do this and have fun doing it, but I'm not one, lol, just brought it up because I followed your thought and saw it could work. Actually, you could use a contrast of material or grain direction rather than trying to match and make it interesting. You could also dado a line down which encompasses the repair area and do an inlay with wood or epoxy and filler. 
We can not unmake the mistakes, it's simply live and learn, but you might just take that box to the next level where you will be proud of the save you accomplished.









Guess it would depend a lot on just how much you would be adding. As an afterthought, I would do the finish planing after completed glue-up because with my luck I would damage a box joint finger or three.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

Why don't you go ahead and finish making the box and then make another one from scratch the way you meant to in the first place. That way you'll have two boxes. You can always use the other one for something else.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

What Charles said.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

Helluvawreck…to your point, he could split the existing box into 2 sides and 2 fronts and elongate new pieces to increase the inside dimensions. Depends on what is meant to go in it and whether his jig is still set-up. Just a thought.


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## Jenine (Sep 6, 2013)

I am also building a pochade box for a teacher from college - can't wait to see photos of your finished box!


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## PaulDoug (Sep 26, 2013)

What I would be tempted to try is increase the length of the sides and ends by splitting them in the middle and adding a piece of contrasting wood. You make a decorative shape, like a diamond, heart or whatever. I'm just thinking that would be quicker and easier than trying to alter the box joints.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I'm not sure exactly how a pochade box works ,but couldn't you just do a rabbit along the inside edge of the box to hold a canvass . It could be done fairly easy using a router table.


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