# Router Table Box joint jig



## EdsCustomWoodCrafts (Sep 21, 2014)

Hi everyone

I have a question.. I want to build a jig and I even went and bought some 5.5" wide boards .. But my router table is shop built and I have no mitre slot in it..

My plan was to build this using a 1.5" thick poplar board as a fence and put a 1/2" sq dowel as a key and then putting another slot 1/2" sq to position the stock I'm cutting

But I never figured on how to keep the jig straight on the table..

Any suggestions!!!!!

Below is what I'm thinking of building but 12" wide
http://lumberjocks.com/assets/pictures/projects/185108.jpg


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## LRS (Nov 6, 2012)

Make your jig hang over the edge of the router table and place a cleat on the bottom side of the jig (use clamps to make it removable) the cleat will run along the table face , which will give you a strait edge to keep the jig strait


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Or build the jig fence "L" shaped and ride the edge on your router fence. David's way is a good way, but I'm not sure I'd trust the edging on my table to be flat enough. I know my fence is flat though.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Another issue to consider is that the 1/2" square stock may not be accurate enough. It needs to be extremely close to the size of the slot the router bit cuts.


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

You can easily add miter track to your router table if the top is thick enough. Simply route out for the track and screw it in.

Check this out.
http://www.rockler.com/rockler-36-miter-track

I have it in two router tables I built and use it all the time.


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## Fuzzy (Jun 25, 2007)

This is about the most simple jig I've ever used on a router table. Make it from scraps … it'll work just fine. Make it from better material for longevity. Easy to build to suit your router table setup.

http://www.routerworkshop.com/boxjoints.html


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## KnickKnack (Aug 20, 2008)

Rather than building a specific box joint jig, you might consider building a "precise movement jig".
I believe I've seen these commercially available, but it's super-easy to make one yourself - all you need are two long "bolt" rods with a known thread pitch.
I wrote a little blog about mine many years ago here - that "proof" of concept thing is what I still use today.
I use 1mm pitch bolts - so one complete turn is 1mm - if I want 5mm box joints that's just 10 turns to move my piece exactly 10mm.
It's what I used for this and this and this - well - all the things I make that need precise spacing.

It's much more general purpose than just box joints of a given size - box joints of any size - joints with different sizes - sets of slots.
Just an idea.


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## EdsCustomWoodCrafts (Sep 21, 2014)

> Make your jig hang over the edge of the router table and place a cleat on the bottom side of the jig (use clamps to make it removable) the cleat will run along the table face , which will give you a strait edge to keep the jig strait
> 
> - David


Hi David I'm wondering should the cleat be 1" wide so as to accommodate the 1/2" key and then a 1/2" slot


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