# Save your money



## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm the type who will buy a jig rather than making it. Not very galootish but it is what it is As a consequence, I get burnt like this pretty often. Sorry to hear this but you saved me from buying it.


----------



## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

Glad to be of service. Lumberjocks united.


----------



## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I'm sort of coming to think that the best way to go about building sliding jigs is to go with a professional sliding base such as those you can build with Incra's build it system and then build the rest of the components that ride on these bases. I got a starter system over the weekend and it looks pretty good. I'm going to experiment with it and see if it's worth it or better to start from scratch. One of the things I intend to build is a box joint jig. I don't have room for a lot of jigs in my shop so if I have a couple of bases and the special built components to ride on them I will save a lot of room. There's lots of plans floating around for a good box joint jig that could be incorporated into these Incra bases so you might want to take a look at going this rout.

helluvawreck

https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


----------



## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

^Wreck, I ordered an Incra setup to make my bandsaw fence a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if they're any better than homebrewed, but that anodized aluminum sure looks cool Did you see the sliding router table jig that a fellow LJ just posted? (Sorry, I can't find the post).


----------



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

If anyone is interested in this type of jig, I have been pretty happy with this one - -

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21338&filter=box%20joint%20jig

It does not have a registration pin. It has a registration track. Actually it has 3 interchangeable registration tracks for 3 different sizes of opening and it works as good as they say it does.

They recommend a spiral cut router bit. In my experience, that is not necessary. A simple (and cheaper) straight bit works fine.


----------



## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

*Al*, the sliders seem to have a good adjustment to get the fit just right and those aluminum extrusions seem to give a lot of advantages. The sliders can't be to tight nor too loose. Wood sliders swell and all you can do is take them down a little. Anyways with the limited time to do woodworking that I have (only weekends) I had rather woodwork than build jigs. It's not that I haven't built jigs before. Jig building was a big part of my job for 40 years.

*Rich*, that looks like a nice jig.

helluvawreck

https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


----------



## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Beth, I have this jig. Once I figured out the setup I had no complaints and it does what it is supposed to do. Maybe you got a lemon.


----------



## DaytonHM (Dec 27, 2011)

Thank you from a newbie member, had my eye on this jig just a few days ago! I am new to the community here at lumber jocks and you folks are an awesome bunch!

Thank you!


----------



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Helluvawreck and all - -

I agree that any sloppiness in the track is a problem.

You will note that with the Rockler jig, there is no sliding in the track in the router table. The track in the table is only used to stabilize the jig. The sliding takes place in 2 tracks in the jig itself. There is no noticeable slop. I think that is a key way this jig differs from the rest.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Beth, These things are REALLY simple to build if you are so inclined. I built 2 on Christmas day from a jointed/squared 2×6 with a jatoba pin for durability. Routed a T slot in the back side to attach it to my miter gauge and make it adjustable. I built a 1/4 and 3/8 to go with my Freud box cutter blades. I'll be happy to p ost pics somewhere if you need them.


----------



## smitty22 (May 1, 2010)

Sorry to hear about the disappointing product, we all run into those now and then.

For either the table saw or router boxjoint application, I found that the Woodcraft tutorial "Box-Joint
Basics" is excellent and covers all the little 'gotchas' very well. here's my version built from that:










Basically just a good hardwood fence attached to the miter gauge. Downside is that you have to build a new one for every thickness of wood, ie, not adjustable.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Smitty, Does yours have a T track on the back or ??? so you can tweak it to get the perfect pin width? Or is it screwed to the miter gauge?


----------



## rrdesigns (Sep 4, 2009)

gfadvm: I would love to see some pics. I'm leaning toward a router table system instead of a dado blade for now. I have a dado blade for my sawstop but it isn't very sharp and leaves some tracks. And changing the brake cartridge while fairly simpler can be a nuisance. 
I'm willing to try building one if I can achieve the precision and repeatability that I want. I am trying to make wooden piano style hinges with a 3/4" hinge pin for tortilla presses. 








I'm leaning toward scaring up the cash for an Incra LS positioner for the router table. That looks like a pretty good and precise product that can easily handle box joints (among others) repeatedly.

Do you (or anyone else) have any opinions about router table cut box joints versus dado blade?


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Thanks for the review Beth.


----------



## smitty22 (May 1, 2010)

Beth, & gfa, 
My version is screwed to a positionable fence/face on the miter guage, project is posted here, more pics: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/40370

The key to this is that there are actually 3 fences involved, the wooden face fence which holds the index block, the extruded aluminum middle fence with T-slots on both front and back, and the face/fence of the miter gauge itself. The wooden fence and the extruded fence are secured together with T-bolts and remain together for all box joint operations. They move laterally on the face of the miter gauge to adjust the position of the index block with respect to the blade and thus the position of the initial 'slot' that is cut. That's what the adjustment mechanism does.

The slot width and depth are of course determined by the dado/blade stack width and height. Spacing of the second and subsequent slots is determined by the width of the index block (hopefully identical to the first cut).
Unfortunately it's not the ultimate fully adjustable jig!

the Incra sure sounds great, maybe one of these days I can catch up enough on other stuff to afford one. 
Thanks for posting a review, 
Dale


----------



## RogerM (Oct 31, 2011)

I have one of these jigs and have used it on a number of projects for the past three years. I use mine extensively on the table saw outfitted with various dado blades. Before I got this jig I used a homemade one that worked well also but the adjustments were very tedious and difficult to maintain. I really like this jig.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Beth, I have used both the table saw and the router to cut box joints and MUCH prefer the tablesaw. I'll post pics of the jigs in my next project ( another box I made with them) as soon as the finish is done. I'm too cheap to buy the Incra system and my shop made suff works very well for my needs. If you ever get to the Tulsa/Jenks area give me a call and I'll give you the tour of all my jigs. You are welcome anytime. Send me a pm for my cell # if you get this direction.


----------

