# corners?



## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

Hi all, 
I don't own a guide kit or any templates and with money being so tight right now i really cant afford to buy anything, is there anyway i can do Dovetails or those Straight corner joins with just a standard plunge or table mounted router? 

I bought a set of bits when i first got the router and it has a dovetail bit and some straight bits etc, but everywhere i search on how to do these dovetails or those straight ones (dont know the name of them? ) seems to keep saying Well buy this or Buy that...

i really enjoy building my own stuff but ive racked my brain for the past few days trying to figure out what i need to do or even which way to have the wood honestly im completely lost... any help would be greatly appreciated, 

Also i have only a little over a week of woodworking experience so if possible explain in layman terms please 

Thank you all in advance for your response.


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## Greeneyedeagle (Feb 15, 2009)

I'm right there with you.
Check out my last posting 
http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/13264-ok-im-cheap-box-joint-jig.html
It basically show how I made a jig for doing box joints...very easy and there are some suggestions on what to make it out of.
Let me know if i can help.

Also check out this video... http://us.oak-park.com/catalogue.html?list=boxj--


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## kolias (Dec 26, 2008)

Hi Paul

Palmer gave you a good link; you will find there lots of info how to make a jig for box joins (finger joins). It is fast and easy and it will cost you only your time and a few pcs of scrap.

Notice that you don’t have a lot of experience. Please be careful when using the router. If you are not sure of something post a question here.

Nicolas


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

thank you very much! Palmer that is exactly the medicine i was needing, gonna give it a try today some trial and error time in my future i feel  thank you again.

Thank you Nicolas i sure will, so far i have asked two questions which had me completely stumped and have got amazing fast responses that helped me completely, I'm so glad i ran across this forum it has helped make my new routing life sooooo much easier.

Thank you all for having such an amazing community on hand for people who are new like me and others with way more experience to discuss things and help each other, amazing place will be a daily check for me for a long time to come for sure.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Welcome Paul.
Like you, I am amazed at how helpful this forum is. That's a good thing 'cause I can use all the help I can get.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Hi, Paul. Box joints are pretty simple, since the notches are square and have a fixed offset increment that is easy to achieve with an indexing pin the size of the notch. Box joints can also be done on the table saw with a homemade jig, using either a dado set or "nibbling" out the notches with the regular blade.

Dovetails are more complex, since in addition to the offset increment, there are angles involved, too. The degree of precision needed to get everything to fit with a homemade jig for dovetails is difficult to achieve. Hence, the typical need for a precision machine-made (expensive) jig. The dovetail joint is made up of "tails" (the part that has an angle when looking at the face of the board), and "pins" (the part that has an angle when looking at the end of the board). The pins slip into the space between the tails. 

Terminology-wise, note that while box joints are often called finger joints, the latter term more properly refers to the joint used for joining small boards end-to-end (moldings and such), where the "fingers" have a slight angle. The angle allows the boards to be pushed together more easily within an automated production line.


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

very true Gene, 

Hey I got another question, i just got home from the glass store locally, i was going to see if it had any of that HDPE unfortunately he didn't have any.

He said he had some lexan so i went and looked and thought heck its about the same kind of material so i asked how much it was.

He had a 16x12x1/2 inch piece which after some back and fourth i managed to get for 6 bucks flat so i was pretty happy, but now after being home and thinking about it i thought it would be best to make sure this material would be suitable for a jig such as this and if so what do i use to glue the strip onto it? just regular super glue? or needs to be a specific glue? or can i just screw them together or something?

Thanks in advance for you reply.


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

Ah as soon as the page refreshed from my last post i seen your reply Ralph thank you for the information will keep that in mind when i attempt to create this jig.


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

crud just noticed i gave the wrong measurements for the piece of lexan 16x12x*1/4* not 1/2 sorry about that, i didnt see an edit option so i made another post.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

newwoodworker said:


> very true Gene,
> 
> Hey I got another question, i just got home from the glass store locally, i was going to see if it had any of that HDPE unfortunately he didn't have any.
> 
> ...


Lexan and other polycarbonates should be fine for making jigs, and perhaps less prone to wear than wooden parts. Cutting and shaping them is somewhat diffferent than wood, however, since there are effects of heat to be considered, etc.

Most plastics, I believe, use a solvent as a glue for joining parts made of the same plastic. As I recall, it smells like acetone, but I'm not sure if that is actually what it is. And, I'm not sure if super clue could be used. Gluing non-plastic parts to the Lexan may also require something different.


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

alright thank you very much Ralph off to the shop to work on this jig


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Scotch grip 4693


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Paul thank you for your question and Palmer for your response. I have been so busy putting together the shop, I have not had time or the place for that matter to work on any of the woodworking skills one needs. 

BTW one of the things that make this forum so good are responses like y'all have posted and the way that so many welcome the new folks. It is really easy to make friends here.


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