# Good finger-joint jig you can build and customise



## JCJCJC (May 15, 2012)

I found the plans for this jig in a magazine, and also on the www. Full credit to Derrick Wilkinson for the design idea. I have made the jig and I'm well pleased with my first result, a rugged oak box from a fairly rough 15mm plank milled from a local wind-fall tree. From a first trial, I would say you could omit the cigarette-paper extra tolerance he talks about, you should dimension the width of your your lumber to the jig once you have made it rather than rebuild the jig, you can mill two ends and two sides of a box together, and don't try to cut it all in one pass, sneak up on the final dimension. I was perhaps a bit cheeky expecting to go easily through 15mm of oak in one go. Also, make sure you have pins opposite pins and sockets opposite sockets...;-)

Plans for the jig

Here's my first attempt with it, rough and rugged enough, but it certainly proves the jig works and has a lot of potential:










If you are making a lidded box, you can tweak the jig design to allow for the width of the saw kerf when you cut off the lid, for example.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Nice fit on the joints John. The jig in the link is another home built version of the Katie jig. I attached a photo of the Katie jig Jr.

In the interest of using the same terms world wide let me mention that finger joints taper while box joints are square.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Thanks John 
Nice project


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

I have always tried to make the box sides the same and end pieces the same so the box joints look symmetrical. I think it gives a more pleasing look. It also makes it easy to cut the lid after. Now I have decided I like the look of small boxes with lockmitered joints. You can choose to round over the corners or to notch them and fill in with contrasting wood. Choices choices!!!


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

Very interesting Jig... for Fancy Box Joints...


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## bigalscorpio (Nov 2, 2013)

Hi Mike, great to see you back on the forum!

I think we ought to have a universal name for the joints. lets try and make protocol on the forum.

My personal vote is for Finger joints and Thumb joints. 

Al


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

> My personal vote is for Finger joints and Thumb joints.
> 
> 
> > Aren't those the parts you always hit with a hammer? :haha:
> > Nice simple jig- thanks for sharing. Need to try it.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Knothead47 said:


> > My personal vote is for Finger joints and Thumb joints.
> >
> >
> > > Aren't those the parts you always hit with a hammer? :haha:
> > ...


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Nicely done John.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Well done John.


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

I prefer Finger Joint over Box Joint, as there are many other joint types you can use to make a box, and many other applications for the finger joint.


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