Box Joint Jig w/ DC

[Greg Peterson]

I built a prototype box joint jig with a micro-adjuster. After cutting quite a few box joints, I was able to get the jig dialed in to just about where I wanted it and learned a few things along the way.

There were two things I did not like about the jig. One was the saw dust it kicked back at me as the board finished going over the dado blade. The other was the exposed dado blade.

So I set to work with an idea I had. The first mock up was done in cardboard. The concept seemed feasible, so I mocked up version two in 1/2" pine. The idea still seemed practical and ironed out a few fabrication details.

Which brings us to version three, which is the first actual working model. I just ran a couple of boards over the dado blade and I have to say I am very pleased with my initial results. Virtually no dust and no dado blade just below my hands.

The front part of the jig is just poplar. But I installed a sheet of 120 on the face to help hold the board in place. The support board is oak. The micro-adjust design I got out of a magazine, sorry I forget which one. I just don't want to claim it as my idea.

The dust shroud is 1/2" pine and I routed out a 1/4" dado in the oak for the shroud. I cut five slots, or gills as I refer to them, on both sides of the shroud near the oak support board. I cut the slots so they angle in for two reasons. First, to make drawing the air in easier. Second, to prevent dust from escaping or being ejected out.

All I can say is this shroud addressed all my concerns and then some. An unrealized benefit is that it gives my hand another place from which to push the jig. I think I may put a handle on top of this shroud. But that would be for version 3.1.

[Ray Newman]

Looks good!

'Nevva' seen a DC set up like before. Any dust escaping from the front of the work?

I wonder how another DC hose would work in front the blade and set back far enough so that the work -- when pushed forward into the blade -- would not strike it?? I've seen a DC set up like this cobbled together cutting box joints on a router table.

Your idea is definitely something to consider, as I am prone to have sinus problems. Thanks!

[Dan Forman]

Looks good. Can you show a pic of how the adjuster works?

Thanks

Dan

[Phil Thien]

Extremely clever, and nice execution, too!

[Dave Gaul]

That is a great idea man! Will have to keep this in mind.

BTW.. what fence system is that on your R4511?

[Jeff Mohr]

Very nice.

[Greg Peterson]

Thank you for the kind words gentlemen.

Ray - When I ran my test last evening I did not fire up my DC to the saw. I just ran the shop vac on the jig. I thought about using a Big Gulp hood setup opposing the jig, but at after last evenings test run I don't know if this would be effective. There simply was very little dust . Of course I'll setup my particle counter and run the numbers to get a better idea.

Dan - I'll provide detail on operation of the micro-adjust as time allows later today.

Phil - I appreciate your words. Your work on DC has been of great value in my shop and I am always casting a glance at the Dylos unit you were able to negotiate a group buy on.

Dave - I installed the Delta T2.

[Paul Hingco]

Wow, that's the most elaborate box joint jig I've ever seen. Nice work.

[Greg Peterson]

Thanks Paul. The micro-adjust is not my design, but kudos to the originator regardless.

The DC / blade guard is a design I had not seen previously so I felt an obligation to share a design I feel meets two important criteria, both of which fall under the heading of safety.

Dust is a matter of personal concern for many woodworkers and effectively mitigating its presence is an ongoing battle. If you are unfamiliar with the topic, Phil Thien has provided some excellent DC solutions, including his baffle design. Bill McAllister has provided some nice mods to the popular HF DC unit. Bill Pentz has a site that is exhaustive on the subject, to say the least.

The DC capability appears to be very effective. I don't have any particle counts to verify this as of yet. But my observations are that cutting box joints without this DC attachment is a very messy process. With the DC attachment, no dust or chips are ejected out the back of the jig at the user. It is a relatively mess-free operation.

The other safety matter it addresses is that it shields the blade during the entire operation. Even with the jig fully extended across the table top (I use a clamp at the end of the miter slot to prevent the jig from going to far just in case I forget to stay completely in the moment) the blade is shrouded completely.

My next modification will be to add a handle to the top of the DC shroud. The benefits of this are two fold. It places the hand above the shroud rather than having to grasp the shroud. The other benefit, which owes more to the shroud than anything else, but that the handle will accentuate, is that the jig is being pushed from directly behind the blade further ensuring the stock is meeting the blade at 90 degrees. A much more positive engagement of stock and blade.

[mreza Salav]

Nice Idea.

As for micro-adjuster, if one has the 1000SE model of Incra, it already has a micro-adjuster for the flip-stop. So if you use the flip-stop as a set-point for your auxiliary face that attaches to the miter-gauge (like yours in the picture) you can simply use the micro-adjuster of the Incra miter gauge.

I did it and works very well.