? About Using 1/4" Ply To Make A Box...

[Derek Arita]

This may be one of those dumb questions... I want to make a simple box to fit into a shop drawer to hold some parts. I have some left over less-than-1/4" ply that I'd like to use. How would you suggest I join the edges? If there's enough surface area to do butt joints that will give me reasonable strength, I'd do it, just for simplicity sake, but I don't know if it would work. What are your suggestions?

[Jeff Monson]

For material that thin, I'd use a corner block so you can attach both mating surfaces to something larger. 1/4" is a bit thin a but joint.

[Derek Arita]

I also thought about box joints, but worry that with this cheap ply, I could get a lot of tear out, not matter what I do...still, it might be good practice.

[David L Morse]

I use what I call "egg crate" or "beer case" joints. With careful use of clamps and a sled or miter gauge extension you can cut all of the East-West pieces at the same time and then all of the North-South parts. A base, lots of glue and a few pins or brads and you're done. If any pins sneak out just pull them after the glue sets. The material in the photos is 5.5mm Lauan underlayment.

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[glenn bradley]

Depends what you want to hold. I have used 1/16" deep rabbets, glue and clamps for small (3x3, 3x4) containers that get handled all the time and have been in use for years. Trays such as David shows I would want more than rabbets. His version distributes the load on the joints and looks to be quite strong for their size.

[Shaddy Dedmore]

A good time to try out your new iBox box joint jig (http://www.incra.com/product_rtf_ibox.html). :)