How do you clean up your box joints ??

[Bill Huber]

I do a lot of box joints, they are strong and I like the look.

I always cut them just a little longer then needed and then clean them up to get them flat and even with the box. The problem is how to do it.

I have tried a chisel, that really doesn't work that well for me, even with a really sharp chisel.
I have used a flush trim router bit and that generally comes out with a blow out on one of the pins.
I have used a block of wood with sandpaper on it and that does work but it take a lot of work with the end grain.

So now I am using my little PC (371) belt sander and that works well but I really have to watch it so I don't mark the surface of the box.

So what have you found to be the best way?

[Jamie Buxton]

Yep, belt sander. It may offend the purists, but it works well on lots of little bits of end grain and glue squeeze-out.

[Larry Copas]

Oakley oscillating edge sander. I was in a furniture factory one time and I heard somebody call them drawer sanders. Now I know why.

[Robert Engel]

Low angle block plane is better than sanding if you want a crisp look.

Please don't EVER use a belt sander on a ww'ing project they are nothing but project destroyers.

[jack forsberg]

Oakley oscillating edge sander. I was in a furniture factory one time and I heard somebody call them drawer sanders. Now I know why.

We called the waterfall sanders drawer sander and i have to live with my 10" wide Engleberg but i always wanted to to find 15" wadkin GKA

http://www.timber-team.com/used_machines/images/sander4.jpg


other than a side sanders the stroke sanders can be set up to sand drawers to.

https://garyweeks.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/sanding_drawer_detail_wp.jpg?w=640

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r754/woodworkforum/cc0e9956d385639c8121d329c864ac9c_zps8ed64a62.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

Bill, do you own a good, low angle block plane? It's IMHO, the easiest way; the low angle blade enjoys tweaking end grain. There is a minor learning curve to avoid blowing things out, but it leaves a perfect surface.

[Bruce Page]

I use a ROS. It takes just a couple minutes to take the pin ends down flush. I never thought about using anything else.

[John TenEyck]

I'm with Bruce, I use my ROS. The key is to make the fingers only 1/64 or so proud. A few seconds with the ROS and the side is flush.

John

[Larry Fox]

Bill, do you own a good, low angle block plane? It's IMHO, the easiest way; the low angle blade enjoys tweaking end grain. There is a minor learning curve to avoid blowing things out, but it leaves a perfect surface.

This. The learning curve is not that great - you just need to back up the trailing side so it doesn't blow anything out. Keep it really sharp.

[Mike Heidrick]

Vega OES is what I use

[Roy Harding]

Oscillating edge sander. I've never heard the term "drawer sander", but it makes sense.

Belt sander would work fine, if I didn't have the edge sander - just go easy.

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi Bill, have you Tryd Useing a file.I add tape to the end to keep from scratching the field.Thats what I do when I am too lazy to shapen my block plane.

[Allan Speers]

Low angle block plane is better than sanding if you want a crisp look. .

This. A small LA block, like the superb Lie Nielsen, is one of the "must have" hand planes, even for guys that mostly use power tools.

They excel at trimming end grain. Plus, no noise, no dust, and a little mild exercise. You can even do it outside in the sunshine on a nice day: This particular task doesn't require a lot of "push," so you can get away with a smaller, portable bench. Even better is to use a shooting board, but you don't NEED one. well, actually, everybody needs a shooting board, they just don't know it. :)

Sanding should be a last resort, IMO. I'd rather be forced to listen to rap music for 16 hrs a day, than have to work in a shop filled with sanding dust.

[Bill Adamsen]

Oakley oscillating edge sander. I was in a furniture factory one time and I heard somebody call them drawer sanders. Now I know why.

Oakley actually made a dedicated drawer sander called the Model H drawer sander and the belt ran at 90° to the H-6.

When I trim the ends, depending on number of drawers, type of wood, amount of projection ... I use a belt sander, oscillating sander or hand plane.

[Mike Cutler]

Those that I've made I did with a belt sander, or plane. If I did them frequently, I'd probably get an oscillating edge sander, or that cool machine Jack posted.
I've done them with a plane, but the belt sander is pretty darn quick.

[Mike Null]

+1 on belt sander is not a woodworking tool

[Roy Harding]

+1 on belt sander is not a woodworking tool

As much as I respect your right to hold this opinion, I disagree. One uses what tools one has in the best way one can. I understand the aesthetic pleasure of leisurely setting up in the sunshine and using a block plane to trim up box-joints. I'm a production shop and can't afford the time to do so.

There are those (I'm not one of them) who question whether laser engraving is woodworking - I'm sure you have a different opinion on that particular subject.

The above disagreement aside - I don't see anywhere in your post an answer to the OP's question - IE, how do you clean up your box joints?

[Ellery Becnel]

Bill,
I have tried all of the sanders I have, not all listed but the low angle block plane slices the end grain fibers effortlessly. Great results, and you can sneak up on the finish.
Lightly sand with a fine grit paper.

Ellery Becnel

[Bill Huber]

So it looks like I need to get a low angle block plane and learn to use it.
I did forget to say I have tried the Ridgid sander and it did work ok but on smaller boxes the larger ones are not that good on it.

Working with end grain is just a pain....

Thanks all of you for your input, it always helps to get input from the guys that do it.

[Charles Lent]

I guess I'm different. I use a flush trim router bit in my router table to get them close and then finish them with a ROS. I've tried several other methods and this works best for me. Oh, I make quite a few boxes with box joints, 7 different sizes so far this year. My preferred box joint jig is an IBox.

Charley

[glenn bradley]

We called the waterfall sanders drawer sander and i have to live with my 10" wide Engleberg but i always wanted to to find 15" wadkin GKA

http://www.timber-team.com/used_machines/images/sander4.jpg

That . .. is a thing of beauty.

[Art Mann]

I only build small items with box joints. A long time ago, I bought a dinky little table top combination oscillating spindle sander and oscillating belt sander from Ridgid Tools. It does a really fine job for its intended purpose. As I recall, it was dirt cheap by woodworking equipment standards. Unfortunately, it isn't large enough to do chests and other big items. If the box is bigger, I use a kit built V-belt drum sander. This technique requires a little more skill but I can get the results I am looking for.

After I finish a box, it really isn't possible to distinguish whether it was belt sanded, drum sanded or trimmed with a block plane.

[Mike Schuch]

Way back when I was in highschool our woodworking instructor showed us the proper way to painstakingly smooth out our box joints with a plane. I smuggled my box home and hit it with my fathers belt sander. Turned out perfect in a couple of minutes!

If you like making the fingers on you box joints excessively long shave them down to less than 1/64" by running the box through the table saw or RAS. You could almost finish them by hand sanding once you have them that close.

[Pat Barry]

I finish them with my ROS and get them close using my crosscut sled on on my table saw. I have had mixed success with the block plane because it is difficult to cut squarely from outside to in which you need to do to eliminate blowout and the block plane doesn't play well with baltic birch or even pine IMO. If you do use the block plane then it also helps to go with the plane skewed a bit for the outside to in cuts

[Cary Falk]

I use a belt sander. I have 3. I grew up using them. They have their place. Anybody that badmouths them don't know how to use them. I badmouth planes because I don't know how to sharpen or use one and I don't care to learn. That being said this router jig looks promising.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8p4iuWVVfysALJOJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzZW 40MnY5BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANkZjBlZGMyZWE1ZWIy MWQ1M2MwMzFiOTk2Yzk5MTFhYwRncG9zAzk3BGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearc h%2Fimages%3Fp%3Drouter%2Bflush%2Btrim%2Bjigs%2Bim ages%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D97&w=320&h=240&imgurl=3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-sjnzG1coXnE%2FT1YuEKZAtYI%2FAAAAAAAAC4s%2F_G7LKx-EiLs%2Fs320%2FP1060243.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpenielworkshop.blogspot.com%2F20 11%2F12%2Fstarting-router-table.html&size=20.8KB&name=...+flat+with+the+plywood+surface%2C+using+a+ %3Cb%3Etrimming%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Cb%3Ejig%3C%2Fb%3E+and +the+%3Cb%3Erouter%3C%2Fb%3E&p=router+flush+trim+jigs+images&oid=df0edc2ea5eb21d53c031b996c9911ac&fr2=piv-web&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=...+flat+with+the+plywood+surface%2C+using+a+%3 Cb%3Etrimming%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Cb%3Ejig%3C%2Fb%3E+and+t he+%3Cb%3Erouter%3C%2Fb%3E&b=61&ni=21&no=97&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=125m8g4ae&sigb=13v0jue0k&sigi=12khkgtqm&sigt=12ruiuhl6&sign=12ruiuhl6&.crumb=n6UhqWjQLrj&fr=yfp-t-901&fr2=piv-web

[Charles Lent]

Cary,

Your link reminded me that this can be done with the CRB7 router jig from M Power Tools. With the lower base option, it is very close in design to the picture in your link. I have a new CRB7 jig and I hadn't thought to try to do this with it yet, but I will on the next batch of boxes.

Thanks for reminding me.

Charley

[Cody Colston]

Most of the time I use the ROS unless I get the ends protruding too far, then I use a block plane to get them close and finish with the ROS.

[Brian W Smith]

Got a cpl edge sanders runnin different grits......can do a medium bx in a minute or so?

Dust extraction is very important on any "sanding" ops.A finely tuned system,which starts right at the machines hood/pickup......is like someone turning a lite switch on in a dark rm.The heat buildup on the belt and the product is what ultimately is slowing the process down.We inject shop air(via 1/4 refridge lines)right at the belt on certain exotics.Have even run them wet(spray bottles).

That was a funny comment about belt sanders not being WW'ing tools.

[Pat Barry]

Please don't EVER use a belt sander on a ww'ing project they are nothing but project destroyers.

Belt sanders don't destroy woodworking projects, woodworkers who misuse them do!

[Steve Collins]

Belt sanders don't destroy woodworking projects, woodworkers who misuse them do!
Exactly! A LA plane can also mess up a project if used incorrectly.

[Roger Pozzi]

I use one of these (http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=32928&cat=1,42884) and have no problems. Of course my joints may be a little longer than necessary.:rolleyes:

[Gary Muto]

So it looks like I need to get a low angle block plane and learn to use it.
I did forget to say I have tried the Ridgid sander and it did work ok but on smaller boxes the larger ones are not that good on it.

Working with end grain is just a pain....

Thanks all of you for your input, it always helps to get input from the guys that do it.

Bill,

Make sure you get the blade as sharp as you can. It is really important when planing end grain. The low angle helps but I would also suggest some sharpening media with the plane purchase. I use water stones and Chromium Dioxide on a piece of MDF for stropping. Water or oil stones can both work but I recommend stropping, especially when you plane end grain.

Plane from the outside edges to avoid tear out. You can also avoid tear out (spelching) other ways... chamfer the corner first or back up the edge with a sacrificial block like you would on a router table.