Mitering finger jointed box???

[Tyler Purcell]

Hey guys,

I'm building a bracelet box out of walnut with an inlayed strip of maple on the top of the edges. I'm using finger joints for the corners, but I have a problem. The maple band is inlayed in the top, so in order to have a nice look, I need to miter the corners so they wrap around the box evenly. How do I go about putting a miter on just the top of the box so my finger joints are still in tact but the maple inlayed top has mitered corners?

I've been all over the web and I've tried a few different experiments in the shop... all without luck. Any advice?

Thanks a ton!

[Jim Becker]

You need to retain the top area of the boards all around and cut the miters manually, working towards a good fit. You need to carefully mark all your workpieces so that you don't accidentally cut off something you need during the box joint milling operation. (Same idea applies for a dovetailed joint with a mitered finish on the top/bottom)

[Tyler Purcell]

I'm not sure I completely understand you, Jim. I would assume I only have to cut a miter on the top fingers? Anyways, here's a drawing for those that probably found my post confusing.

[Tyler Purcell]

I snapped some pictures of the actual box to give everyone a better idea of the dilemma.

http://www.lotechdesigns.com/host/images/3043CIMG1708.jpg
http://www.lotechdesigns.com/host/images/9478CIMG1709.jpg

[Jason Beam]

Hmm... at this point, I think it's too late to miter anything without having two seams: The mitered joint and then a patch to refil what's missing on the mating finger....

Maybe i'm missing something, though...

Edit in:

You could cut the inlaid piece off, level with one tooth and then make a mitered frame that could then be applied to the top. This way your seams are on the side and stand a better chance of blending in. That'd be my next course of action in this situation.

[Jim Becker]

I'm not sure I completely understand you, Jim. I would assume I only have to cut a miter on the top fingers? Anyways, here's a drawing for those that probably found my post confusing.

Yes, correct. That's what I was saying in an obtuse way. But you need to plan for it so that you have "two fingers" on the top which is not what you normally get when you just run them through...as you can see from the graphic you posted one finger is effectively missing so you can't miter it. Your pictures show the same thing.

[Brent Dowell]

Of course, if it's long enough, you could always cut the pins off the long side and try again...

[Tyler Purcell]

Well, the solution to my problem was just mitering the corners without fingers. I tried a lot of things, but here is my sad, sad issue: I pretty much own no hand tools. My last saw was left out in the yard by a certain sibling and rusted to all hell, and as of right now, I don't even own a hand saw! 0_0

Anyways, I think I'm going to use maple splines of sorts in the corners for reinforcement and decoration. Anybody have a link to a tutorial or know what this technique is called?

[Jim Becker]

Spline slots are pretty easy to cut on the table saw...you build a sled that holds the corner of the object you are working with 45º to the table and guide it along the fence. This is especially good for smaller projects like yours as the ~1/8" wide kerf of a standard blade is about right for splines. Most of the table saw books will likely have an illustration of such a jig.

The solution to your lack of Neander tools is solvable...:D :D :D LOL Of course, it only requires money...

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Hmm... at this point, I think it's too late to miter anything

Ditto.What he said.


I recently completed a mitered finger jointed box with all the finger joints set off on a compound angle (the box was a sphere). I made a little sled with the angle on it so I laid the wood off on the angles I wanted. In your case the fixture would need to lay the lumber off at a 45-Deg., angle. You also want to have already cut the miters on the table saw leaving them long enough to accomplish tine interlocking fingers.

[Tyler Purcell]

If only the weather would clear up around us, Jim... being the teenager that I am yardwork for family and neighbors happens to be a great means for cash flow around here... I do indeed need to get some hand tools. I almost feel like I'm not even woodworking, but rather cheating with my Rikon Deluxe, 10" cabinet saw, router table, two routers, thickness planer, drill press, CMS, and 6" jointer, all with full dust collection and an air filter...

[Dave Rudy]

Tyler,

Check out Doug Stowe's Basic Box Making (Taunton) and companion video for joinery, splines, jigs, etc. Very useful.

[Tyler Purcell]

Thanks Dave. The book I'm basing this box off of is from a book by Doug Stowe, "Simply Beautiful Boxes".

[Jim Becker]

Tyler, a very few basic hand tools will cover a lot of ground and not be all that expensive, so save your pennies...a decent block plane, some bench chisels and a dovetail saw (Japanese or Western...your choice) is a good starting point. With those things you can do a LOT. And the folks in the Neander forum here at SMC can provide great guidance in what to consider for these.