Clamping box joints

[Kyle Kraft]

I am building a box using box joints and am having trouble with clamping. The box is red oak 12l x 8w x 6h x 3/4 thick and the finger joints are 1/2" wide. Glue is Titebond II. My method was to use curved cauls so that the center of the joint would pull in firmly, but trying to hold the box, hold 2 cauls, hold 2 clamps all while working feverishly before the glue sets up is nearly impossible.....there must be an easier way.

One possible job aid would be to use a s l o w setting glue. What/who are the sources for slow setting glue??

As for the clamping...I'm at a loss. I tried rubber bands to hold the cauls in position, but without an assistant, I still can't apply the clamps.

[Doug Shepard]

Whenever I make box joints I take some 3/4" MDF strips and cut dados in it so I can put them right at the corners in between the fingers. The "fingers" on the MDF have to be narrower than the box fingers though so I line the MDF up with the box and mark, then cut about 1/16" outside then lines when I cut them. I usually use Titebond II Extend for an extra 5 minutes, but you can speed up applying the glue if you quick-Grip clamp opposing sides together and spread the glue on 2 pieces at a time. Then pop the clamps and start assembling.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I use old school pipe clamps.
In theory you might not need any clamps but I find that a good clamping brings it all together much nicer.

While you might want to build a set of [doodads] to hold the cauls or clamps in position when you set the box in place to speed things along I've never found such a rig necessary.

Glue up is generally the least well thought out process in the construction of most things. It seems that folks have a picture in their heads where the clamps are going to go without having taken the steps in their heads about how the clamps will get there.

[Joe Scharle]

http://www.castlewholesalers.com/media/351KPBLOCKSThese blocks will help. I use them with short Besseys for all my boxes and drawers. Many times I'll glue one end, dry fit the other and clamp up for a couple hours, then glue the other end, especially with box joints. BTW, I only use cawls for long reaches, i.e. top/panels.

[Dennis Peacock]

I bought some very large rubberbands from Rockler for just that reason. Worked well for me. When clamping boxes made with box joints, IMHO, too much clamping pressure would bring the finger joint out of proper alignment, so just "snug" pressure is all that's really needed.

[Rod Sheridan]

I cut box joints so that they are slightly loose when dry fitted. (not much, maybe the thickness of a piece of newspaper).

This allows the wood to swell when I apply the glue and still get the box together without needing an octopus as a shop assistant.

I also cut the fingers so that they project about 1/64" to allow for sanding, and this small projection also allows me to use scraps of pine for clamp pads. The pine is soft enough that it compresses around the fingers, pulling the joint tight.

As another person indicated, use the Bessey clamp blocks and clamps, it makes glueing boxes a snap.

Regards, Rod.

[Kyle Kraft]

Thanks everyone for the tips...I'll give them a try next time!!

[Lee Schierer]

I place two clamps with the jaws up on my bench. I have six more clamps roguly set to the distance needed. As quickly as I can get all four corners glued and together, I place the assembly into the two clamps on the table so the clamps are near the corners of the box and tighten them snugly. Immediately place two more clamps in the same direction on the top near the corners. Then apply two more clamps across the other sides near the other two corners. All these clamps get tightened snugly. Flip the whole thing top to bottom clamps and all, check for squareness and apply the last two clamps on the side that is now up. Tighten all clamps to final tightness and check for squareness. Then clean up any squeezed out glue.