Cutting box joints by hand

[steven c newman]

I'll still do mine..MY way. Maybe you might remember back to about.....1700s or so( when you were but an apprentise..) Maybe they did this by hand tools, too?

I started doing these FINGER JOINTS as a "break" from dovetails.....nothing more. Doesn't take much in the way of tooling, mostly a common backsaw, a mallet and chisel, and something to lay them out with. I usually do this sort of work sitting down on my shop stool. Running 3/16 finger joints right now. Sizes will depend on the chisel I use. Too thin of fingers, makes it look machine made, like a crate. Too fat....more to just show off the joinery. Most of mine have been the same thickness of the wood I was using to make the box. For those that use mainly hand tools, this is a simple way to make them. BTW,shop does NOT have a tablesaw, no room.

[george wilson]

3/16" will begin to look better. Thinner looks nicer. My opinion.

[steven c newman]

The OP asked for ways to do the joints by hand tools, I was merely showing him ONE way that doesn't involve a motor. A little variation says hand made, rather than the coolie cutter ones that say Machine made.

I do have an 1/8" sash chisel to make thinner ones......too fragile for me. I have an original Stanley No. 45 box, from Roxton Pond Que. Canada that has those thin fingers.....had to build a new box since so many fingers were broken in the corners.
Remington Arms used to ship items in a finger jointed wooden box....looked like a wide kerf table saw blade had made them. Way too many cuts to do by hand, I'd be sitting at the bench all day to get one corner done.
As my local barkeep would hollar out every evening..." Time, Gentleman, Please!" Unless one is being paid by the cuts to make a simple corner joint.

Working on a bit to hold all my auger bits right now. Corner joints were done in a couple hours, if that. That includes plane work to level one board, clean a couple faces to see where I was marking better, and working on a glue up to make holders for the bits to sit in. IF I can quit fighting over a simple joint, I might get a few things done IN the shop, rather than arguing here.

" I may not know Art, but I know what I like" does that ring a bell? Now, I seem to have a few errands to run today. Maybe this evening, I MIGHT get back to the shop.

The size I make the fingers with is determined by the chisel I am using. I also use that same chisel to lay out the spacing. Maybe next project, I might use the smaller sash chisel......we'll see. Thimmer does involve a lot more saw cuts, and a lot more time to make.

Have fun...

[Prashun Patel]

If you'd like to create a thread criticizing box joints, then you're welcome to make a new thread for that. It's not relevant to the OP's original question, so I deleted the recent posts here. If my sniping has unfairly spared other posts or rendered them irrelevant or out of context, LMK. Gun still loaded. Finger still itchy.

[James Waldron]

If you'd like to create a thread criticizing box joints, then you're welcome to make a new thread for that. It's not relevant to the OP's original question, so I deleted the recent posts here. If my sniping has unfairly spared other posts or rendered them irrelevant or out of context, LMK. Gun still loaded. Finger still itchy.

What? Thread drift is now a mortal sin? Wowzer!

[Prashun Patel]

Thread drift alone is fine; it's when the drifters start jabbing. I've smelled smoke enough times enough to know when fire's coming.

[Pat Barry]

If you'd like to create a thread criticizing box joints, then you're welcome to make a new thread for that. It's not relevant to the OP's original question, so I deleted the recent posts here. If my sniping has unfairly spared other posts or rendered them irrelevant or out of context, LMK. Gun still loaded. Finger still itchy.

Seems a tad bit heavy handed.

[Patrick Chase]

Seems a tad bit heavy handed.

IMO it's justified given recent SMC history, though things have been a *lot* better over the past couple weeks. The mods are back to editing posts for mere policy violations!