Liston, box joints work great for a strong nice looking joint. For some reason everyone gets the idea that they must use dovetail joints on projects and this just isn't true. You already know the variety of dovetail jigs out there so I am not going to cover that... pick one that fits your budget because they all work.

For box joints the Oak Park style box joint jig works the best. MLCS sells copies of these jigs made out of MDF but the Oak Park jigs are built out of HDPE.(and not available at this time) These jigs offer something most box joint jigs do not: the ability to make angled box joints like the one shown in the attached photos. All you have to do is cut your push block to the desired angle.

Note: Box joints are square, finger joints are tapered for end joining boards together.

 

These jigs offer something most box joint jigs do not: the ability to make angled box joints like the one shown in the attached photos. All you have to do is cut your push block to the desired angle.

The Incra Jig(not ibox!) does that quite easily as well...and much,much more!

 

When you can you should post a photo of your Granddad's box, old boxes are always nice. NGM

 

Here are some photos of other Router Workshop projects that use angled box joints. You can purchase the Eplans from Oak Park.

Art, by angled dovetail joints do you mean offset to join table corners for using hanger bolts and table legs?

 

I have wanted to reproduce an antique table that is the shape of your middle picture of the tray. I saw it at an auction but it went for over a thousand I was able to measure it up though. It uses dovetails on the eight corners but I would settle for box joints. Last year I spent the better part of a day making a dovetail jig that works on a band saw only to find that I couldn't do the angles.

 

I have pictures to show but not sure how to upload

 

these are some pix asked for, regarding the ditty box. I had captions for each but they apparently did not make it through the upload. I wanted to show different aspects of the box, exterior and interior

 

these are exterior, interior pix of the ditty box. One is the compartment tray, and one is the open box with tray removed

 

what bits do you use for these box joints? seems like mlcs urges upcut spiral, but incra seems to prefer straight bits.

 

Hi

For me they both work well but why pay for a high end bit when a lower price will do the job just fine.

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Hey MIKE, this question regarding your jigs for box joints:
what bits do you use for these box joints? seems like mlcs urges upcut spiral, but incra seems to prefer straight bits.
By the way, that's some nice work. That desk clock looks easier to build than the ones I built using a wood magazine plan

 

Liston, everyone has a method they prefer but both ways work; I use Spiral bits. Those last 3 photos are from the Router Workshop, not my work.

 

Cost of the jig will always be a concern. I cannot justify buying a particular dovetail jig that costs more than any one of my shop's power tools, for just making gift boxes, but maybe could if I made dovetail drawers as well with the same jig.
I have heard that with modern glues, box joints are just as strong as dovetail joints.

This is the jig I use for box joints in small boxes. It was demonstrated on Router Workshop and I fell in love with it. It's very simple to construct. It consists of a piece of plywood and a fence.

 

Art, all you have to do is build one of the simple Router Workshop style jigs and cut your push block to the angle required. It doesn't get any easier than that.