Woodworking for Beginners 04 - Finger (Box) joints

Summary

In this woodworking tutorial, the process of making box joints (also called finger joints) is explained in detail. The video guides viewers through preparing the wood, marking and cutting the fingers, and fitting the joints together to form a strong, precise box. The importance of grain matching, using dividers for spacing, and dealing with small gaps in the joints is covered. The speaker demonstrates how to fix minor imperfections and emphasizes the ease of creating these joints without complex tools. Future tutorials will explore dovetail joints, enhancing the box-making technique.

Takeaways

• 😀 Box joints, also called finger joints, are used to join two pieces of wood at a right angle, offering a strong, long-grain-to-long-grain bond.
• 😀 When creating box joints, the number of fingers matters. An odd number ensures that both sides interlock perfectly, with fingers at both the top and bottom.
• 😀 Start by preparing your wood. Cut a thick board into smaller pieces to create the sides and ends of the box, ensuring grain matching where possible.
• 😀 Use dividers to evenly divide the wood into sections for the fingers. This helps ensure accuracy without the need for measuring tools like rulers or tapes.
• 😀 Mark your cuts using a knife, transferring the measurements from the dividers, and then cut along the lines using a saw.
• 😀 For cutting the waste material from the fingers, use a fret saw or a coping saw. Finish the cuts by paring with a chisel to refine the fit.
• 😀 When assembling the joints, the pieces should fit with some friction but not require force. The glue will secure the joints when applied.
• 😀 If small gaps appear in the joints, they can be filled with glue and sawdust from the same wood, which is an easy fix to improve the fit.
• 😀 Grain matching between the sides and ends of the box enhances the final appearance but may require additional effort, such as resawing a thick board.
• 😀 For beginners, it’s common to have slight imperfections in your first joints, but these can be remedied with simple techniques like filling gaps with glue and sawdust.
• 😀 After completing the box joints on two corners, the remaining corners can be finished using dovetail joints for a more complex and decorative touch in the next tutorial.

Q & A

What is a box joint, and why is it used?

A box joint is a woodworking joint used to join two pieces of wood, typically at a right angle. The joint consists of interlocking fingers that create a strong connection due to the long grain-to-long grain surface areas, making the glue bond very strong.

What is the difference between box joints and finger joints?

Box joints and finger joints are essentially the same thing. The term 'box joint' typically refers to joints used in box-like structures, while 'finger joints' is a more general term for the interlocking finger shapes. The two terms are used interchangeably in the video.

Why is it important to use an odd number of pins in a box joint?

Using an odd number of pins ensures that one board has a pin at both the top and bottom, while the other board has a gap at both the top and bottom. This creates a visually more balanced and aesthetically pleasing joint, as opposed to having the pins line up symmetrically with gaps at the top and bottom.

What is the process for creating a box for a woodworking project?

To make a box, start by cutting a board into two sides and two ends. After cutting the pieces to size, you can grain match them for a more cohesive look. You can resaw the wood for better grain matching and then prepare the joints for the four corners of the box.

How do you mark the pieces of wood for a box joint?

To mark the pieces for a box joint, first use a square on the face edge to mark a square end. Then, decide the desired length of the box and use a square knife to mark the cuts. This step can be done without precise measurements, just marking with a square or knife.

What tool does the instructor use to divide the pieces into equal sections for box joints?

The instructor uses a pair of dividers to divide the pieces into equal sections. This tool helps estimate the division of the wood into sections for the fingers, providing a quick and accurate method to mark equal spaces for the joint.

What should you do if you have small gaps in your box joints?

If there are small gaps in the box joints, you can fill them by mixing sawdust from the same wood with glue and squeezing it into the joint. For larger gaps, you can use small wood shims to fill the space.

Why does the instructor prefer using a Japanese saw for cutting the fingers in box joints?

The instructor prefers using a Japanese saw because it has a very thin blade, which allows for precision when cutting the sides of the fingers. The thin blade helps achieve a clean cut, especially when working with tight spaces in the joint.

What are the benefits of grain matching when creating a box?

Grain matching ensures that the wood looks uniform and cohesive, as the grain pattern flows consistently around the entire box. This is particularly useful when working on a piece where aesthetics matter, such as furniture or decorative boxes.

What technique does the instructor use to ensure the box joint pieces fit together correctly?

The instructor ensures the box joint pieces fit by carefully marking out the joints with a knife, using dividers to space the fingers evenly, and then cutting them out with a saw. After cutting, the joints are tested for fit and adjusted as necessary to ensure they fit snugly with minimal gaps.