I haven’t actually made anything significant out of wood before, so why not start out with a vertical learning curve?
I’ve just bought a copy of the plans for Matthias Wandel’s Box joint jig and I could use some help, in both technical terms (i.e. “HOW DO I SHOP WOOD”), and more importantly, motivational. So if this is the kind of thing you’d like to see happen at VHS, please let me know!
I’ll buy some or all of the materials (as long as the costs are reasonable), and in the end, if we build something worth keeping, I’ll donate it to the space.
Yep I did, I even have all the hardware for two even though I only built one. It’s a challenging build for a beginner. But if you have access to a cnc cutting the gears is nice. I used antapered end mill to get the relief on the bevel gears. The fixture works great but in hindsight I would only use one gear and that’s the one that’s suited for my 1/8 width blade that I use with this sled.
I’ve built a few box joint jigs over the years albeit not nearly as complex as Mathias’s. A couple of years ago I broke down and bought an Incra I-Box jig and, after using it both in my own shop and with students in the school’s shop, I wish I had discovered it sooner. It is simply a delight to setup and use. The only limitation I’ve run into is cutting box joints on boards thicker than 1 1/4" which I rarely do.
I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t build the Wandel jig. It is obviously much cheaper than the I-box ($209 at Lee Valley) and likely a very fun and educational build. I can’t wait to see the Wandel jigs that you guys build! However, if I think of how much time the I-Box has saved me over the past couple of years I figure it’s paid for itself a couple of times already.
Be sure to get a decent blade when using box joint jigs. Most dado blades do not leave a smooth bottom. I bought a Freud Box Joint blade set and it made all the difference in the world on the quality of the cuts compared to my dado stack. However, it is limited to 1/4" and 3/8" wide cuts which makes up 90% of my box joint projects.
I have built the Wardell box joint sled, it’s actually very useful and accurate. I did cut my gears on my cnc, but that’s fine. If Matthias had a cnc, he would certainly use it for that over the bandsaw.
