fast and easy

Finger
Joints
You can start and finish
building a box in one day —
without any special tools.
Finger joints always remind me of FINGER JOINT JIG positioned so the distance between
two hands clasped together. A set of To build a box with finger joints, a it and the blade is identical to the
“fingers” on one piece fits between series of kerfs are cut with the table width of the key itself.
the “fingers” on the other. But what saw. And the pieces are supported To add the key, I clamped the
provides the “muscle” here is glue. and positioned with the help of a jig fence to the miter gauge and cut a
These interlocking fingers create a — basically, just an auxiliary fence notch in it (Step 1 on the next page).
lot of edge-to-edge surface area for with a key to index the fingers. Then I cut the key from a scrap piece
a really strong glue joint — which, Fence & Ledge. My auxiliary to fit tight into this notch (Step 2). A
in turn, makes for a solid box. fence is a piece of stock temporar- tight fit here is critical — you don’t
While cutting all those tiny fin- ily clamped to the miter gauge want any “play” when fitting the
gers might seem tedious, it’s really (drawing below). But I also add a kerfs of the workpiece over the key.
a snap. All you need is a jig that 1⁄ "-thick hardboard ledge under Setting Up the Jig. With the key
4
you can build in about fifteen min- this fence. This way, the workpiece glued in place, the jig can now be
utes with a few shop scraps. doesn’t ride directly on the table set up. There are two things to do
Plus, you don’t need a shop full (and over the blade insert that may here: position the key by adjusting
of tools. To make the fingers, I use not be flat and level). Instead, the the fence on the miter gauge and
a table saw outfitted with a miter piece rests securely on the ledge. raise the blade to the right height.
gauge and a rip blade (or any blade Key. While the fence and ledge Adjusting the Fence. When set-
that cuts a flat-bottomed kerf). support the workpiece, a small key ting up the fence, the distance of the
added to the fence is really what key from the blade has to match the
makes the jig work. It’s cut to match thickness of the blade (and the key).
NOTE: AFTER THE JIG IS SET UP
AND THE ADJUSTMENTS ARE the width of the kerf left by your Otherwise, the fit of the fingers will
MADE, SCREW FENCE TO
MITER GAUGE saw blade. And this key is either be too tight or loose, see the
box on the next page.
AUXILIARY I start by positioning the key
FENCE KEY
with a second, identical key (Step
LEDGE
3). Then I check the setup by cutting
(!/4" Hdbd.) a series of finger joints on two test
pieces, as you can see in Step 4.
RIP
BLADE But I don’t just use any scraps
that happen to be lying around.
MITER
Instead, I make the test pieces
GAUGE
AUXILIARY
identical to the final workpieces
TOP VIEW FENCE in width and thickness (but not
necessarily length). I even use the
same type of wood. This way, I can
use these test pieces later when
KEY
LEDGE plugging the holes left by the
grooves for the bottom.

ShopNotes No. 110 Page 1 of 4 ©2010 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
 Using a second key to set the first
will get you close. But you’ll prob- Jig Setup: Step-by-Step
ably still need to “tweak” the fence
one way or the other, see box and
WIDTH OF KEY
tip in margin at right. It’s impor- MUST FIT
TIGHT IN NOTCH
tant to be patient; it will probably
take several adjustments (and test
cuts) before the fit is perfect.
I like to end up with a snug fit NOTE: SET
WORKPIECE
so that when dry assembling the ON LEDGE
pieces, I have to work the pieces a KEY
bit to press the fingers together and
pull them apart. This way, I avoid
using clamps when gluing the
boxes together. More on that later.
1 After setting the blade slightly below
the thickness of the stock, cut a
notch in the fence (and ledge).
2 Next, size a key that will fit tight in
the notch that was just cut in the
fence. Then glue it in place.
Setting the Blade. After the key is
set and the fence has been clamped { When setting up
to the miter gauge, I set the height a finger joint jig,
of the saw blade. Of course, when TEST
make any micro-
you’re done, you want the fingers PIECES adjustments
perfectly flush with the mating “visible” by draw-
pieces. But here, when setting the FOR INITIAL SETUP ing a line across
USE SECOND KEY
blade, I let the fingers protrude just the jig and table.
slightly — less that 1⁄64". (I’ll sand
them flush later.)
To set the blade height, I position
the workpiece on the ledge next
to the blade. But I start with the
3 Now using a spacer the same size
as the key, move the fence so the
spacer fits between the key and blade.
4 Test the setup and make needed
adjustments to fence and blade.
Then clamp fence to miter gauge.
blade slightly below the height of
the workpiece and sneak up on the Building a Box need to make is to raise or lower
final height as I test the fit, see box With the jig set up, the hard part the blade to accommodate different
below. This way, the auxiliary fence is over, and the fun really begins. thicknesses of stock.
will back up the cut completely, and With this simple jig, you can build Wide Pieces. When building a
there will be less chance for chipout any number of boxes quickly. Plus, box, I start with all four sides of the
when cutting the fingers. about the only adjustment you’ll box planed to finished thickness

Fine Adjustments
IF THE FIT IS TOO TIGHT OR
TOO LOOSE, ADJUST FENCE
TOO FENCE TOO
LOOSE TIGHT

KEY

LEDGE
Loose fit. If there’s a gap be- Tight fit. If the fingers won’t fit
tween each finger, slide the key into the slots at all, slide the key
and fence away from the blade. and fence towards the blade.

KEY

TOO SHORT

IF FINGERS
BLADE ARE TOO LONG
OR TOO SHORT,
Short fingers. If the blade is set ADJUST BLADE Long fingers. If the fingers ex-
too low, the fingers will be short, tend too far, the saw blade is too
TOO LONG
so raise the saw blade slightly. high and needs to be lowered.

ShopNotes No. 110 Page 2 of 4 ©2010 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
 WASTE
and cut to final length. But I leave
them slightly oversized in width. I END
SIDE
don’t worry about the final height
(width) until after the fingers are
cut. To see what I mean, take a
BOTTOM
look at Step 10 below. PANEL
Label Pieces. With the pieces
ready, the next step is to label END
MARK PIECE
them all, as you can see in the BOTTOM
EDGE
drawing at right. I first mark the
bottom edge of each piece with SIDE
PIECE
an ‘X’ as the good edge I use to ref-
erence my cuts. I also number the LABEL a.
CORNERS
corners to keep them together as TO ADD
NOTE: PIECES BOTTOM
the fingers are cut. CUT TO LENGTH, SEE STEPS
11 AND 12
Cutting the Joints. With the jig BUT ARE SLIGHTLY
OVERSIZED IN HEIGHT
to guide you, cutting finger joints BOTTOM
is just about automatic. But you do be as consistent as possible. Steps things that
need to keep some things in mind. 6 though 9 do a good job of show- will help.
I found that it’s good to be extra ing this. Even shifting the pressure First, make sure your blade is sharp.
careful with the very first slot that’s slightly can affect the final fit. So I Second, make sure the notch in the
cut in each piece, as in Step 5. Check hold the piece against the jig with jig matches the height of the slots
that there’s nothing on the jig (like both hands and try to make each you’re cutting. This way, the work-
sawdust) to throw off this cut — pass exactly the same. piece is backed up completely.
the piece should rest squarely on Chipout. I should also mention Final Height. After the fingers
the ledge and against the key. something about chipout. Chipout are cut, I simply trim the top edge
Then, when cutting the rest of can be a problem any time you of the pieces so there’s a full finger
the fingers and slots, you need to cut finger joints, but there are two (and slot) left, as you see in Step 10.

Finger Joints: Step-by-Step

KEY

BOTTOM BOTTOM
OF PIECE OF PIECE

5 To begin, set the bottom edge of

the piece against the key and hold
it tight as you pass it over the blade.
6 Now, straddle the first slot over the
key and cut a second slot. Repeat
this process across the piece.
7 Next, flip the piece end-for-end,
keeping the bottom edge against
the key.Then cut the slots on this end.

TRIM WASTE
FROM TOP
BUTT EDGES
BOTTOM EDGES
TOGETHER

8 Now, rotate the piece so the first

slot straddles the key. Set the mat-
ing piece in place and cut its first slot.
9 To cut the next slot, slide the slot
just cut up tight against the key.
Then continue as before.
10 After all four corners are com-
plete, trim the top edge of each
piece to leave a full finger or slot.

ShopNotes No. 110 Page 3 of 4 ©2010 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
 Bottom Panel. With all the when it’s time to apply the glue, is seated, there’s enough
pieces cut to size, the next step is to there’s really no time to dawdle. friction to hold the corner
cut the grooves for a rabbeted bot- You have to get glue in all the fin- together, so I don’t even have
tom panel (Steps 11 and 12). The gers and get the joints together to use any clamps.
bottom is made from 1⁄4" plywood. before the glue sets up. Adding Clamps. However, once
Cutting a rabbet in each edge of the To help, I apply glue to the ends in a while, I’ll have a cupped piece
panel forms a tongue that fits in the of the pieces, see margin photo that needs to be clamped (Step 14).
grooves cut in the box pieces, refer below right. And I use a slow set- In this case, I apply the clamps just
to drawing of the box on page 3. ting glue, like white glue or liquid inside the fingers and add a small
To cut the grooves for the panel, hide glue. Of the two, I prefer hide spacer in the middle to keep the
I use the same saw blade and set glue because it cleans up well with sides of the box from bowing in.
the rip fence so that the groove is water and if any glue is left on the Plugs. When the glue is dry, there
aligned with the first finger on one inside corners, it doesn’t stand out are still a couple “clean-up” steps.
of the box sides, as you can see in much after an oil finish is applied. First, I plug the holes left by the
Step 11 below. Then double-check And speaking of glue on the grooves for the box bottom (Step
the setup with the end piece. inside corners, I scrape it out and 15). Then I trim them and sand the
Assembly. When the bottom is wipe off as much as possible with a sides of the box smooth.
cut and rabbeted to fit the grooves damp rag before it sets up. It’s just Flatten Bottom. Finally, you may
(Step 12), I dry-assemble the box. too hard to remove after it’s dried. notice the corners of the bottom of
Then when satisfied with the fit, Seating the Joint. Once the glue the box aren’t perfectly flush. But
it’s time to glue it together (Steps is applied, I drive the fingers into this is an easy fix. Just attach adhe-
13 through 16). the slots using a mallet and one sive-backed sandpaper to a flat
Glue. Dry assembling a box can of the test pieces that I made ear- surface and sand the bottom of the
be done at a leisurely pace, but lier (Step 13). Often once the joint box lightly (Step 16).

Assembling the Box: Step-by-Step

RIP FENCE BOTTOM NOTE: SIZE

TONGUE TO MALLET
EDGE FIT GROOVES

!/4

AUXILIARY SCRAP
FENCE BOTTOM TEST
PANEL PIECE
NOTE:
ALIGN BLADE TEST FIT
WITH FIRST FINGER !/8 BEFORE
APPLYING
GLUE

11 12 13
Next, to hold a bottom panel, cut With the bottom panel cut to To seat the joints after applying { To assemble a
a groove on each piece, using a size, rabbet its bottom edges glue (see margin), use a mallet finger joint quickly,
workpiece to set the fence. to create a tongue to fit the grooves. and one of the test pieces. simply run the glue
across the ends
of the fingers so it
runs into the slots.

GROOVE

SCRAP
PIECE
PREVENTS ADHESIVE-
BOWING BOTTOM BACKED
PANEL SANDPAPER

14 Apply clamps to the corners, if

necessary. A spacer will keep
the sides from bowing in.
15 With the glue dry, plug the
exposed grooves at the bottom
of the box and trim them flush.
16 If necessary, apply adhesive-
backed sandpaper to a flat
surface and sand the bottom flat.

ShopNotes No. 110 Online Extras Page 4 of 4 ©2010 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.