Fast & Easy Finger Joints with a Router Jig!
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- čas přidán 26. 04. 2019
- Get the step-by-step plans to make this Finger Joint Jig here: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/f...
This Finger Joint Jig was featured on the Woodsmith Shop, E1207: Router Joinery. In this video excerpt, Logan walks you through just how easy it is to make fast and accurate finger joints with your handheld router and this handy jig!
The flexibility of this unique jig makes it easy to add eye-catching elements to your next project, and this jig will make variably-spaced finger joints and ensure that both halves of the joint fit together perfectly. The simple design creates a hassle-free setup for perfectly sized and aligned joints. The keys on top of the jig are sized to match the fingers of the joint, ensuring a perfect fit. And there’s only one setup to complete both sides of the joint.
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#woodworking #woodsmithshop #woodworkingplans #woodworkingprojects #fingerjoints #woodworkingtips - Jak na to + styl
I have struggled with the price of a good dovetail jig as well as making a table saw jig. This one is so simple....even I could do it! Thanks again!!
Great finger joint jig. Love the ease and simplicity of constructing it coupled with easy to use and great results
That is absolutely the best finger joint jig I have seen.
What!!! I can not believe it! Brilliant! Thank you!
Sir this is the easiest jig I’ve seen…..thank you ❤❤❤
Excellent jig. I want to make some bee hives and needed an efficient way to do the finger joints. I will attempt to make this jig as my next project.
Great idea. Straight forward and simple.
Thanks!
Ingenious!
Thanks for the idea👍👍👍
Wow! I really like this. Thank you!
Thanks for watching :)
wow so cool❤thank you!
Brilliant ! I am off to make one. Ideal if, like me you have limited work shop space ( i.e. shed). Really glad I found this thank you so much
Great! Let us know how it goes.
every time i watch one of your videos everything looks easy to do it, thank you for your educational videos, im not a carpenter, but i like your videos guys, God bless you.
Thanks for watching and the high praise!
@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine I second that. I've been watching for years and the tips are the best part. A few years ago I built a 48" oak bathroom vanity with raised panel doors and 8 drawers. I used several Woodsmith tips to build it. The only bad thing was the $500 bill for all the oak and wood that went into it. Because I'm not a midget, I built it 42" high and you can't buy them that way.
Now that is slick. Well presented too.
Thanks!
Bonus points if you catch the Avengers Easter Egg! :) Get the step-by-step plans to build this Finger Joint Jig here: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/finger-joint-jig/?apid=36564
I have some chronic degenerative medical conditions. They've gotten severe this last decade. When i was young my grip was like 'the big green guy'
.... But now, 'Iron Man' i am not(not even Ant Man).
This past few years i've begun filling my ToolBox with kreg & rockler jigs, accessories & gadgets. Some that even Fury and Coulson would be jealous of.
I am hopeful, that these tools & toys, will help me make a return to building. (it's not Endgame 4me yet)
I wish more of your TV eps. were available on Amazon video. I don't mind spending $ to watch your gr8 builds.
It is kind of hard for me to invest in plans, unsure how many builds i'll get to in a year.
i only have room to work outside, heat is terrible for my condition; but i hope to 'Soldier' up this 'Winter' and get back to building.
- i LOVE this design. Thanks- ♿Lisa🔨
Love you bro nice work thank you
Insane I've never seen this anywhere else, great video too.
Dont know if anyone gives a shit but if you're bored like me atm then you can watch pretty much all the new series on InstaFlixxer. I've been streaming with my brother for the last months xD
@Dominic Titan yea, I have been watching on instaflixxer for years myself :)
I like it.
OMG,how have i not found this video before.Truly its got to be the easiest and quickest method,ive been searching ages.Great video ,cheers guys from across the pond
Greeting from India! Thrice respect! This is the easiest I have come across.
Awesome! Thank you!
That's a cool jig!
Thanks!
Simple and great, thank
Glad you liked it!
Show, massa demais. Parabéns, grato pelo belíssimo vídeo. Obrigado
obrigado
First to comment! That is a fantastic jig. I am not able to fit a dado head to my table saw so this will be really useful. Cheers, Huw
Winner, Winner! :)
Definitely one of the better tips.
Thanks!
Top!!! 👏👏👏
Очень интересно,спасибо!
Hey exactly where I need to start, but I want to make box corners at the end of 2" by 10"/12" fir or pine planks for a bed. I suppose this jigs works, might need something larger.
Great video and method!
any suggestions for cutting 35mm wide box joints on 35mm x 400mm hardwood?
Great jig! Well thought out
Glad you like it!
After 2 days searching on many ways to use my new router to make finger joints i found this thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!
I also have the Groove and tounge bit can I also use it in some way with this method? Or do i have to use fixed table for this?
I built this jig. I'm still working on some issues with bits to get the proper results, but there are a couple of things about making the keys that surprised me. I ordered the nuts and bolts from McMaster-Carr, and the screws that hold down the the T-track stood too high to let the the square nuts slide in the track. I ended up grinding down both the screw heads and the square nuts. Also, when I drilled the inset holes for the bolts, I went just a bit too deep. which caused the bolts to bottom out against the T-track which made it impossible to get the finger keys tightened down, so I had to add washers to raise the bolt head slightly. So clearances are pretty close. Be aware. Also, be sure you buy pattern bits that have a good match between the diameter of the bearing and the bit itself, just a very slight difference will mean a loose joint.
Did the t-track come with screws that were too big? It's a real pain when those screw heads sit slightly proud. :( I find that #6 screws seem to sit in the factory countersinks pretty well. I haven't had the problem with pattern bits with this jig but in the past I've seen this with flush trim bits. Sometimes the difference is due to gunk build-up on the bearing, but for as much as router bits cost you would think that the tolerances would be a lot tighter.
Woodsmith I got much better results by first “hogging out” the wider finger joints with a full-size router using a template guided bit, then finishing the cut with a pattern bit on a trim router. I’m working with red oak. (The Kreg track I bought was 36” came with no screws)
What is the name/part # of the 1/4-20 square nuts from McMaster Carr, so I can order them ?
I'd like to see you post a giant version of this for making big joints like blanket chest corners.
That would be pretty cool!
This is brilliant! I am a silver surfer and getting into woodwork, I will be trying this way!!!
Nice jig, especially when hou have to route bigger pieces of wood
Can I cut finger joints on 35mm thick x 400mm stock using the jig and template and handheld router method you demonstrated? If so which size and type of bit would I use? Thankyou
I really like this jig. The only problem / question I have is why you need to replace the "backer board" each time you use the jig? From the video it looks like it gets chewed up a bit after use, which would require you to replace it or else you'll get bad results. I don't want to have to replace the backer board each time I uses this jig. Am I missing something?
Can this be built to cut 1/4" wide joints? My projects are mostly too small for 1/2" joints, plus, I'm having a hard time finding a 1/4" straight bit with a guide bearing.
Very cool idea. I'd be concerned that with the individual fingers sliding into the jig there would be room for compounding errors. If those fingers aren't all exactly the same width the joint fails, especially on a wide board. Your dry fit at the end looked to have some gaps.
It's the index pin jigs that have the compounding problem. The keys here ensure equal spacing, and issues with snugness will be because of the router bit.
I have the plans, but where do you buy the square nuts. Most are too tall to fit into the t-track.
I can't find a link to the build video. Can you post it?
How do you keep the bottom of the routed joint straight
Great idea! Is this jig featured in a particular back issue, or somewhere where the plans are accessible?
This project was featured in ShopNotes Magazine issue #124 or the plans are also available here: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/finger-joint-jig/
you said a palm router, what HP do you recommend?
Was this ever published in the magazine?
any tips on making a plywood box with it... Mine keeps blowing out some of the fingers.... I like the jig though. :)
You could try taking a marking knife or razor blade and scoring a line across the back of finger joints to cut the wood fibers so they won’t blow out as much.
is there an advantage to positioning the jig to the piece perpendicularly like you have here rather than laying a jig on top of a piece like a template?
The router would be harder to control when on its side...
What dimensions router bit are you using? It seems like you have to use one that is the exact length of the depth of cut otherwise it'll cut into the fingers as you go.
I use a half inch Whiteside top bearing (closest to the router) pattern bit. It's cutting edge is only about 3/4 high and can be adjusted to almost any cutting depth for the fingers. Remember, the keys can take up to a half inch of slack for whatever depth you're going for.
size and type of cutter bit? method of cutting?
The author does like to from scratch, czcams.com/users/postUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practise the full stack project, is still great.
How do i do this on a 10 ft board?
I'm sure it's possible to finger joint all 8 edges of a box, but is it worth the trouble?
I like it a lot: the jig doesn’t take away a lot of space, there’s no need for a router table, it’s easy to produce accurate keys instead of making a giant “comb”, and you can cut different sizes with the same router bit. I think I’ll try it out.
I bought the plans to this jig,,,and built them to exactly what the plans calls for and in theory it will work,,but not good at all,,the joints were sloppy loose,,never a tight fit and I even used a planner to flatten the keys,,,worked on it all day and never could get a joint like the table saw produces,,i would have to be there in person watching this guy not only making it but the joints itself,,
Hmmm, I don’t know how the joints would be too loose because the spacer on the opposite finger sets the exact spacing. Are all the fingers staying tight together during use? Sometimes when the T-track is flush or slightly above the face of the jig the fingers won’t hold down tightly. Is the bit cutting exactly flush to the bearing? I’ve seen where the joint ends up too tight because there is gunk on the bearing or dust/chips get in between the bearing and fingers, but too loose does seem odd. I’ll look in to possible causes. Thanks for sharing.
i agree and I made new keys used the planner to make sure there was no discrepancy in the keys from side to side,,,and I made sure the keys were tight together,,i even used a clamp to pull them together before I tighten them,,
@@jeffoldham3466 - I can't figure out what the answer could be other then the bit being slightly larger than the bearing (which isn't very likely), but I'll give it some more thought. In the meantime, I added a Free Plan Credit to your WoodsmithPlans.com account. Next time you are on there and see a plan you want to try out, just click the Redeem with Credit button for the free plan. Sorry for the inconvenience, but thank you for the input.
thank you ever so much,,and I am really sorry it didn't work,,i was really expecting an easy way to make joints,,,honestly,,i was not going to get anymore plans from woodsmith,,,but I like it when a person stands behind what they do or their products,,,,my hat is off to you for your honestly and what you to make amends,,,i wood recommend you to everyone for that reason,,its hard today to find someone honest and is not a rip off,,,
@@jeffoldham3466 - Yeah, I'm just really bummed it didn't work out for you. This is one of my favorite jigs to use and I've always got a good joint. We do sincerely want you to have a positive and successful experience when building from our plans, so if you ever run into any problems don't hesitate us to contact us and we'll do our best to figure it out.
I'll be building this finger joint jig again in a few months for a seminar so hopefully I can work through it more then and see if I can replicate any issues that may arise.
can you make smaller finger joints like for small boxes,,and does the plans show you how
The plans show spacers as small as 5/8"... I would say the only limitation to finger sizes are how narrow you can make the spacer blocks and the diameter of bit you can find with a bearing that will fit in between those spacer blocks. Also, keep in mind you won't be able to make the spacer narrower than the head of screw you use to attach it to the t-track.
@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine what is the p/N for the square 1/4-20 nut ?
I've designed a table saw version in my head, it's going to be awesome, it'll work by having a template board that has a track and fingers on it like this, and a follower board with a pin the width of the blade kerf that has a toggle clamp for the material... Sort of how Matthias Wandel's jigs have a template and follower that takes away the kerf. Simpler than Matthias's jig more complicated than yours but with your variable spacing and speed. I can't do it right away so I'll just draw it for now.
Have a look at this, Drew makes exactly what you are suggesting czcams.com/video/S9PTFizoA64/video.html
Maybe it's too late to get an answer, but what do you do with a workpiece that's longer than the jig? It seems the stop block would prevent you from moving the jig down the workpiece.
I think you would just need to make a wider jig in that case. In what instance are you making box joints on that wide of a workpiece though? (I guess probably bigger boxes.)
you can make your keys just a bit longer, then use another sacrificial piece to move your workpiece past the stop. It is easy to do a larger box, IF the box sides are -exactly- twice the size of the jig.
You just cut the 'fingers' , right to left, until you reach the end of the jig, do this on both ends of all of the sides -exactly- as shown in the video; then starting back with your first end of your first side turn it around & repeat. - _Thinking in terms of a completed box, you'll be cutting the bottom half of your box & then the top half.
This gets a little more complicated if the width of your sides is not exactly twice the size of the jigs normal capacity. But even then, by cutting from one edge in & then the other edge in, it will still only leave the center to "figure out".
sorry- i am not the best at explaining. i only recommend this way if you think that you will most often use the jig, as is, for shorter boxes, but may on occasion build a taller box. Otherwise i would build the jig wider.
i Have used this described method with another template jig that has a stop. This jig seems great. i have been unable to find the TV episode, with the complete build, so i am going to purchase the plans. Good Luck. 🔨Lisa♿
you can make your keys just a bit longer, then use another sacrificial piece to move your workpiece past the stop. It is easy to do a larger box, IF the box sides are -exactly- twice the size of the jig.
You just cut the 'fingers' , right to left, until you reach the end of the jig, do this on both ends of all of the sides -exactly- as shown in the video; then starting back with your first end of your first side turn it around & repeat. - _Thinking in terms of a completed box, you'll be cutting the bottom half of your box & then the top half.
This gets a little more complicated if the width of your sides is not exactly twice the size of the jigs normal capacity. But even then, by cutting from one edge in & then the other edge in, it will still only leave the center to "figure out".
sorry- i am not the best at explaining. i only recommend this way if you think that you will most often use the jig, as is, for shorter boxes, but may on occasion build a taller box. Otherwise i would build the jig wider.
i Have used this described method with another template jig that has a stop. This jig seems great. i have been unable to find the TV episode, with the complete build, so i am going to purchase the plans. Good Luck. 🔨Lisa♿
Will this work with template collars?
No, it will not. The fingers create the slots on the opposite side for the mating workpiece. The bit needs to be guided exactly on the fingers and a template collar would off set them. Mabe if you rabbet the top edge of the fingers to accept the collar.
Not seeing a link to the design for the jig. A little help?
Sorry... fixed it in the description. Here you go: www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/finger-joint-jig/
Was the joint tight? It looked like there were gaps in them.
Re-watching the video it does look like that on the top joint, but not sure if that is a shadow line because of the camera angle. The fingers stand a little proud, so they might be casting a shadow. Because of the nature of the jig, the fingers on the one side of the jig should automatically set the spacing on the other side.
It looks to me that you must use a bit with a bearing at the top for this to work. Am I correct. You do mention half way through the video that you are going to talk about the bits, but you never do.
You are correct about the bit. As mentioned in the description, this video was clipped from a larger episode of the Woodsmith Shop tv show and apparently that portion was not included. My apologies for excluding that info. :(
Newbie here. What is this bit called?
template or pattern bit, it has the bearing at the shank end, as opposed to a flush trim bit which has the bearing at the other end
I am on minute 1.45 and really do not understand what are you talking about... is there an intro video before this?
Aren't those box joints not finger joints?
All box joints are finger joints, but not all finger joints are box joints. (Square vs. Rectangle)😀
Hey Dude? I built this. Not Good. The T Track is easily defeated by the router vibration. Bad design.
Craig Oxford - For the fingers to clamp down properly the T-Track should be slightly below the surface of the adjacent plywood (even if it is just 1/32” below) If the t-track is slightly above or even sometimes flush, you probably will get some loosening with vibration. For future reference, this is this is the case with using t-track in general.
Perhaps your router bit is blunt
@@WoodsmithShowandmagazine - That was a helpful tip I've never read or heard before. Often I find very useful information down here in the Comments section. This one is a case in point.
Thanks! 👍🙂
@@David_K_pi - You're welcome... Yeah, there is some good nuggets of info to be found here in the comments. I'm always learning stuff and getting good tips/ideas from our viewers too.
sink your t-track down a bit & use epoxy to hold(not just screws). That may help. i just acquired some DIY jigs with t-track. i had the same problem, but epoxy helped. GoodLuck
May I offer a bit of constructive criticism? Hand gestures are fine for emphasizing truly important words and/or points. Hand gestures on virtually every word quickly become distracting & eventually irritating, especially when they're pretty much the same movement every time. A little variation, used sparingly & only when necessary, would make your presentation much more watchable. (Looks like a nice jig. I'll have to give it a try.)
Yeah, that's fine. It will come with practice and experience. Thanks.
Perhaps he is theatrically trained?
@@davidwarren4569 - Most certainly not. I just tend to talk with my hands - Have to make sure there's not a drink in front of me or it will be spilled! - Logan
Touché my good man