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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    57
    Posts
    1,311

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    Thanks Sam. At the Malney wood expo I bought 3 sets of veneered top and bottom parts.

    So I could buy some DAR 12mm hardwood and make 3 boxes. Another reason to get a jig for the router.
    I realise I should reduce 12mm to more like 10mm but I can't do it.

    I have an Ozito electric plane and a cheap and nasty no 4 hand plane. Plus a ROS. I have had a go thicknessing small pieces with all 3 at various times. Complete disasters in terms of consistency.
    Part of the problem is that I don't have a solid work bench or vice or dog holes. I have a table on casters with a portable alloy vice and some clamps. I can't hold a piece well enough to plane it by hand. I realise I also need a decent plane but that doesn't stop me trying with what I have.
    I need to learn how to adjust the plane so I don't mind experimenting with the cheap and nasty one if I could hold the work. But not being able to secure the work piece is just too frustrating.
    Hence on my list above is to build a workbench with a vice.
    It seems strange but it's only in the last few days that I realised I could build a bench hook to plane small parts. The table still wobbles but it would be worth a shot if only for skill building.

    I much prefer your idea of beer swap for machine use to be honest. So anyone on Brisbane North side willing to teach someone to use their machines please let me know.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
    My YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/2_KPRN6I9SE

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  3. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
    Age
    68
    Posts
    12,006

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    work holding

    don't be afraid to screw a few battens into your mobile table to hold stuff.
    also lifting the table onto a couple of house bricks might address the castors.

    For edge jointing get yourself a couple of hand screws e.g. Dubuque Wooden Handscrews - Lee Valley Tools which will hold stuff on edge while you plane it.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    1,766

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    Dave, I have been known to work in the beer economy. I have a small, busy home workshop and have been know to help out fellow forumites.

    Send me a PM.

    Cheers
    Bevan
    There ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk!!

    Tom Waits

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Camden, NSW
    Age
    74
    Posts
    3,576

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    Hi Dave, you're certainly not the first to face this dilemma and, for what it's worth, here's MY (20year!) journey from YOUR starting point. I also started with a Triton and used it to rip timber to width and a sled ( as suggested above) to cut to length. I had a cheapie thicknesser to 'screech and scream' it to thickness. My first umpteen boxes had butt, then rebate, then mitre and then lock mitre joints and I sold and gave away many without a single complaint. I lusted after a Gifkin and eventually bought one but, by then, I had a 'proper' table saw. I ultimately upgraded my Gifkin process to include a router table with 2 routers, one for straight and one for dovetail bits and can now turn out a dovetail box in very few minutes BUT, I still make a lot of rebate, mitre and lock mitre boxes? I honestly think you could put your money to better timber preparation machines and continue without a Gifkin for a while yet?
    I know it's a long way away, but in June I'm holding a get together in my shed, where the 'theme' is jointing systems and the aim is for everyone to see, use and compare competing systems to help them choose the best for their needs. The systems available to be compared include Domino, Trend M&T, Gifkin, Leigh D4R, Hegner finger jointer, Kreg pocket hole, iBox finger jointer, lock mitres and possibly Shanesmith80's Incra. I reckon everyone there will leave with a different choice?
    If you can find someone who will dress timber to your requirements then maybe the Gifkin is the way to go but I'd suggest you get yourself to that point and perfect mitre, rebate and lock mitre joints before leaping to the Gifkin?
    BTW, this isn't just an anti Gifkin suggestion as the Gifkin is still my favoured box jointer but I'm just suggesting you put it in context?
    fletty
    a rock is an obsolete tool ......... until you don’t have a hammer!

  6. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Kew, Vic
    Posts
    1,064

    Default

    Dave,

    Fletty is right on the money here. Absolutely nothing wrong with mitred boxes (experiment with slipfeathers and hidden splines?) or butt joints (perhaps with hidden dowels?) or rebated joints. I've just spent some time with master boxmaker Andrew Crawford in the UK, making rebate-jointed boxes:

    IMG_1394.jpg

    I like dovetails and my Gifkins jig, but dovetails are not the only way to make great boxes. I'd rate my box making machinery in this order:

    Router table (absolute number one for me) - for rebate joints, grooves and inlay routing.
    Table saw or bandsaw - either will do.
    Disc sander (larger the better) - for truing mitre joints on box sides, removing minor overlaps on rebate joints and making super-fine adjustments to inlay mitres.


    I've learned that great boxmaking (not mine) can be achieved with very simple tools. Search YouTube for Doug Stowe or Andrew Crawford for examples.

    Happy boxmaking!

    Brian

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    37
    Posts
    2,703

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    The gifkins jig is pretty much what got me started into woodworking. It's simple and accurate and you'll get great service from Col. I think the gifkins great for a beginner.

    What I like about it is that you can buy a package which includes all the different router bits to make a box- rebate bit for lid/base, spiral bit to split box, panel raising etc. I remember a little while back you could buy a box making wood kit that's been cut to size so you could try and get one of them to start off.

  8. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    74

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    Late to the discussion.

    If woodworking power tools are in your future a router is invaluable . If a router is invaluable then a router table is also essential and the Incra is a fancy , super accurate fence system that allows among other things to make different kinds of accurate joints . Its well made , well documented and gets my vote as an all rounder

    The gifkins is an excellent dovetail/finger joint jig .

    It depends on whether want to do more than dovetail and finger joints in the future.

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    146

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    I vote for the make your own box joint jig. I have made one and its cheap and easy. Get the key and spacer correct and accurate and you will have accurate, repeatable joints. The way I make them, means each jig is only good for one size box joint, but honestly, how often do you want to vary the size?

  10. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dundowran Beach
    Age
    76
    Posts
    19,922

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    I have Gifkins but others have had more use of it than I have!! Everyone likes it.

    Incra is set up for imperial measurements as I understand it. That surely must pose some problems.

    For those who plump for box joints, that is fine but perhaps the user, or the client, wants dovetails.
    Both jigs come with the Gifkins or can be purchased separately.

    Seems like some second hand ""dimensioning machines"" are in order!!

  11. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    57
    Posts
    1,311

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by artme View Post

    Incra is set up for imperial measurements as I understand it. That surely must pose some problems.
    Incra comes in metric now. It is a complete metric build, not just a conversion.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
    My YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/2_KPRN6I9SE

  12. #26
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    1,147

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    I have an Incra jig and dado blades that are both imperial and i realised after a lot of mucking around that it's best not to change the finger size all the time so i have the jig and dado set for 10mm and leave it. It seems to be a good size and i always make box heights in increments of 10mm, never found a reason not to.
    But in saying this i rarely use box joins now because not all boxes look good with them. I think mitre joins are the easiest and classiest of them all.

  13. #27
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Parkside - South Australia
    Age
    45
    Posts
    3,316

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    I have the Incra fence on the router table. It hasn't had a huge workout but I liked it for it's flexibility. It can do a variety of joints (including dovetails/ box etc) but it is also great to have a solid fence with adjustable stops and repeatability. It will come in handy for rebating bottoms in the box etc.

    The other jigs are perhaps more convenient and easier to use, but they are a one trick pony. I'm sure that those who have them enjoy them as they work well but it's handy having a system that can do more than one thing (provided it still does them well which the Incra does).
    Now proudly sponsored by Binford Tools. Be sure to check out the Binford 6100 - available now at any good tool retailer.

  14. #28
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Kew, Vic
    Posts
    1,064

    Default

    A heads up. There's a Gifkins jig for sale on eBay Australia right now. Seller in Scotts Head (sorry, don't know where that is).

    Brian

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