pieces will be clamped on top
of each other with their
OUTSIDE faces TOGETHER
and what will be the TOP edge
of the box against each of the
two side stops. The top edge
of these pieces will be flush
with the top of the scrap pieces
and up against the bottom of
the template.
Where this gets a bit tricky is
that one piece will stop against
the side stop finger while the
other will stop against the
round portion outboard from
the side stop finger.
In the pictures above I have
removed the scrap piece from
behind the two work pieces to
make it easier to see.
Once the four work pieces are
mounted under the front
clamp bar and flush with the
top of a scrap piece that is at
least 5mm thicker than the
router bit depth of cut, rotate
the template down and place
the router on top of the
template. Set the depth of cut
to be equal to the thickness of
the work pieces.
Make the cuts. If the thickness
of your work pieces is greater
than the diameter of the router
bit, make the cuts in multiple
passes with each pass cutting
no more than the diameter of
the router bit.
Rearrange the work pieces
under the front clamp bar
stacked with the OUTSIDE
faces together and the TOP
against the side stops.
Make the cuts and you are
done. A perfect box with
finger joints in less than five
minutes!
The concept of centering a box
joint is a bit different from
centering dovetail joints. A
properly centered box or
finger joint will show a certain
number of whole fingers on
one side with one fewer than
that number of whole fingers
plus two half fingers on the
other side.
An unbalanced, yet still
considered centered by some,
finger joint will show the same
number of whole fingers on
each side. On one side there
will be a half finger at the top
and on the other side a half
finger at the bottom.
Which you prefer is a matter of
taste. I like the properly
centered finger joints the best.
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