- Overview
- More Info
- Reviews
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 Make precise, tight-fitting box joints with your router! For use on virtually
any router
table with a standard 3/4" miter slot, this jig features a
smooth-sliding backer sled and three (3) precision-machined aluminum
indexing keys to give you air-tight joints with either 1/4", 3/8" or
1/2" spacing. Works with stock up to 3/4" thick.
Additional Box Joint Accessories Sold Separately:
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Technical Details:
- For compatibility, the near edge of your table's miter track must be between 4-1/2" and 6-1/4" from the center of the bit.
- Stable MDF platform has low-friction melamine coating for added durability and easy cleanup.
- ABS plastic backer sled provides ample support, and is also predrilled for a sacrificial face
- Easy-grip knobs lock platform into miter slot
- Platform measures 10-3/4" x 12-3/8" x 1/2"
- Includes all necessary mounting hardware
- The jig requires a straight router bit to match the size of the indexing key.
- Up-cut spiral bit like the ones listed below deliver the cleanest cuts and prevent blowout.
What's in the Box?
(1) Rockler Router Table Box Joint Jig and mounting hardware
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Customer Reviews and Photos for:
Rockler Router Table Box Joint Jig
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Average Rating:
3.6
(59 customer reviews)
$79.99
Add your review...
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1) Submitted by
Dennis, from Cave Creek, AZ
on 12/26/2012
Customer Rating: 
All I can say is wow , this jig is wonderful. I have been trying to build one for my table saw with out much sucess so I gave up trying. I have a Bosch router table and from the box to first test cut was only about 15 min and did not need to make any adjustments. I will not be pig headed any more if Rockler has a jig I need I will buy it instead. This one saved so much time it was well worth the price.
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2) Submitted by
John, from Philadelphia, PA
on 12/2/2012
Customer Rating:
I used the product on my Kreg router table and was very happy with the results. I was very surprised how easy it was and how quickly I picked it up. I would recommend this product.
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3) Submitted by
Don Rosendale, from Marion, IA
on 3/30/2011
Customer Rating:
I liked the great construction. I agree with the comments about putting Armor all on the slides and sandpaper on the face. Works well if you work slow.
Highly recommend the upcut bits when you order the jig.
By the way, this type of jig works well on a DADO blade with a little modification. Clean cuts on it too.
Watch your feed, and keep pressure down on the jig when you are cutting.
Makin' my first boxes ever. Nice!
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4) Submitted by
Marc, from Detroit, MI
on 3/15/2011
Customer Rating: 
I bought this item on sale at a great price. Set up on my router table was quick and easy. It took me a couple of practice trials to get used to it, but after that I was making perfect joints. I found the push block a little small, but it has holes in it to allow for the addition of a tear out board. I would also suggest buying the Onsrud upspiral bits. They cut clean and tear out is almost non existant a must if you are working with exotic woods. I would definitely recomend this jig for any wood shop with a router table.
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5) Submitted by
Curt, from Arlington, TN
on 3/5/2011
Customer Rating:
It does what it was meant to do. I gave it 4 out of 5 because I believe it should have aluminum guide rails with tighter tolerances and be made from 3/4" HDF with a melamine top for added weight and strength.
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6) Submitted by
Danny Williams, from Clayton, GA.
on 3/2/2011
Customer Rating:
Set up was easy...use was easy..instructions were very well done. The only down side was that the push piece was very flimsy..you really need an additional fence attached to the original. Also, wax the runner. The sawdust tends to cause it to stick.
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7) Submitted by
Wayne Springer, from Middletown, NY
on 2/3/2011
Customer Rating:
This was a great deal! Easy to setup and use. I also added a slot for the lift adjustment, this was really needed to complete the unit. Miter had a slight front to back rocking to it, sanded the feet and presto! If you do many box joints or just now and again this is a valuable asset for your router table!!
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8) Submitted by
Rudy Wilson, from Los Alamos, NM
on 1/1/2011
Customer Rating:
This is a great Jig and well worth the price!
Very easy to use and quick to setup.
I modified mine with a hole for the router lift adjustment as Russ Jones has done see his review. Added a homemade rubber boot attached to the router fence and placed in front of the jig to aid with dust collection. I also noticed that the Freud Spiral router bits make a better fit than the Onsrud bits listed along with the jig slightly different tolerance.
Make sure the stock is completely flat to avoid binding.
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9) Submitted by
Brent, from Charlotte, NC
on 12/23/2010
Customer Rating:
Have been wanting a box joint jig for a while to build some drawer boxes. Once I had this set up, I was able to make a box within 10 minutes and the joints were perfect. Just a few comments, similar to others on the site:
- Practice, not only to get the spacing right, but to also make sure you cut the joints in the right alignment. It might take a time or two to get the tops/bottoms/fronts/backs all in line. Just follow the quick guide and it's not too hard.
- Buy the upspiral bits. I started with a straight-cutting bit and it destroyed my practice pieces. The Upspiral bit cuts like butter.
- Keep the track waxed and clear of debris with a vac or compressor.
- Make sure your router and table can hold the jig with 3/4 track guides and a 1/2 inch collet if you go with the larger bits.
This is a great product. I will have a dozen drawers done in no time.
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10) Submitted by
D Wainwright, from Brandon, MS
on 12/21/2010
Customer Rating:
Very simple to use. Make sure to do the following:
1. Clamp the jig set up securely to your router table.
2. Spray glue a sheet of sandpaper to the face of the fence.
3. Spray Armorall on the plastic slides for a smooth ride across the jig.
4. Paste wax on the guide bar works great.
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11) Submitted by
Jim Springer, from Lake Worth, FL
on 11/30/2010
Customer Rating:
Used to build a practice box out of 1/4" oak before building a music box. This was the first time I have ever done any type of joinery for a small joint. Someone mentioned sticking with small stock to I used Johnson's paste wax on all surfaces, worked great, no sticking. Used a 1/4" drill shank to set up, also from info in these reviews. It worked. The finished joints were very tight, square, and no tear out. I am very satisfied and looking forward to building a music box out of bloodwood.
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12) Submitted by
Stacey, from Phoenix, AZ
on 7/4/2011
Customer Rating:
Just tried it out, and worked very well. Very happy with the fit of the first couple of boxes I made. The guide does seem a little flimsy wonder how long it will last, but that's about my only complaint.
I also bought the Precision Brass Setup Bars Part 36918 which made setup a breeze - I'm not sure why they aren't listed as accessories with this jig.
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13) Submitted by
Alan Pigg, from Marietta, GA
on 12/17/2012
Customer Rating: 
I just got it out of the box and it will not fit either of my Craftsman router tables. The hole is 1" away from the router bit on the small table. The miter slot is 3/4" and my table miter slot is 5/8" on the bigger table. My first thought was to cut a bigger hole in the sled where the bit comes through, but that will allow the bit to cut into the plastic fence. I can cut the adjustment slots longer, but not sure that will work either. Not sure what to do with it.
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14) Submitted by
John Gonder, from Livermore, CA
on 12/9/2012
Customer Rating: 
I bought this on sale, in lieu of making my own, but am ending up pretty much totally remaking it. I commend the Rockler store for quickly swapping out the stripped out metal piece holding the caul screw. However, the sled runners on all the sleds I checked in the store are a full .020 loose on each side, letting the sled slide and twist a lot. The light duty plastic holder and soft plastic runners bend easily - the short soft runners are just snapped in, and holder is hollow and flexible. It also is sloping on the back so you cannot use a clamp to hold the work safely. I cured the runner looseness with UHMW tape, and will make a new sled from birch ply with longer, stiff, well fitted runners - essentially creating the jig from new in order for it to work well, and provide for clamping of the workpiece - an essential safety item. Note the picture on the site of using this with both hands holding the work, in front of the sled, close to the bit - not good, and with a narrow piece it's very hard to hold in place with the sled bending in two directions. With the short runners it's easy for the sled to lift forward or back also, which could tip your hands into the bit. The cauls measure well to size, within .001, and the slot clamps work, but the rest is very poorly made, although it's actually a good design concept. I'll keep the cauls, base and use them with my new sled.
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15) Submitted by
P McLaughlin, from Houston, TX
on 9/29/2010
Customer Rating:
I should have bought this sooner. I picked the jig up today and the setup was so simple it only took 15 minutes for me to start cutting. I typically do not rate anything as excellent no room for improvement but I couldn't have asked for anything as simple to setup and use. The "free" bit was a bonus.
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16) Submitted by
T Villien, from Charlottesville, VA
on 8/22/2010
Customer Rating:
This jig worked right out of the box with a few practice runs. The first project attempted produced tight fitting joints which didn't require any adjustments. I found that it worked best with hard wood rather than plywood and the jig didn't fit my router table so I needed to clamp it in place. The clamps didn't interfere with the operation of the jig. Excellent buy.
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17) Submitted by
Gman, from Sarasota, FL
on 10/2/2012
Customer Rating:
It is what it is! LOL! By that I mean, it is a very simple and basic jig but lacks any versatility in pattern or fine tuning adjustment. As compared to the Incra box joint jig, the Rockler jig is merely a toy. In its defense, the Rockler jig is half the price and if all you want to do is make simple box joint for a drawer or a box, this will do it. It is simple to use and easy and fast to set up. Like I said, it is what it is.
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18) Submitted by
Jeff, from Highland Park, NJ
on 6/29/2010
Customer Rating:
Generally good. Would stick with lighter material (1/2 or less) as the parts are plastic/light-weight.
Wish the fence were larger, but nothing to lose sleep over.
addendum: paste wax on the bar helps a lot in movement back and forth of workpiece.
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19) Submitted by
Richard LeClair, from DeLand, FL
on 6/18/2010
Customer Rating:
Right out of the box this has made my projects come out looking great.
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20) Submitted by
Phil Kenyon, from Warren, MI
on 5/31/2010
Customer Rating:
Haven't used this box joint jig yet, but looks to be pretty good quality. The price is very compeditive too.
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21) Submitted by
Peter LaFosse, from Merrimack, NH
on 11/7/2010
Customer Rating: 
Good product overall and worked well producing good results for the first time. I have 2 complaints, one the fence and plastic guide bars are simply not strong/ridged enough. The guide bars should be made of aluminum similar to the indexing keys coupled with a more solid fence. Secondly, there should be an additional hole to allow for the use of a router lift. I have the FX Lift on my rockler table and having easy access to adjustments is more convenient.
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22) Submitted by
J. Koertner, from Oviedo, FL
on 5/28/2010
Customer Rating:
Had my eye on this for a while. Ordered it and in a few days it arrived. I set it up and made some test peices. It worked great! I ended up using the test peices and made a great little box. The bits work great with a little adjusting you can get a great fit. You have to keep the slides clean and a little soap helps the sled slide smooth.
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23) Submitted by
Clarence Jones, from Hays, KS
on 4/10/2010
Customer Rating:
This jig is the second one I have tried for routing box joints and is far superior to the first one. Be sure to read the detailed directions for turning the wood panels or else you create a mess as I know from experience. Practice makes perfect as I have improved with each attempt. I don't think this would be a great product for projects beyong 1/2 inch thick.
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24) Submitted by
John Hammett, from Baker City, OR
on 3/28/2010
Customer Rating:
Just bought the jig and it does exactly what it is built for. However, I would of made it bit longer to give the slide more room. The slide doesn't slide easy, it sticks after long use.
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25) Submitted by
Larry Squier, from Urbandale, IA
on 1/29/2010
Customer Rating:
Set up was very easy. I used a high quality carbide spiral up-cut bit and my slots were clean and tight. I made a practice box but it turned out as good as the final box. I had slots cut for both boxes within 30 minutes. Making top took 1/2 day and all things went together well. I am very pleased! I would recommend clamping the work piece to the backboard just to assure it doesn't ride up when routing. Great new jig addition to my shop.
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26) Submitted by
Kevin J. Fabri, from Fairfield, CT
on 3/1/2010
Customer Rating:
I found the jig incredibly easy to use. Set up is a snap when you use Rocklers brass set up blocks. I've gotten good results thus far ( practic makes perfect.
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27) Submitted by
Richard Stillwagon, from Riverview, FL
on 2/19/2010
Customer Rating:
My first project was a solid Walnut medal box for my grandaughter. I found the jig to be very easy to use once I had done some practicing with it on some scap pine. The instructions were clear and consice.
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28) Submitted by
Leo Wagner, from Kerrville, TX
on 2/22/2010
Customer Rating:
Recently bought this product but am having no success. The fingers are thinner than the up-cut bit and hence they are unacceptably loose. I can't tell if the difficulty of pushing the sled causes variations or what. In theory everything should fit exactly but nothing does. I am using a 1/4" bit. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
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29) Submitted by
H.C. Croom, from Kinston, NC
on 2/6/2010
Customer Rating:
My first attempt using the box jig was a success. I am well satisfied with my purchase.
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30) Submitted by
Edward Diephaus, from Pennsburg, PA
on 7/8/2009
Customer Rating:
The design is simple and efficient, doing what it was said to do. Hand made jigs work too but not near as precise. Worth the money.
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31) Submitted by
Russell Kiecker, from Luck, WI
on 6/3/2009
Customer Rating:
WOW - what a bit. Thanks
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32) Submitted by
Lindell, from Janesville, WI
on 1/3/2009
Customer Rating:
This jig works great for making box joints and is much simpler than anything I have ever tried before. The cuts were accurate and the fit was great when I finished. The Spiral bits do work better than a straight bit, much smoother cut. Great addition to anyone that has a router and is making boxes...It works great!
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33) Submitted by
Matt Furze, from Phooenix, AZ
on 12/28/2008
Customer Rating:
Came across this jig in the store today while looking at something else. Liked the idea, and ended up getting one. Easy to set up (instructions are a bit thin on the box but the online instructions are quite good, and truth be told, setup is almost intuitive after looking at the pictures for a few minutes), and an initial test with the 1/4" key and a 1/4" straight bit was very straightforward. I have the small benchtop router table, and had no problem with the setup at all. The idea and design of the jig are well thought out, and I'm sure I'll use it often. Recommended if you want to make quick box joints!
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34) Submitted by
John, from Portland, ME
on 4/27/2010
Customer Rating:
There are some good points to this jig, especially the simplicity. Being a novice woodworker, I figured I would be better off buying a jig rather than trying to make one. But there are a few things that made me very frustrated. Primarily, the knobs for locking it in to the miter slot. I really have to yard down on them to get it to stay. But, even then it still slides slowly. Once, I didn't catch it in time and the hole was made a bit bigger. Another time, it slid and the joint no longer fit putting an end to that part of the project. The slide wasn't all I was hoping it would be either. When it did work, it was nice. But, I just don't trust it. That's just my opinion and take it for what it's worth.
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35) Submitted by
Lou, from Sandpoint, ID
on 4/2/2009
Customer Rating:
Great tool. I have used it several times in the past two weeks on a half dozen projects to get a good feel for it. It is crucial however to tightly lock down the jig to keep it from walking. Also, for thinner materials like ¼” hobby stock (I tried oak), don’t use this jig. It is important to use setup bars for quick calibration and to minimize sanding. Over all, this was a great investment.
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36) Submitted by
Fr. Ed Jansen, from Severna Park, MD
on 1/8/2009
Customer Rating:
This is a wonderful jig with a short learning curve. It is a simple jig for the novice woodworker and fast for the those with years experience. Once the distance between the router bit and guide is accurately set, perfect box joints can be created.
For a variation, I used both 2/4 and 3/4 stock to give the joint a staggered look. The attached photo was taken prior to its lacquered finish.
Great jig. Keep up the good work. You continue to make woodworking enjoyable and accessible for most who have a desire to work with wood and a little bit of talent.
Blessings,
Father Ed+
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37) Submitted by
Troy, from Emmett, ID
on 4/12/2009
Customer Rating:
I just finished making 6 drawers for my own desk with this. I figured it would be a good place to practice since the joints would be essentially hidden and I would be the only one using it. The first problem I ran into was there is no slot for the router lift kit socket even though I have a Rockler router table kit. But I won't mark this against the product rating since it was easy to remedy (you are already using a spiral up-cut bit anyway).
The next issue was that the backer slider is just a drop-in piece so you have to be careful because it likes to rock a little. I find it essential that you joint the bottom of the backer wood you use, not just throw any old piece of scrap on there.
I used the guide blocks for setting up and it was very easy to do. The first pieces I cut used the 1/4" bit Rockler sells with the jig (sold seperately). For whatever reason (poor setup or execution on my part, or the bit was just too small) the joints came out pretty loose and unattractive.
But instead of returning or abandoning the jig, I ordered a 1/2" bit from elsewhere. This time when I made my test cuts, it fit so tight I wasn't sure I could get glue to stay on the pieces while assembling them. Then I cut all my drawers and they are just as tight.
That is why I decided on 5-stars. Any difficulties I had are easily remedied by anyone with a small amount of woodworking skill. But I highly recommend getting a soft-faced dead-blow mallet too (not a black rubber mallet) and carefully read the back page of the instructions. Once you cut the first piece, you have to reverse it to line up the second piece. Just a glance at the pictures will mislead you (another good reason to always use test pieces).
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38) Submitted by
Jason Jones, from Fairfield, PA
on 2/28/2010
Customer Rating:
It works but with modifications because I have a Ryobi router table one of the ones it does not work with. Also the 1/2 inch bit won't fit in my router so make sure you check the diameter of the bits you buy.
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39) Submitted by
Thomas Ferguson, from Winona, OH
on 11/7/2010
Customer Rating:
Produces very good and tight joints, follow the directions very carefully and spend the money for the correct bits and you should be very happy with this product. I waited for this product before I started a project with expensive exoctic wood and was not dissapointed.
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40) Submitted by
Jim , from Longmont, CO
on 10/4/2009
Customer Rating:
Followed the instructions and worked with 1/4 in. clear pine. The jig worked fine after a little soap on the sled runners.
I'd like a bit more substance to work with heavier stock.
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41) Submitted by
Alec, from Lewes, DE
on 8/8/2010
Customer Rating:
I would agree with most other reviewers. It was better for me to buy this jig versus making my own for router table. I use it with Bosch closed box table and Bosch router.
Instruction, although adequate, leaves a bit to be desired. Check the internet if you need to learn how to tighten or loosen the joints. "Righty, Tighty" works for me. Move jig to right to close distance between bit and gauge to tighten up the finger joints.
The sliding fence is too flexible. It could be beefed up some and it can be a little rough on the slide. I waxed slides and I added fence with sandpaper face to help hold stock better. Otherwise, out the box it worked fine with quick and simple setup. Most woodworkers would recognize this is not a production machine but very good for hobbyists.
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42) Submitted by
Kevin Evjen, from Porter, MN
on 2/10/2010
Customer Rating:
It is very easy to setup. The directions said to use a brass setup bar to setup the jig. I just used the shank of a 1/4 router bit.
My only complaint is that the wood does not slide freely on the provided indexing keys. Your hands tire in a hurry so I would not recommend this for anyone that has carpal tunnel issues. But since the wood fits that tight on the key is why this jig is so accurate. Maybe after a bit of use or wear this will get better. The jigs I have used in the past have the indexing key on the part that moves.
Again Rockler has come up with a tool that is very useful. I bought this to make small projects with one quarter inch box joints. I am not sure if it will be big enough to handle larger half inch box joint projects though.
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43) Submitted by
Russ Jones, from Lynnwood, WA
on 1/5/2010
Customer Rating:
I had to make a couple of modifications to make it adapt to my ShopSmith router table. first, the mounting slides that attach to the miter slot were a little proud and I sanded the sides with the disc sander until they fit the miter slot. When I attached the jig to the table I found it covered the router height adjustment on my Rockler FX lift. That was remedied with a 1" hole in the jig deck. I am looking forward to making many projects in the future. I also agree with some of the other comments in that the jig, although a great idea, is a little under-engineered for the price.
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44) Submitted by
Brian Chinneck, from San Diego, CA
on 7/29/2009
Customer Rating:
The sled runners could be improved, heavier and dust/wood chip clear runners would help when doing bigger that draw type joints. If the craftsman take the time to carefully set up the jig using accurate blocks for the critical spacing and hight setting this system works well. Test pieces are a must as minor adjustment at the testing stage of set up will save hours of sanding (correction) later. A fun and easy jig to use.
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45) Submitted by
Keith Carichner, from Mechanicsburg, PA
on 3/20/2011
Customer Rating:
Very disappointed in the overall use of this box joint jig. The recommended upcut spiral bit rips the woods. The sled is unstable and gets pulled through the cut. Needless to say, when the sled gets pulled through the cut, the resulting cut is less than desired. The sled binds during movement. One of the mounting screws that holds the thin steel plate inside the base was stripped from factory. I would not recommend this box joint jig to anyone.
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46) Submitted by
Gnugs, from Arlington, VA
on 2/4/2009
Customer Rating:
Great idea. Couple of problems -- the sled rocks somewhat and you have to take extra care with the backer board or/and when sliding it forward. A thicker base with a dust trough underneath the sled slides would be a great improvement to clear the sled from jamming occasionally.
Also, this can be used to make dado joints for drawer or box sides but again it would be a lot better if the base were somewhat longer to allow for taller drawer sides. A slightly different locking mechanism for the miter slot would be required to replace the knobs (use the same lock as on the crosscut sled cut-off platform) and the sled rails and indexing keys would have to be extended.
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47) Submitted by
Chad Dupont, from Norwalk, OH
on 3/15/2010
Customer Rating:
This jig works very well. The only problem was it didn't fit my table, So I had to adapt it, everything else went easy with setup and use.
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48) Submitted by
Steve Myers, from Frederick, MD
on 4/26/2010
Customer Rating:
I had been eyeballing this jig online for a couple of months. I bought it on a whim from a retail store half way across the country (on vacation). When I got home it did not fit my Bench Dog router table. The length was short and I couldn't use it. It will cost too much to ship it back to Houston so I have a good template to make my own. Guess I can sell it on ebay. The jig seems to be well made and I am always pleased with Rockler products.
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49) Submitted by
Steve Norrell, from Anchorage, AK
on 8/8/2010
Customer Rating:
I was really looking forward to getting this Box Joint Jig because I have been using a shop-made one constructed of MDF. I have used it a lot and, as expected, was getting worn and inaccurate.
As is the case with other Rockler products I have ordered, this jig is well made and shows quality workmanship. It would be an ideal jig for making Box Joints if, and I emphazise "IF", it fits your router table.
When I tried to use it, I found that I could not use it on my router table. To say I was disappointed is an understatement but that may be because I was really looking forward to using it. The Rockler designed jig is too small for many larger router tables; it would only be useful when the miter track is within about four to six inches from the center of the router bit. It would have been helpful if this dimension was detailed in the specifications.
An additional inconvenience is that there is no access to the height adjustment of the lift. One has to remove the rig from the router table setup if it is necessary to 'tweak' the height adjustment.
Both of these issues could have been easily remedied. A longer jig, with an elongated slot for the mounting hardware would accommodate more (most?) router tables. Also, access to the height adjustment could be provided through an added, appropriately sized and located, access hole.
My disappointment notwithstanding, I would recommend this jig to anyone wanting to make box joints provided it could be used on their router table.
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50) Submitted by
Steven B, from Somerville, MA
on 11/13/2010
Customer Rating:
Unfortunately, I bought this a few months ago and only started using it today. First of all, the jig shifts unless you clamp it very tightly I am using the standard rockler router table. So step 1 is to build a jig to position your jig reliably. This is pretty frustrating as I bought this jig to save me the time of building my own jig. If your jig shifts during use which it will, your piece will be ruined. A cheap plastic sled running in MDF grooves is a disappointment.
Finally, your piece must run along aluminum bars. Think about that. I tried making a box with 1/4" stock. The aluminum slide must be the exact thickness of your grooves/fingers you're routing into your piece. There is a lot of friction as your piece runs along the aluminum keys. If you lube it with, it'll prevent glue from sticking, so you must force it. The force required to move 1/4" of oak along the keys is enough to bend the plastic and shift the jig. In conclusion, this jig is pretty much useless. I was excited about an easy to use jig for making box joints on my router table.
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51) Submitted by
Bob Aquino, from Portsmouth, VA
on 12/27/2010
Customer Rating:
I'm really not sure why other folks can rate it so highly, but experience with it is that it has some serious shortcomings.
Lets list the good parts first. The metal guide bars for the three finger sizes 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 are nicely made aluminum extrusions with blue anodizing. The lock knobs are nice too. Thats about it.
Not so good. The whole thing is made out of 1/2" melamine coated MDF. It locks down to your miter slot in the router table top. Hopefully your slot is within the range it gives you. Mine was. It uses a plastic sled with a narrow stepped runner that runs in a corresponding machined groove in the MDF. Yes, it runs in direct contact with the MDF. How long do you think that will last? Truthfully, the accuracy of the guide really depends on the notches already cut riding on the aluminum extrusion. But the plastic sled riding in the MDF is very loose and as others have mentioned, you need to make sure you hold it down in the back. Several times when using it, it sits up on one of the knobs in the back and can mess up your concentration.
One other gripe, also mentioned by other folks is that the jig can move some while you are tightening it down with the knobs. I had to reset it several times to make sure it was accurate. Make sure you have some sort of reference gauge to reset the distance from the notch guide to the bit. It is critical.
The thing should be made out of baltic birch or phenolic. Think Benchdog quality. I don't see this thing hanging around in an average shop for 10 years, the MDF would be long gone. And the crummy plastic sled is so poor, its not worth mentioning.
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52) Submitted by
Jeff, from Pemberton, NJ
on 4/7/2011
Customer Rating:
I have a portable contractor's router table and I had to use clamps instead of the normal way to attach it to the table. After some trial and error on fitting it to the table I got it to work. Even though I had to modify it to fit it was still a better buy than other jigs I have seen. Like everything else I have purchased for Rockler, this is a solid value and works the way it was described.
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53) Submitted by
Rick , from Royersford, PA
on 1/4/2012
Customer Rating:
After looking at many box-joint jigs I decided to go with this one since it was on-sale. Overall, it's good jig with my only complaint being that the rails on the sled are too loose in the guide tracks. Not sure if others have had this issue, but I had to add multiple layers of masking tape to both sled rails to eliminate the side-to-side movement. Once tape was added, I got great results. Added a larger backer board on the sled for more stability as well.
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54) Submitted by
Malcolm Otis, from Huntsville, AL
on 1/21/2012
Customer Rating:
The box joint jig has a great basic design concept but the specs on the construction materials and the manufacturing quality leave much to be desired. Specifically, the runners on the sled are made of flimsy plastic and are bowed by about 1/16 inch from front to back such that the sled rocks forward and backward when cutting the slot, making it difficult to get a uniform depth. Rockler is replacing the sled.
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55) Submitted by
Mike, from Grants Pass, OR
on 3/4/2012
Customer Rating:
I can't believe the comments on how wonderful this tool is. Try to fit this to another brand router table like Craftsman. You will have to modify your router table. Use armor all on the slides? Good luck gluing the wood together after that. Sand paper on the back stop? Now you get to sand the finished product a little more. If you don't use their special upcut bits, you end up with splintered wood. After I purchased this tool, it sat in my garage for several months waiting for a project. Wish I had used it right away cause then I could send it back for a refund.
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56) Submitted by
Chad, from Bellevue, WA
on 3/11/2012
Customer Rating:
I sent this item up to discover it's mostly worthless, by design. When you set the jig in your router tables 3/4" miter slot you will almost immediately realize that you cannot lock it down in anyway. So when you are making a cut the jig table can freely slide from side to sideand have the router bit cut right into jig table if you're not careful. Cutting the table is one thing but most critical is that as soon as the jig table moves 1mm off from where you set it, your project is ruined by miss-cut stock. If you can figure out a way to clamp it down to the router tabletop you likely just made it impossible to work on larger pieces of stock. The debris produces requires you to blow the table off every every single joint or you risk making the stock unlevel with the jig table. Nice concept. Very simple in design. Makes the price questionable. I will be recommending that everyone stays away from this product.
Editor's note: Jig is locked to the table by use of the miter slot lock bars.
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57) Submitted by
Brian C, from Tustin, CA
on 9/8/2012
Customer Rating:
I got this tool about a year and a half ago and used the 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch options with no problem. However i recently went to make a box joint with the 1/4-inch option and had a lot of difficulty. I made the first cut but when I moved the fresh cut over to the rail it would not fit on the rail much less slide. I thought I was doing something wrong. After a bit of pondering, I broke out my digital calipers and measured the 1/4-inch upcut spiral bit I was using and it measured in at .249". I checked my 1/4-inch straight bit too and it measured the same. When I measured the 1/4-inch rail it measured in at .265". No wonder it wouldn't fit! I'm taking the rail down to my local Rockler Store tomorrow and see if I just happened to get a bad one.
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58) Submitted by
Peg Lang, from Vienna, ME
on 3/11/2013
Customer Rating:
I consider myself an inexperienced woodworker. I bought the Box Joint Jig over a year ago. I have tried it several times, soon to give up. I could not determine why my box fingers didn't come out consistent. The other night I tried it again. That is when I noticed that the jig was moving in the miter slot. I tried to tighten the knobs, but I could still move the jig. Applying wax had not occurred to me. My fingers are too close to the bit for comfort. If I put a clamp on the sliding piece, it would probably slip out of adjustment. Until I read all 58 of the reviews, I thought it was me.
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59) Submitted by
Ron Carr, from Bloomington, IL
on 1/9/2009
I was really looking forward to having a box joint jig to use on my router, but after receiving it and taking it to my router table, was unable to use it. I have an old CMT table, and the distance from the miter slot to the bit was too far.
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