Hello, I am somewhat new to the x carve. I have been doing simple projects with Easel. I have been lately doing a lot of work in the shop with box joints on only two sides, primarily making beer/wine caddies. I have been cutting the box joints by hand myself but I would like to figure out how to get the xcarve to cut the entire pieces out. I saw the dogbones app and Im not thrilled with the circles in the corners. I think I would rather have a rounded corner and finish the cutouts with my band saw. Can someone help me or point me in the direction of figuring out how to make these? Ive been working with walnut a bunch as well and I prefer to limit my kindling pile lol…its gotten pretty large these days.
Here is an example of what I have been doing. This is a caddy I made for my wifes horse grooming supplies.
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Here is the beer box I made. If anyone could help, thanks in advance…
Mike
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Box Designer. Give us dimensions and we’ll generate a PDF you can use to cut a notched box on a laser-cutter. Check out this example box design. People …
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Thats pretty cool, but I dont want joints on all four sides. I suppose i can overlay a box over those joints and set the cut depth to zero then combine them. The other problem is I use 3/4" material on the ends and 1/2 on the sides. Im not sure that site will account for the different depths.
Mike
If you use a 1/8" end mill to cut your joints, it is only 1/16"r left in the corners. It only take a pass or two with a file. You could probably make a sanding stick with a T profile that would make short work of it. I’ve done quite a few projects with joints and it is just a few seconds to knock that little radius out.
Do you use the box app on easel? How do you design them?
no sir. I draw everything in Cad.
Take a look at this post about the dogbone app
Box Carve/Design - Problem/Question
Some people have been using dovetail generator apps like this one to make curved dovetails:
http://www.tailmaker.net/box-joints.html
I tried it out and could not get it to make work right, but other people have.
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Im drawing it out on inkscape now after a few tutorials…hopefully this works
The X-Carve is one of my favorite machines in my shop, and use it for tons of things, but I’m all about using the right tool for the job, which in this case would be the table saw and a box joint jig. So much quicker and easier! No table saw and jig, then no choice I guess.
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This is such a great point. Don’t use it just because you have it. Use the best tool.
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I like how this program generates box joints: Loading...
You need to play with the settings to get a nice fit, but it works well once you play around with it a bit.
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Those are cool looking joints Erik, and could not duplicate with table saw and jig. Might give those a try when I want something fancy.
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you know thats a good point. I do have all the tools, and Ive been doing on my table saw but I spend hours making sure the joints a perfect and it seems no matter how hard I try the perfectionist in me finds a problem. I thought maybe the x carve would be able to make it a snap in half the time
Heres my latest accomplishment…
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Cutting and out the basic shape and finishing with a chisel/bandsaw would probably be your quickest bet right off the start if you wanted to test it out to see if it worked into your workflow.
Another option, more involved with modification and machine setup would be to actually clamp some of your pieces vertically so the the bit created a square cutout with regards to the face grain.
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I have been working on a design where i’m going to be trying some Japanese miter joints, should look really cool when done.
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Oh man, please share this when you finish, very cool!
Well I drew it out on inkscape, loaded it into easel… Here it is so far. Calipers say its perfect short of the round corner which Ill clean up on the band saw. I have all kinds of family members asking for one now so the beauty is if I can get this laid out right I dont have to spend hours in the shop…
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