This step involved building a box joint jig first... I have a commercial jig, but... it didn't seem to have enough "heft" for what I needed today... so, I butchered up a piece of popler to make me a jig....
In setting up the jig... it is critical to make sure that the key, the space between the key and the blad and the blade all are equal.... otherwise, you'll run in to problems... so, great care must be taken to ensure that they are.... test cut and adjust, test cut and adjust was the order of business for the first 20 minutes or so.....
Measured the key.... sitting pretty at .375
Measured the space between the key and the blade.... also, sitting pretty at .375
Finally, measured the space cut by the blade.... and, yep.... it was .375
Time for some test cuts..... I have a couple of lengths of poplar that I used.
I made a "key" spacer out of a piece of scrap poplar that is also, yep... .375. This is used to properly place the side piece as the box joints alternate..... so you need to account for this. I cut two pieces at a time. A front/back piece and a side piece....
Then you simply make your first cut.... and then move the work pieces over to fit snuggly on the key. And cut again, repeat until finished.
