How to Make a Blanket Chest with Box Joints

This blanket chest is designed with clean lines and few ornate details. It features box joint corners that are structurally strong and beautiful. Box joints are easy to form with a router table and a Router Table Box Joint Jig . The following video walks you through the basic process of using a Router Table Box Joint Jig. Plus, you can download the Free Blanket Chest Plan.
Building Projects with Router Table Box Joint Jigs
Download this Blanket Chest Plan


This blanket chest is supported on 6" hairpin legs . The lid is supported by Lid-Stay and Support Torsion Hinges . Similar to hinges in laptop computers, these heavy-duty cast-zinc hinges allow virtually any size lid to open smoothly, hold its position (when opened to 90 degrees, beyond that the lid will swing open), and then easily close - all with little effort and no additional hardware.
Rockler Router Table Box Joint Jigs
Box joints are strong, attractive, and easy to make with the help of our two Router Table Box Joint Jigs; the Rockler Router Table Box Joint Jig and the XL Router Table Box Joint Jig. Both jigs secure in the router table miter slot and use precision-machined solid brass indexing keys to ensure uniform finger spacing and an airtight fit.
The standard Rockler Router Table Box Joint Jig includes brass indexing keys for three finger widths: 1/4'', 3/8'' and 1/2'', and can be used with stock up to 3/4'' thick. Set up your router table with a 1/4'', 3/8'' or 1/2'' straight router bit. The smooth-sliding sled features long ''skis'' that keep it square to the bit and tabs on the bottom that stop the sled at the end of the cut. Lock it into the miter slot of your table with our comfortable Easy-to-Grip knobs and you're ready to rout.
If you make projects that call for larger box joints, then the XL Router Table Box Joint Jig it the best choice. It's a super-sized version of our standard size Router Table Box Joint Jig. This jig includes precision-machined brass indexing keys to give you air-tight joints with either 1/2'' or 3/4'' fingers. Set up your router table with a 1/2'' or 3/4" straight router bit.
Clamping Jig for Assembling Tight Box Joints
When making smaller boxes, the Rockler Box Joint Cauls feature uniformly spaced pressure points that clamp in line with the individual box joint pins at the corners to give you the tightest joints possible. Simply align the pressure points with box joint fingers and tighten in place with one or more Rockler 1'' x 15' Band Clamp (#58432, sold separately) . Plastic cauls stand 6-1/4" (1/4" Cauls), 6-3/8" (3/8" Cauls), 6-1/2" (1/2" Cauls) and 8-1/4" (3/4" Cauls) tall.
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