INCRA I-BOX Jig for Box Joints

Purchased the I-BOX some weeks back. As to quality and function, all positive comments by both manufacturer and purchasers are dead on. This is a very cleverly engineered and manufactured tool. Very robust equipment. I have always been intrigued by "box joints", but didn't think I could ever exercise the precision required to actually do them in my shop. With this tool, I'm executing beautiful, perfectly fitting fine box joints ... in minutes. But, be forewarned ... the out-of-the-box learning curve, for me anyway, was steep. You must be patient, take the time, and work through the steps carefully. I promise, the discipline is well worth the effort.The only glitch I ran into was, I'm sure, a minor production issue. One small screw had not been sufficiently countersunk, and protruded into the specification clearance for the saw blade passage way. But, by having checked the clearance by manually rotating the blade (with power disconnected of course!), the interference was caught. A call to the helpful guys at Incra support led to a simple solution. The counter-sink depth was very carefully increased and all has worked beautifully since. And, by the way, the support staff at Incra have just been great.Setup is easy. Although I would certainly suggest test runs on scrap before starting on your good wood. One of the really nice features is the capability to make micro (literally thousandths) adjustments to the fit of a joint run. Too tight? Loosen the locking knob, hold one knob while tweaking the center knob to the calibrated thousandths marks, re-lock, test cut again, repeat until you have the fit you want. Before purchasing the Incra, I actually built my own jig for box joints. Getting anything like a snug fit was very, very difficult ... compared to ... the Incra is magic.I suggest heading immediately to your nearest hardware supplier, and purchasing a sizable piece of MFD board. Used for the sacrificial back workpiece support. I needed a fresh surface frequently to help prevent tear-out and give really clean slots.The tool comes with an extremely well-done dvd that details both table saw and router setups. I would urge new users to view the materials. Carefuly. I made numerous notes to help as I began working with the tool. It's helpful to see the device being set up, and in use. As an 80-ish old man, I greatly appreciated both the quality, and the patient support I've received from the Incra organization. I found the dvd and very well done owner's manual indispensable.So ... yeah, in a heartbeat, I'd buy again ... though can't see why I would ever have to. And whole-heartedly recommend this tool to others who want the capability of doing excellent box/finger joints.

Typical Incra, Very well constructed, moderately easy set up, good precession. Its a bit expensive for just a box joint jig but has a good working range and is the thing to own if you have may sided to cut.ProSolid construction and good heft helps minimize vibration.Supports a wide range of pin sizes and continuously variable.- so if you what to use a 15/32 plywood router bit, you can. (not sure why you would but you can)Miter rail adjustable for very good fit in track (zero play makes for very constant pin fit)Fence blocks (thick piece with re top in pix) can be adjusted in to match wood thickness- Supports and holds your work piece. This works well enough that I find no need to clamp the wood to therear fence as shown in videoExcellent instructions and product video (On disc)Micro adjustment for pin tightnessI find I can cut the two opposing sides at the same time with little to no loss in accuracy.Excellent stability. I can start / stop / remove .. use my machine for something else .. replace jig, and restart cuttingmore parts later while maintain a perfect fit. Not the normal thing to do.ConNot many - which they gave you more than one backer board. (do provide good drawing to make your own replacements)Set up can be a bit tricky to it precisely dialed in to your desired pin tightness.Now don't get me wrong, I have very quickly and easily whipped up boxes (1/8, 1/4, 1/2 pins) that went together ok BUT in some cases the final clearance was either a just little too lose or to tight for my liking. This is because the set up requires you to adjust the finger spacing so your test cut 'just' slides snugly over them. Just slides?? to snug or not snug enough and you have a fit that is a little lose or tight. With practice you do get used to a good snugness feel. Again, to be clear, I have NEVER built a joint that would not go together and usable, but (IMHO) were not ideal. Dialing it in is straight forward but requires you to make one or more test parts for a fit check prior to committing to your final stock. Not a real big deal and one you may or may not find necessary.Recap: Excellent box joint jig but a bit pricy. Many lower cost options (not as robust) are out there, as are home made jigs. But is you do a lot of box joints, THIS IS THE JIG TO GET