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I've had the I-Box for over a year. It has sat on my other table saw, assembled, but not used. I finally used it today. Once you learn the "dance" and get it calibrated, it works well.
I have a Freud dado set. IT has seen little use as well. It is not the box joint set. Mine is just a standard dado set with chippers. I was making ~3/16" box joints in walnut. I got alot of tear out at the base of the fingers (bottom of the groove). Is that because of my dado set is not ground for the type of cuts I was doing? Or is it just a characteristic of the walnut? The walnut is very old and dry. It was about 9/16" thick.
Thanks for your help.
RP
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04-09-2018, 08:13 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-09-2018, 08:14 PM by Cecil.)
The I box comes with a 1/4 MDF backer board to use as a zero clearance insert. Was that set up as zero clearance, or did you drop your saw blade after you made a test cut or two, leaving a gap between the base of the finger and the near zero clearance insert?
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I have the ibox as well.
Did you watch the dvd that came with the set?
One thing that makes a big difference is clamping the workpiece tight to the fence each and every time so there is no movement as you pass over the blade, and a smooth slow pass. Go too fast you are assured tearout.
I have had pretty good luck, but it takes practice. I usually review the dvd if it's been a while between uses, and run some practice passes on scraps before getting down to business.
HTH
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
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The inventor posts here, or did. "Alan in Washington" or such.
I don't think I have seen him post in a while.
Hope he is well.
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(04-09-2018, 08:13 PM)Cecil Wrote: The I box comes with a 1/4 MDF backer board to use as a zero clearance insert. Was that set up as zero clearance, or did you drop your saw blade after you made a test cut or two, leaving a gap between the base of the finger and the near zero clearance insert?
The 1/4" backerboard was in place and it was the first cut with it at that blade height. I admit I didn't use a clamp. I held it tight against the fence and I had the front blade guard tight against the work piece.
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Try the exact same procedure with some maple or cherry and see if you reproduce the chip-out. Even some poplar.
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(04-10-2018, 07:21 AM)RPE1 Wrote: The 1/4" backerboard was in place and it was the first cut with it at that blade height. I admit I didn't use a clamp. I held it tight against the fence and I had the front blade guard tight against the work piece.
I bought a small cabinet makers clamp just for this use... it makes a big difference.
Jim in Okie
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Thanks for posting this. I have an Ibox as well, but it has yet to be used.
Good information here!!
( as usual )
Mark Singleton
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Ibox notwithstanding, I typically use a marking gauge to score the back side of the part I am making the box joints in.
With a good backer, there should be no tear out, but usually, the backer becomes worn quickly. A score across the back at the height of the finger causes the fibers to break there rather than higher. This technique even works with plywood.
