Today, I had a project that just screams out for box joints: a 1/4" thick plywood "wannigan" (canoe camping box) that is 22" long by 16" tall by 16" wide. So I decided to break out the iBox jig and try again.
After reading completely through the manual (again) and doing all the recommended alignments and several frustrating test cuts on scrap, I FINALLY got an acceptable joint. There was nothing easy about it. I really had to play with both the red and silver knobs to get an acceptable joint.
But with everything locked in, I figured I was good to go and confidently began working on my project pieces.
I did the first two pieces and got a good box joint along a 16" corner. Did the next corner and got another good box 16" joint. Moved on to the third corner and, you guessed it, it doesn't go together.
The worst part isn't that I just ruined the work piece. Bad as that is, I've got more plywood and can cut another piece and try again.
The worst part is I am totally frustrated and out of confidence to continue the project with box joints because I have no idea whatsoever what I did wrong. I did not change any settings on the iBox or the Shopsmith. Moreover, so far as I could tell, I did everything exactly the same way on the third corner as I did on the first two corners and "by the book." Obviously that's not the case, because something went wrong. But who the heck knows what.
I am about ready to toss that iBox in the garbage.
![Mad :mad:](./images/smilies/mad.gif)
![Mad :mad:](./images/smilies/mad.gif)
![Mad :mad:](./images/smilies/mad.gif)
![Mad :mad:](./images/smilies/mad.gif)