Box Joint Bench

Instructions

See more on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpTYZyXpsNg/ Prepare your panels by milling and gluing 8/4 lumber into the dimensions listed. To cut the box joints, attach the panels to Workstation's clamping face and use Origin's on-tool box joint generator to create the joint tempate. I created a new grid for each cut since the large panels were difficult to align with Workstation's built-in reference features. You can use the 8mm x 35mm router bit to cut to Origin's full Z depth, but you will need to take finishing passes at two depths to go beyond the router bit's 35mm flute length. The 16mm clearing router bit is handy for pocketing out the box joints. The top panel should have three pins, while the leg panels should have two pins. This allows the center rail to be installed with an invisible joint. To cut the dovetails, first cut the positives on each end of the center rail. Use the benchCenterRail file and place the dovetail file's custom anchor point at the center of the rail's short edge. You can rough away material up to the outer path, then switch to the dovetail bit to cut to the inner path. Make sure to use the dovetail router bit's max diameter as your router bit diameter on Origin. Be careful with your cut depth here, too - the length of the rail between the dovetails should equal the length of the top panel where the box joints were cut. If your center rail is too long or too short, your bench will have gaps when assembled. Now cut the negative dovetails on the inside of each leg panel. Use the benchLegPanel file and place the custom anchor point of the dovetail file at the center of the edge of the middle box joint cut. Rough to the inner path, then cut with the dovetail bit to the outer path. Assemble by first installing the center rail, then gluing, assembling, and clamping the box joints.