miter vs. Box joint

[windfall]

Ace,
we seem to be at odds on this one.
The oil mentioned above was linseed oil.
Linseed oil does not dry hard, it dries gummy.  Pour out a small puddle and let it sit for a while and you will get a wrinkly gummy mass. That is why it is important to wipe any excess oil from a surface when using oil finishes. It is also why trying to sand a oiled surface is so frustrating as it instantly clogs the grit.  It dries "hard" when mineral pigments are added, then it is paint and the linseed oil acts as a part of the binder, usualy with some other ingredients as well (such as a resin).

I should also throw out here for anyone considering messing with oils:
Hot oil a little risky. Hot oil and turps...very careful... no open flame! oily rags can certainly undergo "spontaneous" combustion.
"Boiled linseed oil" is no longer boiled, it has metal salts (japan drier) added to it to act as drying agents and get it to oxidize in a few days...most of these are TOXIC.
raw linseed is non toxic but takes a long time to oxidize/dry.

[fish_stix]

We're not building pianos here! Having built boxes for some 50 years or so, both beekeeper cut and factory cut, I'll go out on a limb and say that rabbetted boxes last just as long as box joints if glued and stapled with sheathing type staples, 1/2" crown and 1 1/2" long. Paint them and make sure to give them a real good coat at all the end grain areas, especially corners and handles, and they will last a long, long time. When you're building dozens or hundreds at a time you don't have time for metal corner braces and linseed oil. Get the dang things done and get bees in them!

[VolunteerK9]

Too much time trying to reinvent the wheel

[Acebird]

"Boiled linseed oil" is no longer boiled, it has metal salts (japan drier) added to it to act as drying agents and get it to oxidize in a few days...most of these are TOXIC.
raw linseed is non toxic but takes a long time to oxidize/dry.

Admittedly, I haven’t used boiled linseed oil for quite some time, probably back in the 70’s.  I used it for wooden ladders and it did get hard after just brushing on two or three coats.   Yes, it did take longer than paint to cure but it did get hard.

Anyways, I am in the final stages of building 6 mediums using scrap wood I found on CraigsList.  It was ¾ tongue and groove pine paneling and ¼ pine plywood.  I laminated the ¾ to ¼ so the stock width is now 1 inch.  I made 1 1/8 corner blocks for purely butt joints to be screwed with deck screws.  When I get finished I will offer up a photo so you guys can blasticate me.

[AllenF]

Blasticate?  Not in my dictionary. 

[bullship]

You people building bee boxes or kitchen cabinets for the wife??

[Acebird]

Blasticate?  Not in my dictionary. 

You'll probably only find it in mine.

[David McLeod]

You people building bee boxes or kitchen cabinets for the wife??

Well back in the day I cut my teeth in a cabinet shop. I've cut wood that was worth more than I made in a week. I still love fine wood and fine finish work. Humor me.

[Acebird]

I still love fine wood and fine finish work. Humor me.

Yeah, that's right you just can't help yourself.