45 Degree Locking Miter Joint for Boxes

[beyondthesidewalks]

I'm planning on trying to use a locking rabbet joint for boxes using something like this:

http://www.westerntool.com/whiteside-router-bit-45-degree-lock-miter.html


Anyone had andy experience with these?  The advantages:

1) no exposed end grain
2) boxes should stay square
3) more surface for glue bonding (I would think a few 18 guage brads would hold it together from each side)

Disadvantages?  I don't know.  Will it hold the weight? 

[AllenF]

It has been brought up before here.   Some swear by them.  It looks like it works to me, just don't have a router. 

[Robo]

I think Brushy Mountain use to sell hive bodies with it.  If memory serves me correct,  they use to show a guy standing on top of one on end that was not glued or nailed.    I don't see them offering it anymore,  begs the question of why.

I have one of the bits, but never got it to work correctly.   It is a real pain to get it set exactly so that both pieces are cut correctly.  MY biggest issues was that I had all kinds of issues with tearing and chipping if I tried to cut them in one pass.   If you try to cut it in multiple paths, then you run into getting the correct final pass everytime.

I gave in and just use a half-blind dovetail jig....

[beyondthesidewalks]

One of the brands comes with a setup guage that probably gets rid of the height and alignment issues, Rockler, I think.  Might make that one the best option.  Anybody have a favorite brand?

Would the tearing and chipping be speed  or HP related?  I might need to purchase a beefier router also.  A new toy!!!

[Robo]

Ya, I have the setup blocks, they get you close, but still need to do some trial and error small adjustments.     I was using a 3 1/4HP router.

[MT204]

These cutters work great with products that are very flat such as fiber board or sign board.
If your wood is even a little bit cupped its a real pain to get them put together.
All the drawers in my shop were made with this cutter, but wouldn't use them for hive body's.

[jredburn]

I have a set of them left over from the cabinet shop.  They are a pain to get set up and if the board warps just a little they can be Hell to join.  They need to be glued and clamped, I use an air nailer to hold them together until I can get the clamps on.  I really don't like them.
Full dovetails are a lot easier, if you have a jig and a router table you can leave set up.  A full dovetail will hold without glue but I still put  a little in the joint.
If you saw a picture of someone standing on a box without glue or nails, it was a phony setup.  They don't work that way.
Regards
Joe