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Like jigs? Like box joints? You're gonna love this...

Tom McKenna, senior editor

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Have you ever met a woodworker whose greatest talents lie in making jigs and shop equipment? We did. On YouTube.

In the above video you'll meet Matthias Wandel, a Canadian software engineer and woodworker who has invented some amazing woodworking jigs that incorporate everything from circuit boards to handmade gears. Knots member MVFlaim brought Matthias to our attention after he posted a link to the above video in the Knots discussion board.

The video shows off a sophisticated, screw-advance jig for cutting box joints on the tablesaw. There are free plans and a SketchUp download of the jig on Matthias's Web site if you're wacky enough to try and replicate it.  

We thought we had seen everything in box-joint jigs last year when we published a video of a sophisticated router-table jig made by German woodworker Guido Henn. You can watch the members-only video in English or in German.

For more videos by Matthias Wandel, including a computer controlled robotic box joint jig, visit his YouTube channel here.

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Dovetails Anyone?

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Truly old school woodworking

Comments (15)

cowtown writes: an amazing contraption! cutting the gears on the bandsaw as recommended was kludgy when I tried it, so I made router jigs which still required filing, but I was happier with the fit (still sloppy, but a 2 degree backlast on 20tpi threaded rod (I used 1/4 20 rod)is probably insignifcant in the grand scheme of things.

Posted: 1:28 am on April 25th

GEide writes: The plans are available here:
http://woodgears.ca/box_joint/jig_plans/index.html
Posted: 4:52 pm on April 21st

lonesomebob writes: Looks like a winner if you are in the box business. Any plans available????
Posted: 2:12 pm on April 20th

frandom83 writes: just amazing any plans on seling this amazing jig
Posted: 10:13 am on April 18th

zool writes: Its is a absolute joy to have followed Matthias' inventive mind for the past decade. This is a manual adaptation of a box joint jig he made with a circuit board, a stepper motor, and an IBM notebook computer.
Posted: 7:46 pm on April 17th

chacarapaty writes: Super!! Este jig é muito legal!
Abraços e parabens amigo!
Posted: 7:36 pm on April 17th

Beni writes: A beauty. And the way the two pieces fit together..Ahhhhhhhhh
Posted: 12:41 pm on April 17th

jvoorhies writes: Holy crap is right! That;'s the slickest gadget I've seen in a long, long time.
Posted: 11:38 am on April 17th

knottyguy writes: All I have to say is "wow, what an imagination". Your Sketchup abilties are awesome too. Are the tabs to different drawings availbale on the free version? I have to build one of these, not sure if I can yet though. The electronic tablesaw looks like a challenge. I'm good at analog electronics but have been lost in the dust in the digital realm. Haven't looked it over well yet. Thanks for the great drawings and designs, keep up the great work.
Posted: 8:54 am on April 17th

StevenGarrison writes: Matthias comes up with some pretty cool stuff! I think this boxjoint jig is his best invention yet.
Posted: 10:40 pm on April 16th

DonTito89 writes: WOW!!! that is an amazing jig. This man is amazing... PURE GENIUS!!!!
Posted: 9:26 pm on April 16th

JPSzcz writes: I really like his comparison of the box joint and the dovetail joint. It works out differently then you think: http://woodgears.ca/dovetail/index.html
Posted: 7:30 pm on April 16th

goodguy writes: Wandel is a high-functioning polymath. I'd sure like to talk with him someday.
You really should check out his website, including his rants. Pictures of his boyhood home, his dad's shop, the lumber mill, the ice-skating / ice-driving...
joyous, lively, empowered... everything humans want to be. A wooden pipe-organ... Silly marble machines, gears, games... Entertaining... Inspiring!
Posted: 10:32 pm on April 15th

Ninor writes: Wandel is a multi aspect mastermind and I'm glad FWW finally recognizes that and repeat previous post recommendation to visit his website where you can see more unbelievable works:
http://www.sentex.ca/~mwandel/

Keep on podcasting Matthias.
You inspire us all.


Posted: 7:01 am on April 14th

TravMan writes: Well all Ive got to say to this cute little box joint jig is Holy crap thats just amazing. Hes a software engineer making all us wood nerd look bad. Oh and visit his site he paints to, amazing. I feel stupid lol :).
Posted: 6:18 pm on April 13th

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