A thread in the rec.woodworking news group prompted this page. The thread started with a question about making drawers - how to join the sides since a simple miter joint might not hold up in use. The subject of Lock Miter router bits came up and someone asked if it was possible to do a completely enclosed box using this type of bit.
Being one prone to curiosity and already having a lock miter bit I found it was theoretically possible so I made one.
Here's a lock miter router bit and how it works in a router table witth a fence.
Setting up the fence/bit height combination that's just right takes a bit of trial and error work but once set up lit's Production Time. Keeping track of the orientation of the parts takes a little effort but easy once you get a system down. It's pretty straight foreward for the four corners of the sides of a box. Gets a little trickier when the corners of all six faces have to be lock miter joined. The diagram below illustrates why. Note that every BLUE EDGE must join a RED EDGE and that the top and bottom must have ALL RED EDGES and top and bottom of the sides must bave ALL BLUE EDGES to get the thing to all fit together.
Here's photos of an actual box with the joint details. Note after the sides and bottom have been put together, once you put the top in place you won't be able to disassemble the parts without hot gluing a handle onto the top or bottom.
Interesting problem.
Here's a link to WoodShopDemos that has more on setting up and using a lock miter bit