Box Vs. Dovetail Ways

[ddickey]

Disadvantages, advantages of either. Just tying to start a discussion. I'd like to learn about the differences also.

 

[MalR]

Box ways for clamping, dovetails for sliding.


Mal

 

[ddickey]

I was meaning, for example a knee mill with box ways instead of dovetail.

 

[Janderso]

From a marketing standpoint, the boxed ways on my Sharp knee mill are supposed to be stronger.
Although I haven’t seen any posts relating to broken dovetails.

 

[ddickey]

What Sharp do you have?
I think they are supposed to me more accurate also.
Don't CNC machines have box ways?

 

[ddickey]

Just had another thought, box ways probably support a significantly more weight on the table.

 

[benmychree]

Box ways are mostly seen in heavier machines, they are stronger than dovetail ways, something that lighter machines do not so much need. I'd think that box ways would be more expensive to build, as there are more surfaces to accurately fit together, but they would likely be more long wearing.

 

[Karl_T]

Box way make for a way more rigid machine. You do not see them on lighter mills as you need the beef of a lot of extra cast iron to make them worthwhile. I've got box ways on my newest CNC mill - very nice machine.