Cutting Lap joints for Deck Furniture, etc.

[Stuntflyer]

Is there an accurate way to cut half-lap joints for things like deck furniture without having to use a table saw? I would like to use a manual jig setup if possible.

 

Thanks, Mike

[jud]

Might build an adjustable  jig which holds the saw blade securely. Then devise a sled running in a grove to secure the piece needed to be cut over that stationary saw blade. Either the wood or the saw needs to be stationary but adjustable. The other moved in a repeatable precise manner as far as depth and direction go, hand power could move the traveling part across the other. A router or rotatory tool could replace the saw, then there is the old hand saw and chisel method which has been used with success for century's, your tools would need to be properly sized for that to work well, also magnification would be needed.

jud

Edited September 5, 2014 by jud

[Stuntflyer]

I hadn't thought about a router. I do have this. I don't know what kind of bit I would use though.

 

 

Mike

[jud]

Looks like you have the tool. The bit would not need to cut the whole area with one pass,multiple passes would work so the bit is not critical.

jud

[Stuntflyer]

Now that I'm looking at it I don't think it will work. The strip wood would have to be held 90 degrees for an end cut.

 

Mike

[Jim Lad]

Mike,

 

Have you thought of ditching the power tools and simply cutting the joints by hand?  Use a knife and file for small pieces; a chisel if the pieces are large.

 

John

[Stuntflyer]

Jim,

 

I don't think that I could get really clean joints doing it by hand. I would think there must be a way to jig this for manual work. A half-lap looks simple but getting it right is another thing.

 

Mike

[jud]

Use a square waste piece of wood on the table and against the guide, then place the piece you want to cut along the forward edge and run it through.

jud

[druxey]

With practice and a sharp chisel, you should be able to cut consistent joints. Accurate mark-out is also critical.

[Stuntflyer]

Druxey>>> I'm certainly willing to try. What would be a good brand of chisel? As of now I don't have any.

 

Jud>>> I will give that a try

[Stuntflyer]

SpyGlass>>> Well, that's an interesting approach with a nice result

[druxey]

Any reasonable brand of chisel will do. Lee Valley Tools have a good selection. The key is sharpening it. Take a look at Lee Valley's sharpening jig (Mark II Honing Guide) and water stones. Until I got these (many years ago now!) I could never cut a good clean joint. Once I learned how to properly sharpen and hone my tools I amazed myself at what I could do with them. They also have a good book on sharpening tools properly.

 

Start out with a ⅜" or ½" bevel edged chisel, then add others as and when you need them.

 

Disclaimer: other than as a long-time customer of LV, I have no other connection with them.

[Stuntflyer]

Great, I will contact Lee Valley next week.

 

Mike

[Jack12477]

Mike

 

Just found your post.  Re: the Dremel router jig you have. Try getting a rabbett bit for the router.  Dremel makes a variety of "woodworking" bits individually and packaged.  I have a selection. They do work, but you need to practice on scrape to get the right layout.  I have the same jig you displayed. Have't done any rabbet cuts but have done some round over cuts.

 

Jack

[Stuntflyer]

Jack,

 

I called Dremel and they do not sell Rabbet bits. I'm wondering if I would be better off getting a hobby saw, though I'm not sure which one. The Byrnes is perhaps too expensive. I would prefer not doing it by hand.

 

Mike

[Jack12477]

Mike

 

Dremel makes a bit to cut a square bottom slot/dado - comes in two sizes.The bit is included in their "router" multi-bit package (U-veiner, Chamfer, Round-over, Cove, and two straight bits - if I recall correctly). I have not tried this yet but I'm thinking that if you use the wider of the two bits and adjust the fence on your Dremel jig just right, you could get the same results as using a true rabbetting bit. (Too bad they don't carry one - I seem to recall they had one way back when - like their table top bench vise which you can no longer find.).

 

I don't know of any table saw maker that makes a scale dado set, which is really what we need for these many miniature tables saws (e.g Byrnes - which I agree is a wee bit outside my budget)

 

Try experimenting with your current Dremel jig.  My workshop is under going some need reorganization and clean-up right now or I would try playing with mine.

 

Jack

[mtaylor]

Jack,

 

MicroMark makes a set of dado washers for their table saw.  They angle the blade so that it "wobbles" the appropriate width.  The dado isn't truly square however since the wobble is higher in the center but it can be cleaned up easily with a file.

 

The only other way, is as has been pointed out, to either go slow and make multiple passes or stack some blades but there's a limit due to the spindle length.

[Jack12477]

Mark

 

Yes, I knew about them but I checked Micro-Mark's latest catalog. Those washers are only for #80463 Original Table Saw.  And they only work with their 80 tooth blade. Their website says the Original Table Saw is "out-of-stock, discontinued, no longer available". They only offer their new Microlux Digital Saw #85870. It's unclear from their catalog whether those washers will work with the new saw. The only accessory listed that has an option for both Original and Digital saw is the Sliding Table for Crosscuts. All the other accessories are "only for Original Table Saw #80463".

 

Yes, slow, multiple passes will work. It works on 1:1 table saws

 

I still think the Dremel jig will work; it's just a case of figuring out how to rig it and making a feather board to keep the wood aligned to the fence.

 

Jack

Edited October 3, 2014 by Jack12477

[michael mott]

Perhaps a jig something like this one could be built adapted for cutting miniature joints.

 

Michael

[mtaylor]

Jack,

 

You're right.  My bad.  The old MM saw is gone and replaced by the new one.  I have no idea if the dados would work on the new.  

[Stuntflyer]

My original question was about cutting half lap joints. Do you think that the Dremel Shaper Table could be setup to do something similar to this video using a saw blade or cutoff wheel?

 

http://www.woodsmith.com/magazine/extras/167/mitered-half-lap-joints/

Edited October 3, 2014 by Stuntflyer

[michael mott]

Stuntflyer, I think that you could do it with a sawblade which is designed for wood, I would not do it with a cutoff blade which is not really designed for wood. You simply have to think horizontally instead of vertically, I personally would think a bit of lateral thinking and a handsaw and a file or chisel to clean up would be the easiest, I say that because the amount of material is quite small that will be removed. In fact a little setting up and a couple of different files one coarse and one fine would likely accomplish the task in half the time.

 

Michael

[Jack12477]

My original question was about cutting half lap joints. Do you think that the Dremel Shaper Table could be setup to do something similar to this video using a saw blade or cutoff wheel?

 

http://www.woodsmith.com/magazine/extras/167/mitered-half-lap-joints/

Mike

 

Couldn't view the video - guess it's for subscribers only.

 

To answer your original question about half lap joints - yes, I believe you could use the Dremel Shaper table with either the #650 1/8 " or #654  1/4 " straight bits to achieve a half lap.  Dremel's website shows this result for these two bits.  So if you move the bit over to the side more it should result in a half lap joint.  From my experience just playing with the Shaper table you will definitely need two feather boards - one to as a hold-down and one to hold it against the cutter.

 

But as Mike Mott points out, this is probably a lot of setup for just a couple pieces. If you are doing  many pieces it will probably be less time comsuming.

 

Jack

 

Update:

I just checked a little further on Dremel's website and found this picture associated with the #654 1/4" straight bit which is, I think, exactly what you want to do.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Jack12477

[Stuntflyer]

Jack, I believe you have found a way to do it. You're right that it might be more time consuming unless doing many of them. Still, I will pick up the bit to see how well it cuts. Funny how CS at Dremel told me they didn't have a bit that would do it.

 

This is the #654 bit

 

Michael, I will try the file way as well.

 

Thanks, Mike

[Jack12477]

Mike,

 

That's the one. There's also a narrower version of that bit, 1/8" , depending on how wide you want the lap.  Have fun ! Glad I could help.

 

Yes, sometimes the CS folks can be a little clueless.

 

Jack

[Jack12477]

Mike

 

Were you able to get the results you wanted with this bit?

 

Jack