End Grain Joints - Experinces w/ Finger or Glue Joint Router Bits?

[Don Welch]

We have some reclaimed maple [gym] flooring for projects. Curious if anyone has experiences with Whiteside [or similar] router bits for adding glue surface to the joint on end grain edge joints? The finger joint bit has greater area of course, but has anyone used these or the simpler configured glue joint bit to comment on set-up, edge squareness ? Application is prepping shorter pieces for glue-up into panels. A sturdy Benchdog cast iron table w/ Milwaukee 3hp router is available, no shaper though.

[Mel Fulks]

You could saw a scarf joint,then use a router with a template jig to smooth up the cut before gluing.

[pat warner]

Pretty power hungry cutters, but, to be sure, they will yield plenty of interlock and glue surface.
Something for a router in stage cutting? Not in my view.
This is shaper business; there is just way too much waste for the biggest of routers.
Fixturing must be very rigid, repeatable and stuff will teaout without back up.
A bowling alley's worth of stock to render into panel stock?
Just not worth the hassle.
For learning? Definitely worth the trouble.

[Prashun Patel]

If you stagger the joints of the panel, then butt joints will suffice; the joint will be held tight by the pieces on either side.

If you really want to add security, try half laps. They should be a snap to cut on the router table with a straight or spiral bit.