Half lap joint question...

[Jason Morgan]

I have to cut many small half lap joints for a clock project that I am starting. Probably a better way of joining the pieces, but this is where I am at (havent cut the joints yet so not entirely committed to any particular jointy yet). If I had one of those domino things I'd be all set. Anyway, stock is 1/2 thick by 1.5" wide cherry that I need to make an accurate half lap joint in. I tried with a dado blade and was less than satisfied with the results. I thought about trying to cut them like tenons, 1 shoulder and 1 cheek cut, but that didnt appear to be any better than the dado. My next attempt was going to be with the router table and a sled. The main problem with the TS methods was the fine adjustment of the heights (cuts).

Any tips or hints? I also thought about pocket screws, but in 1/2" thick stock that gets a little dicey.

Thanks,

[Michael McCoy]

Taunton Press has some good tutorials on half laps.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesDirectory.aspx?dir=Lap%20Joints

[Lee Schierer]

Cutting half laps on a TS with a tenon cutter is pretty straight forward. You need to have a blade that has square shouldered cut so that the inside corner gets cut square. Then on a test piece raise the blade slowly until you can cut exactly 1/4" high. I usually test this height with two pieces of scrap cutting one kerf width right on the ends and then test fitting them to get the surfaces even. Once this height is figured out make all your shoulder cuts. Then, again with a couple of scrap pieces, set up the tenon cutter jig and slice off the waste material. Adjust the setup so the material left times 2 is exactly the overall thickness of your wood. I usually measure the wood with a digital caliper and then the tenon and get the thickness within .001". A good tenon cutter jig has a micro adjustment screw for controling the thickness of the material vbeing cut off. Trial fit the pieces and the faces should be even. The height of the blade above the table for the face cut isn't critical as long as it cuts into the cheek cut made earlier and the cheek cut left a square inside corner.

Accuracy is the key so cut scrap until you are sure of the set up and then cut the actual pieces. Use stop blocks for locating all cuts so they all come out the same.

[Bert Johansen]

Sounds like a medium shoulder plane would be the best way to clean up the TS cuts. Cut them just shy of the final depth, then clean up the cut with the shoulder plane.

[gary Zimmel]

I cut my 1/2 laps with a dado set on my TS. They are cut just a hair shy and are cleaned up with a hand plane.

[Jason Morgan]

I had multiple troubles with the dado approach, the most trouble though was the height adjustment. seems I coundn't get it right either too high ot too low. dont have a shoulder plane so that was out.

I am going to try the router table and see if that works any better. Still practicing on scrap, so nothing lost but frustration.