creative end cut on 2x4 for lap joint

[david babcock]

how to cut this corner lap joint on 2x4s ?
Its embarrassing to even ask this to a group that probably think this is Lincoln log childs play.

I guess the "proper" thing to do is get a nice Dado blade set- but lets say that I want to get a little more creative. How does one make this top cut without standing an 8ft pressure treated 2x4 on its end?

Im trying to think outside the box- is there some jig or adjustment this rookie can make to keep from having the blade cuts run/extend/drag past the cut out area on the 2x4 ?

The wife wants some raised bed box gardens. But Im trying to think of a creative joint that would be simple, strong and easy to replicate on a hundred boards.

LIke this:Box garden joints.jpg

box gardenjoints.jpg

[joe milana]

hand saw.....

[Neil Brooks]

Router table.
Straight bit.
Collet extension.

?

[Tim Sproul]

The power tool way would be a bandsaw. Miter gauge or similar for the crosscut and rip fence for the rip cut.

[david babcock]

hand saw.....

Lets say that my muscles are even smaller than my brain.
Handsaw on 50 boards?
Joe what kind of buff guy do you take me for

[Tim Sproul]

If your bandsaw is lacking (completely or is an itty bitty thing), you could easily build some jigs to guide a jigsaw too.

[david babcock]

Router table.
Straight bit.
Collet extension.

?

Ok here is a pretty interesting idea! (whats a collet extentsion?- to make the bur / bit taller?) I have a router and table but its a small little thing- seems like this would make a terrrible mess too!

[Neil Brooks]

Ayup.

A collet extension looks like this:



You'll almost surely need to do it in several passes, but ... you run EACH board at one depth, then adjust the height, run them all again, and repeat, until done.

A "terrible" mess ?

That doesn't sound like a very woodworker-ish thing to say. I would tend to think of it as a hugely IMPRESSIVE mess !

My router table has pretty good dust collection, so ... if yours doesn't ... it's the kind of thing you do outside, and the chips (I was going to say "fall where they may," but) become bedding for the garden.

It WOULD be a pretty quick way to do it, and ... you could be darned accurate, if you wanted to be, without much fuss.

Incidentally, a collet extension wouldn't be necessary, if you simply lay the boards down on the 3-1/2" wide side, but ... they'd be 90* to the bit and fence, unless you wanted to keep re-positioning the fence, too.

Either way ... not a TON of work.

Saw IS a pretty easy way to do it I just ... don't do enough hand tool work, is all

[Neil Brooks]

The power tool way would be a bandsaw. Miter gauge or similar for the crosscut and rip fence for the rip cut.

Ayup. That'd work quite well, too !

So would a jigsaw.

And ... in hand tools ... pretty short work for a sharp chisel, too !

[Bill Huber]

The image is of a 2x6, if you are going to use 2x4s you could do it really easy with a circular saw. Clamp a bunch together and and make all the cuts at one time.
But if you are using the 2x6 then I would go with a band saw or a good jig saw with a good blade in it.

The holes to lock them all together I guess would be nice to use a drill press with some stops or a hand drill with a jig to get them all the same.

[Paul M Miller]

Do you have a Radial Arm Saw? One cut with the blade vertical and one cut with the blade horizontal.

[Myk Rian]

An ax or camping saw would give it a rustic look.

[Anthony Whitesell]

That's nice of them to give the wrenches too. I bought a bowl making kit from PeaachTree which included the collet extension but no wrenches. I was able to find some used stamped wrenches that were almost the right size that I finessed on the grinder to make them the right size. I think I needed 26 and 30mm of which the standard wrenches are about 12" long.

[Mike Heidrick]

I have this one and it seems nice. Super quick to change bits with.

Router Technologies EX 2080 Xtreme Xtension Professional Router Bit/Collet Extension

[Troy Turner]

If your bandsaw is lacking (completely or is an itty bitty thing), you could easily build some jigs to guide a jigsaw too.

+1 here. Neither will cut past your line. I'd say you could make a jig for either using a piece of 2x2 ply or mdf. Just measure the distance you need (taking into account the shoe size on the jigsaw), notch out the board, then you could either clamp it to the bandsaw or the boards hanging off the edge of a bench if you're using the jigsaw.