Question about cutting half lap joints

[Al Bacon]

Good Morning

I have to construct a face frame with half lap joints for diagonal racking. I understand that these are the strongest joint for this type of construction. However I don't have a RAS and am not going to get one (no room). So I am wondering what everybody thinks about clamping the rails together as a group and milling the joint with a router. If I mill the center lap first I could fit a stile in it to register the group for the other cuts. Then do basically the same for the styles.

Will this work? Is it a truly nutty idea? If so what is a better way to do it?

Thanks

Al

[Jeff Ramsey]

I'd try doing them by hand with either a tenon/dovetail saw or a back saw.

[Prashun Patel]

I've cut half laps with a router. I would first remove the bulk of the waste with a bandsaw and then use a plunge router with a jig, or a router table and coping sled to clean up.

Beware of blowout.

[Lee Schierer]

I do half laps for frames using my TS. I do the face cut first and then remove the waste with a ripping blade and tenon cutter to remove the waste.

You can also remove the waste with repetitive cross cuts on the TS and clean up the kerf marks with a small plane or chisels.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have done half-lap joints in a 2x4 frame for wood storage rack using a router. Using a jig, it was quite easy.

[Pat Barry]

There is no reason a router can't do a great job. You will want to use a backer to prevent blowout and you will want to take multiple passes to get to the desired depth depending on the material, depth required and feed rate you want to use.

[glenn bradley]

I use tenon jig on the tablesaw for short pieces and a router with a jig for longer ones.

CoD Parts lap joint 2.jpgCoD Parts lap joint 1.jpgCoD Parts lap joint 4.jpgCoD Parts lap joint 3.jpgCoD Parts lap joint 5.jpg

As mentioned, the bulk of the waste can be bandsawn away prior to putting the router to work.

[Phil Thien]

I've cut half laps with a router. I would first remove the bulk of the waste with a bandsaw and then use a plunge router with a jig, or a router table and coping sled to clean up.

Beware of blowout.

I was just about to say to use a table saw to waste most if it, but Prashun is right, a bandsaw would be even better!

[Yonak Hawkins]

If this is not too late (sorry, I just noticed this question today), if you plan to do the work on a table saw, consider a bridle joint. It's every bit as strong, possibly even stronger, than a half lap joint and much easier to manage at glue-up.

[Jim Dwight]

A half lap is a fine and strong joint for face frames. A router would cut them but I wouldn't try and remove too much material in one cut. I would use a router table with a miter gauge. You could also cut them on a table saw, again, using the miter gauge.

I usually use pocket screws for face frames. They are plenty strong with pocket screws and a lot quicker to do. I do half laps on my RAS. There are some sliding miter saws that can be adjusted to cut half laps. They can also be cut with hand saws.

[Joe A Faulkner]

What are you attaching the face frame to, and how, and once applied, what forces are coming into play that makes racking a concern? In general, I prefer to use a mortise and tenon for face frames or dowels. This is certainly my preference if the sides of the face frames are not concealed as in most bookcases or free standing pieces of furniture. If the face frame itself is being attached to 1/2" or 3/4" sides, then M&T or dowels are typically quite adequate.

[Bill Adamsen]

Bandsaw, in combination with a crosscut saw (table, RA, sliding compound, ?) works great for corner half laps. It is an infinitely more satisfying way than just wasting out material with a TS alone. If the stile/rail were short enough, you could jig for the crosscut "shoulder" as well I suppose.

You mention the "center lap" (dado?) so that complicates things a bit. Obviously a bandsaw won't work. A tablesaw or router is a good choice for that. If a router is your tool, I'd just make the simple dado jig (wide enough for your dado at least) everyone has hanging in their shop and use that. You could gang the parts ... but I suspect you'd get more accurate lengths doing them individually.

[Rod Sheridan]

Socket.jpgEnd View.jpgTenon.jpgA bandsaw will make accurate half lap joints. Here's photographs of a bridle joint made on a bandsaw, no touch up.

Sorry the photographs are a bit out of focus............Rod.

[Erik Christensen]

obviously some of us are better using a BS than others

[Al Bacon]

obviously some of us are better using a BS than others

Indeed