# No Bandsaw, what's your preferred half lap technique?



## savan (Nov 8, 2011)

I've found myself building some cases lately and to save money I'll use a 1×4 skeleton on the interior instead of a full piece of plywood.

For example if the cabinet has 2 columns of drawers I'll use a rectangular 1×4 frame instead of plywood in the center to mount the drawer runners/slides on. The frame would be assembled using half laps. These are kind of a pain without a bandsaw.

What's your favorite alternative to the bandsaw when cutting half laps?


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

Tablesaw with a blade with a flat top grind.

Handsaw with a chisel and a router plane when I don't feel like making noise.

I don't use the bandsaw for half-laps.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I also use the TS, normally with the dado blade.


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## boisdearc (Sep 29, 2014)

Set the TS blade to correct depth….. If you don't have a dado blade, you could make several passes with the miter gauge. Hope this helps.. Ron


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

> I also use the TS, normally with the dado blade.
> 
> - Fred Hargis


+1 Best way to do it , never used a Band saw for them either.


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## RichardHillius (Oct 19, 2013)

I have never liked the surface I get from any of my tablesaw blades. The edges of the joint always look rough to me. It might be my dado stack and more expensive ones might give better results but the under $100 set I have does not. What I do is use the dado stack to get close than use a shoulder or rabbiting block plane to clean up the cheeks. You don't have to remove much to turn a rough edge into a smooth perfect fit. It has the added bonus of not having to fuss with the settings so much as you only have to get close and remove the exact amount you want 1/1000 of a inch at a time.


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## Mattyboy (Jun 13, 2015)

Agree with JMartel. Handsaw and router plane. When you mark your saw cuts with a knife line, it's very accurate.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

> Agree with JMartel. Handsaw and router plane. When you mark your saw cuts with a knife line, it s very accurate.
> 
> - Mattyboy


Paul Sellers style , that man is the best I have seen at doing anything like this with a Knife Line and Chisel and or Handsaw .


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

A router plane? What percentage of woodworkers, do you think, have a router plane? I'm guessing < 10%, maybe < 5%.

Assuming the OP is part of the vast unwashed who don't own a router plane, I would second the table saw with standard blade or dado-it can be cleaned up with a chisel.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

> A router plane? What percentage of woodworkers, to you think, have a router plane?
> 
> - CharlesA


Any of them with a chisel and a scrap of wood can have a router plane.






That said, I'll keep my Stanley #71, thank you. It gets used a lot and is the handiest of all the joinery planes.


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

+1 on handsaw and router plane from me as well.


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## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

Mitre box and chisel. Gives you the ability to do repeatable cuts accurately.




































No noise, not much sawdust, and a relaxed pace. You can see your cuts as your doing them.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

> A router plane? What percentage of woodworkers, do you think, have a router plane? I m guessing < 10%, maybe < 5%.
> 
> Assuming the OP is part of the vast unwashed who don t own a router plane, I would second the table saw with standard blade or dado-it can be cleaned up with a chisel.
> 
> - CharlesA


He asked how we did it. I gave my answer.

You can still cut it by hand and use a chisel for half-laps. No router plane needed. It does make it easier to get a level surface parallel to the faces of the boards, however.

If the OP is a typical all power-tool woodworker, then they can use a tablesaw and dado blade, flat top blade, or a standard blade and clean it up with a powered router.


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## BJODay (Jan 29, 2013)

I have used a router table and a band saw. The router table gave a very clean surface, but you have to watch for tear-out. The BS was much faster, felt safer to me and did a good job if I didn't rush it.

I hate using dado sets on my table saw. I'm a chicken that way but I would rather work slower and feel safer. I would guess the fastest and probably most efficient method is a dado set.

BJ


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

> He asked how we did it. I gave my answer.
> - jmartel


Fair enough.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Two ways to do these on the tablesaw: Dado blade or 2 cuts using the miter gauge and tenoning jig.


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## Joel_B (Aug 14, 2014)

Multiple cuts just a little bit shallow of final depth with TS or sliding miter saw.
Then chop out with chisel.
Finish with large flat bit on the router.
I made 5 gates out of Cedar that , turned out great.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

I have always used the radial arm saw for dadoes and for half laps. Table saw is ok with a tenoning jig as someone mentioned. To me nothing beats the radial arm for half lapping or dadoes.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Hate changing blades on the table saw.
Normally just make several cuts at the right depth with board guided by miter gauge.
The chisel out the waste and finally clean it up with a plane.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

> To me nothing beats the radial arm for half lapping or dadoes.
> 
> - Clarkie


 What he said.


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## savan (Nov 8, 2011)

Wow, I thought I was subscribed to this thread but didn't see any of these replies til now! Great convo. I've been doing the hogging out with circle saw technique for 2×4 construction and table saw + mitre fence for more tidy work.

I think I'll switch to the marking gauge + handsaw technique for the next project to see if goes any faster.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

> To me nothing beats the radial arm for half lapping or dadoes.
> 
> - Clarkie
> 
> ...


I would go with the Radial Arm Saw myself if I just had the room to put one. I used them a lot in HS Shop and loved them but it seems that now days a lot of people give them a Bad Rap for some reason. I really want one of the older DeWalts but the space is just not there for it now. Maybe some day.


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