# Flush trim finger joints



## ChuckH (Jul 25, 2013)

I've just made my first finger joint box, and the fingers are proud all around. My first inclination is just to run the whole thing on the jointer; it's 4.5 in tall, so plenty of room. Anything wrong with that, or I should looke out for? My other options are trim them on the TS but I'm worried about scratching up the box sides, or not having it just square to the blade. I really don't want to flush cut them all with a hand saw.


----------



## Woodbum (Jan 3, 2010)

Sand them flush? Either power or hand depending on how proud they are. I've done this dozens of times with a ROS, hand held belt sander, stationary sander etc. and by hand or both.


----------



## ChuckH (Jul 25, 2013)

Good idea, don't know why I didn't think of it. I may have been thinking at 1/8" they'd be too proud to sand, but mostly I hate sanding, so tend not to think about it.


----------



## RibsBrisket4me (Jul 17, 2011)

Yep, those will sand flush in a jiffy!


----------



## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

Block plane?


----------



## ChuckH (Jul 25, 2013)

Maybe after Christmas if Santa brings me one


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

I've sanded proud fingers flush, and I've trimmed them with a flush cut bit on the router table.


----------



## distrbd (Sep 14, 2011)

There's nothing wrong with leaving the fingers proud if they complement the design,just sand the fingers even but leave them proud and decide for yourself if you like the way it looks ,if not ,then just sand them flush.


----------



## TravisH (Feb 6, 2013)

A jointer would not be one of my choices. I would be very worried of chip out even with a backer. Depending on how proud they were I would be more inclined to use block plane, file/rasp, or sander.


----------



## newwoodbutcher (Aug 6, 2010)

A hand plane is what I use


----------



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Any power tool besides a ROS will risk some tearout. A hand plane can cause tearout too (even a low angle block plane). 
I trust sanding the most in these situations. If you don't like that idea, a flush trimming router bit would work.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I use either my stationary belt sander or a flush trim router bit in the router table (a spiral cut bit will decrease tearout). The ROS seems to take forever to take these down flush.


----------



## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

I like using my kugihiki flush-cut saw from lee valley for this task, it can cut things right up to another surface without damaging that surface. I then use a low-angle plane to clean up the joint, little to no sanding required.


----------



## BLarge (Aug 29, 2011)

The jointer will blow out the fingers at the end of the cut, so no.

Block plane or even a razor sharp blade on 5, ideally a 62 low angle plane.

Sanding will leave uneven surface almost guaranteed that you will notice after finishing. I'd plane then sand for surface prep only.


----------



## ChuckH (Jul 25, 2013)

Used the ros, it did take a while.


----------



## KnickKnack (Aug 20, 2008)

I used to do this with a sander, but I found it hard to keep the surface perfectly flat.
Now I clamp a piece of sandpaper (or part of a roll) onto a flat surface, and, moving the box over the surface, sand it that way - if your sandpaper is tight, the box sides stay flat. It makes less noise, less dust, and I tell myself I'm doing some "hand-tool" work.


----------



## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Sand them flush! I have only ever done it this way have fun . Alistair


----------



## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

1/8" proud is a lot to sand. block plane. Be careful of direction of plane so you don't get tear out. then sand to finish. Where it is a box there is nothing wrong with leaving them proud.


----------



## ChuckH (Jul 25, 2013)

Yeah it was a lot of sanding. I'll be more careful with my pin lengths next time.

I ended up buying a block plane to try it out. Turns out I suck at it; decided nearly finished was not the time to practice. So I sanded for…and sanded.

I didn't want the protruding pin look, but if I had, there was a mess of squeeze out between the 3/8" pins. Didn't have a chisel that narrow to clean it up anyway. Other than being real clean at assembly is there another way to handle that?


----------



## bobro (Oct 24, 2014)

The most secure way is to use a Japanese saw like bobasaurus said, then pare flat in sideways sweeping motion with a wide chisel. Probably the quickest way, too, unless you had a bunch in a production run- no setup, no tearout or chipping to deal with, works on the orneriest of woods.

There are also a number of little hand planes, smaller than the usual Stanley block plane, even tiny, that work great not just on end grain, but also where you might be trimming end and side grain together, usually referred to as instrument maker's planes as far as I know.

I use a little 60° traditional Chinese plane, it doesn't give a darn how hard or varied the woods are and with the blade so steep, it's kind of like a scraper, too. You see all that Chinese hand made tropical hardwood furniture, and tools like that are part of the secret. Used to have a mini Kunz plane, looked like a toy, also worked well because you have complete control, so, no tearout. That kind of plane would be great for people who don't dig the Chinese style planes. And there's finger planes (which I've never tried).


----------



## RRBOU (Feb 15, 2012)

Get one of these bits and use it in the router table.

Greg..the Cajun Wood Artist Did a review of it here
http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/4129

I have used this bit for a while and it is fantastic with zero tearout for removing the fingers.


----------



## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

> I ve sanded proud fingers flush, and I ve trimmed them with a flush cut bit on the router table.
> 
> - ADHDan


Flush Trim bit and the rouiter would be my choice.


----------

