# Half-Lap Jig



## PPBART (Oct 7, 2011)

Anyone got a design for a jig to cut half-lap joints in 1x3 material?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

PPBART said:


> Anyone got a design for a jig to cut half-lap joints in 1x3 material?











What tools/machines do you have to choose from?













 







.


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## PPBART (Oct 7, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> ​ What tools/machines do you have to choose from?
> 
> .


Tablesaw, radial saw, router w/table.

I'm looking for something that will help me produce ~50-60 identical joints.


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## WHWoodworking (Nov 1, 2011)

I did a job once with a lot of half laps. I just used my radial arm with a dado blade then clamped a stop block to the fence. Same could be achieved with a table saw and dado blade, using the fence as the stop and the miter gauge to push the board through the dado blade. Don't overthink it.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

I agree a table saw or radial arm with a dado set and stop blocks. Can also be done on the router table but would probably be quicker with the saw. As cautioned before, no need to overthink this one.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*original post 10-07-11*



PPBART said:


> Tablesaw, radial saw, router w/table.
> 
> I'm looking for something that will help me produce ~50-60 identical joints.


What did you end up doing PPBART?

Are the half laps on the ends or in the middle of the boards?

How long are the boards...can you run them vertically on end in the table saw to work the ends? That won't work for the ones in the middle...

A bandsaw would be the faster/easiest for the end ones.. 2 cuts.

A RAS with work stops for the middle ones or a router confined within a jig as suggested.

Did you find a method? :blink: bill


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## jkleitner (Nov 18, 2011)

*half lap jig.*

I built a nice half lap jig to make some cabinet doors. I took a piece of 1/8th hardboardand screwed two 2" x 3/4" x 16" oak boards to the hardboard so they are parallel to each other. I then screwed a 3/4" piece of wood at 90 degrees to the parallel boards and on top of them. I then slid my stock under the cross piece and next to one of the parallel boards. The cross piece becomes a fence for my router. I made a pass through my fence at the appropriate depth with my router bit and used that cut line to line up with my marks on my stock. It worked pretty well for me. I got the idea from a woodmagazine article. Ill post a picture if anyone is interested.


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## philiprambo (Dec 31, 2011)

*Re:*

Its really a good one.


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## PPBART (Oct 7, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> What did you end up doing PPBART?


Sorry for not responding earlier -- somehow I missed this one, lost track of the thread.

All the joints were end cuts, longest piece was about 3'. Solution was a freshly-sharpened blade on the tablesaw, two cuts each.


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