# Options for cleaning up my lap joint?



## Mary Caroline (Oct 16, 2018)

My laps are on already thin wood, but i'm not ready to glue because of how much air i have going on between them... i used a hand sander on them but i think that was a mistake.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

You need to take more wood of the piece on the right. Probably the easiest, assuming no fasteners in the way, would be a rabbit hand plane, but I doubt you have one or you wouldn’t have asked.

The next easiest would be using a router and “planing” a little wood off. Perhaps you have a router or know someone who has a router?


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*That is not accurate enough ..*

You didn't state the process or machine you used thus far, other than a sander. Woodworking is often about precision cuts and accurate dimension, and half laps are no exception. Equal amounts of material need to be removed from the flat surface or face and the depth must be also be equal. That's not the case in the photo I see.

I normally make those half laps using my bandsaw and a fence with stops for repeatability. Using a handsaw like a Japanese pull saw or a stiff backed saw would be my chosen hand tool. Then a sharp chisel could be used to pare down in small increments for an exact fit. Sanding the material is NOT the correct method to make accurate joints. 

What was your process?

Thin wood makes accuracy even more important. A router in a table mount would be an easy and accurate way to get both surfaces flat and of equal depth. I am assuming you do not have access to one...?


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

What tools are you using for the lap joints? What tools do you have available?

I usually use a dado set on the table saw for lap joints. I "sneak" up on the final cut by raising the blade very slightly, then making the cuts on both sides, and then test fitting the joint. Repeat until the fit is perfect.


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