How To Make Perfect Half Lap Joints On The Table Saw

Half laps joints can be used for all sorts of joinery tasks and mastering them can open the doors to some more creative joinery options as well. This is just one of many ways to cut half lap joints on the table saw, but it's a good one.
HERE'S AN EASY WAY TO MAKE THE SHIM:
• Make Perfect Blade-Wid...
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[@InspireWoodcraft]

HEY! If anyone needs a quick and easy way to make the blade-width shim, here's a quick and easy way that's ACCURATE! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKTaZqSip8mraKM

[@41laureen]

You do have to spend some time setting the saw up... blade, fence, etc. But once done, the saw is great. Fairly compact which is Nice kzbin.infoUgkxXh-4_3-ZT1fFWP91ZV7iVqzElr0lEb-a I did get an Incra Miter Gauge which takes some setup as well. The stock miter gauge can be adjusted in the miter slot with a little painter's tape... this tightens up the side to side play a lot.

[@javiermachin1]

Jodee: “I can put a man on the Moon, without making any marks or measure anything.”

[@vjtiengineer5496]

NASA could use Jodee so there are no metric vs. imperial confusions ;-)

[@harveysburger]

Awesome how he gets straight to the point. No time wasted, precise clear instructions then done. In and out in few minutes

[@natesgt]

Another great video! You could probably save a little time by drawing an 'X' from opposing corners on the end to find the center. I would just use the shim as a straight edge to draw the lines and that should get me dead on center or really close.

[@mattbowers5342]

Excellent, and with paired to the video on making the perfect shim it is unbeatable!

[@NWGR]

Awesome dude. Your vids are quickly becoming my "bag of tricks" go-to.

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic tips, dude! Thanks a lot!!! 😃 For now I only made a bird feeder and a bird nest... And now the birds are fighting over the feeder here at home! 😂 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@davidyeo4302]

Great video! Always breaking it down and giving great, and useful, information!! Thanks

[@michaelbradford4444]

I wasn't expecting to see 180.00 price tag when I looked at the blade you were talking about ! Still out of budget range for me. The half lap method is something I can handle tho and I'm excited to try it out with my 30 $ Irwin combo blade and see what happens .

[@vjtiengineer5496]

You are incredibly talented AND have a knack of sharing that knowledge with no-nonsense, to-the-point concise videos. Truly INSPIRATIONAL. Keep up the good work - love to watch and learn.

[@jrmakawoody]

Thanks for adding the less expensive alternative blade!

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Thanks for watching and acknowledging that. I'm glad someone noticed!

[@gdreclaimed5442]

That is a great way to do half laps! I like it because I use a lot of reclaimed wood and the pieces are never the same width. I always flatten a reference side any way so thickness is never the issue.

[@albertoesterle8655]

Rather than trying to cut a perfect thickness shim you could use a drill bit the same thickness as the blade.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

In theory yes. But that doesn't work for people using thin kerf blades so that's why I didn't do it. Cutting the shim wasn't to bad and if it ends up near a spinning blade it's no big deal. Great suggestion though!

[@fadetoblack51]

Wouldn’t that scratch up the fence?

[@GifCoDigital]

@@InspireWoodcraft what the hell are you talking about? The thickness of the blade is irrelevant if you use the proper sized drill bit. Or better yet just set the stop bock in the proper position.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

@GifCo This is the second time I've seen you reference putting the stop block in the right position. I am not going to argue with you because I have better things to do with my life, but I will leave this here for anyone needing the info. You cannot just simply place the stop block in the right place without the exact known width of the blade. It needs to be a measured distance to compensate. Literally everyone who watched the video got how and why it worked but you, apparently. No judgement here. Just maybe watch again and it'll click for you. As for a drill bit as a shim: Yes, this will work for most circumstances, as I already stated. However the drill bit needs to be the same thickness as the saw blade or you WILL end up with a joint that doesn't go together as well as the one that I demonstrated in this video. You can't outsmart physics. If you use a thin kerf blade, and you just so happen to have a drill bit the exact same size as said blade, then by all means go for it. If you think outside the box a little you will also come to the conclusion that a perfect blade-width shim can be cut to virtually any length and used for much more than just a half lap joint. You could make it span the length of your table saw fence and cut perfect dados, for example. You aren't going to do that very easily with a drill bit.

[@GifCoDigital]

@@InspireWoodcraft lol I know this might blow your mind but drill bits come in ALL sizes. You complete muppet.

[@onehandedmaker]

Great project and video. Have subscribed and will watch more of your videos. Regards James One Handed Maker

[@jrosenste]

Amateur woodcrafter. I used this technique tonight in some half laps I'm using for cabinet doors. Worked INCREDIBLY easy. Definitely recommend using a flat tooth blade as I had some extra sanding to do with the blade I used. Thanks for the great content. Earned a sub, for sure!

[@richardc6932]

Will adding glue to these joints affect the fit? Joints when dry-fitted look almost perfect.

[@jfoy.99]

I've been watching videos to improve my woodworking for 3 years now, how come i'm just now finding your videos? All of them are amazing. Thank you.

[@TheKrietjur]

Great tips and tricks, love it!

[@robcoulter6019]

Terrific idea! Wish I’d seen this and the 1/2 lap vid two walks ago. Would have saved me lots of head scratching and scrap making. Many thanks!

[@whomadethatsaltysoup]

Superb! I'm an old shopfitter who has been pottering around in my ever developing garage workshop. This is an absolute gem of a tip. Easy to execute and virtually free. I went ahead, a while back and bought the Banggood kerf-doofer when it was on sale at £15 Sterling. Well, it absolutely works, and I cannot complain with the quality of the accessory which is excellent - especially for the price! However, your tip makes half laps, dados and grooves a breeze on the table saw. Thank you for sharing! You have a new subscriber! 👍

[@MinHongJiwoodstudio]

hi...I made a watching your video. Thank you for being an inspiration to me.

[@josephhargrove4319]

A nice, elegant use of direct measurement to size the pieces correctly. Use of the shim is a plus and the step I've been missing. I gotta make me one of those! richard -- “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” - André Gide

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Absolutely love that quote. I need that on my wall in the shop!

[@stephenrichie4646]

Yup. Figured that out a couple of years ago. The blade-thick spacer is the key. Works like a charm. Good video. Thanks.

[@tonyh5429]

This is by far a very cool technique; I think I have watched this video several times which mean I plan on using it- thanks

[@stephenfishman4964]

Do you have a similar easy way to make cross half laps to create a grate? Thanks

[@InspireWoodcraft]

You mean like a grid pattern?

[@stephenfishman4964]

yes. My wife wants a potting table for her garden activities.@@InspireWoodcraft

[@g.m.fallon3135]

Thanks, your a great teacher. You might include in a future video lesson that," The reason you need the shim is because your saw is calibrated to the Right side of the blade". I look forward to getting notifications of your new lessons.

[@joshuamartin7443]

Thank you for the videos. As always super helpful

[@GifCoDigital]

If you can cut a shim the perfect width of your saw blade you should be able to handle just placing the bloody stop block in the correct position.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

You're right. I should be able to just eyeball it. Or something like that.

[@GifCoDigital]

@@InspireWoodcraft yea or you could measure it, use the kerf cut in your fence to line it up, or this one is SUPER advanced but you could use a scrap piece of wood to get it perfect.

[@jeffmoon6230]

This was very simple and helpful. As a new woodworker, I appreciate the tip.

[@mikedisimile2478]

Great job explaining everything thank you

[@ghanymesley1382]

Thank you man it's the easy way to do it bravo. 🎩 ghany from Algeria.

[@rosevan5485]

I’m 52 yrs old. Never worked with wood. Bought a lot of Festool but using my small Dewalt table saw scares the shit out of me because of kickback….. I bought many jigs to safely use it but I’m still scared… I need to do cross lap joints in the middle of a workpiece….. Can I still do it with a sliding miter saw or with a router… ? A lot of woodworking seems to be done with a table saw…… I’d like your opinion. By the way I am subscribed to your channel and I think your way of talking and explaining is exceptional. You are a very good teacher for old Newbie’s like me…..

[@guyh.4553]

Interesting. Guess I just don't understand the purpose. I'm always with my measuring tape(s) &/or sliding compound square so I'll just keep doing it that way. Again interesting. 😊

[@jimtrebes7926]

Used your procedure today. Works great. Will check out the Flat Grind blade you show in your tool list.. Thanks

[@bruce7595]

Well done video! You sir are a good instructor. Thanks for posting.

[@stevehubner560]

Thanks i watched this video this morning, Went out to shed and tried it out both on sled and miter gauge was very surprised at how neat they both came out definitely a worthy way of doing things wont be using the ruler now lol

[@InspireWoodcraft]

That's Awesome! Thanks for coming back and commenting on how it went!

[@hjboots]

You do an excellent job of explaining your process what ever it may be, I truly enjoy watching your video`s . Thank you for sharing ( Stay Safe you & your family ) .

[@fastlap2]

I just wanted to tell you I used this method today for the first time and it worked perfectly.

[@tidesign7625]

Always learn great tips from you Jody, thanks!

[@davesmith4957]

Nicely done, and so much simple than a Kerf maker!

[@TheJonkilleen]

Just found the channel and subscribed. Thanks for some really useful tips and really clear explanations. I wondered whether there might not be an even simpler way to achieve this level of fit though. How about, rather than laying the jointing piece along right side of the blade (your right in the video) and using that to place your stop block, you lay a piece of stock on the left side of the blade, then butt the jointing piece against it (standing on end), then put your stop block against that. This way you are effectively including the kerf in your measurement without the need for a shim. Probably much easier with short lengths than longer ones, but effective anyway. What do you think?

[@andrewcampbell8265]

I got an old TCT blade sharpened to flat top at a local saw doctors for less than £20.

[@looeehg2490]

Great vid. Why not take the measurement from the opposite side of the blade? I’m new to this but the shim seems like an unnecessary step. If you take the measurement from the opposite side you are therefore taking the kerf into account. If I’m wrong please correct me as I genuinely would like to know. Thanks

[@SomeDudeOnline]

I just finished making and adjusting my crosscut sled. In order to adjust the fence, I bought some cheap feeler gauges. I was about to make this shim when I realized I could just stack some feeler gauges until they fit snugly in a slot cut by my blade and use those as my shim.

[@Monduras]

How would you do half laps with different thickness pieces?

[@trevonkollars1874]

I know this is an old video but if you are using material that is small like that, to find half way....just take a straight edge and draw a from corner to corner making an X on the edge. The point where the lines cross is the half way point. It will save time on measuring or "nibbling" as he did.

[@KeithChastain-YouGotKeith]

Thanks bro. Tired of seeing all the ones where you have to measure exactly the center and all that. I knew there was a better way! ,👍👌✌️

[@leandersmith6184]

As always, perfect my man. Btw i see you have behind you an interesting saw ( i forgot what they call them) -the previous miter saw- can you do a video on that machine as well?

[@mushroomlw1717]

Use a router to make half lap joints and to make dado cuts It takes just as much time to set up a router as it does to chisel the crappy half lap/dado cut on a table saw. And you can make a jig just like you do with a table saw Or, make a video showing both techniques and the pros and cons of both processes. At least you didn't use a hammer then chisel out a crappy joint still needing to be smoothed out and sanded

[@waelbu-holigah9308]

Thank you so very much, you finally made it so easy 👌

[@bobziroll]

Someone else may have mentioned this already, but instead of making your own shim, you can just use a 1/8” (or whatever kerf size you have) drill bit. Perfectly machined already, and something everyone’s got lying around.

[@MixingGBP]

Some Woodpeckers rulers I own are 1/8" thick too (blade from Paolini pocket rule). I use it for the kerf trick, too.

[@awlthatwoodcrafts8911]

The method for finding the center is great for us with bad eyesight. I need glasses to see up close so it's always a struggle to have to tilt my head back to look through the bifocals. Even using a height gauge can be difficult when it's hard to see. Yeah, I know, I could use better glasses, but do you know what you can buy for the price of a pair of glasses? Lol

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Haha. So true. The older I get (I'm only 41, but I don't seem to be going backwards any time soon) the more I notice I squint just a little bit more than I used to. I tried finding center with a double square and a marking knife and that worked great. Actually seeing the knife mark against the saw blade was a whole other issue.

[@traebien8972]

Your the man Jody! Thanks for the great tips!

[@JohnColgan.]

You could adapt this process to make box joints without a jig!

[@DEG1985]

Buen video gracias...

[@ladykenja2700]

- V E R Y good technique. Thanx 4 sharing.

[@TheWestmonster]

You make things so easy and it only motivates me to learn more about wood working. Great video! Thanks.

[@JohnSmith-or7re]

Tried this today and it worked perfectly the first time!! Thanks for this.

[@PedroGarcia-lp3we]

Awesome tips, thanks for sharing.

[@mariolombardi3864]

Great tip. Thank you.

[@researchandbuild1751]

Do you really need to use a flat top blade? I think those peaks and valleys would give some room for glue. I bet it's stronger joint than when using flat top blade

[@InspireWoodcraft]

@Research and Build Glue doesn’t really need “room”. It just needs to be able to bond two pieces together. You don’t HAVE to use a flat top blade, but it sure looks a lot better.

[@dennisdubin2126]

I use the same technique, HOWEVER...I like having the grooves left by my saw blade. It gives the glue someplace to go besides being squeezed out of the joint. Makes for a good glue-up.

[@GifCoDigital]

That is terrible advice.

[@dennisdubin2126]

@@GifCoDigital Please explain why that was terrible advice.

[@GifCoDigital]

​@@dennisdubin2126 the more mating surface area the better the joint. Having random saw grooves will not only make it much harder to get the top of the joint flush it will also weaken the joint and is just ridiculous, the glue doesn't need extra space, it absorbs into the wood to create the bond.

[@onehappydawg]

$170!!!!! For a blade???!!!! Just because it leaves a flat cut?! Good video but I’ll stick to my regular combo blade or buy a dado blade for $100 at Home Depot.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

It wasn’t $170 at the time.

[@Alan-JackofAllTrades]

Very very good instructions!!! Thank you! Appreciate it! Learned a very valuable technique.

[@dezaraeflanigan3749]

What blade is it a would need to by for the flat cut : smooth finish?

[@ladykenja2700]

- It WORKED VERY well. Helpful video. Thanx 4 sharing.

[@MrDBT85]

Yes but how well does it fit in metric?

[@Sebastopolmark]

Very well presented. This is a GREAT - NO MEASURE technique. Will get that shim made and make some half laps! !! !!!

[@toonybrain]

I always appreciate your videos of expected cleverness, but never as much as when I’m working on a project which involves one of your topics. It’s then that the relevance and usefulness of your information shines. I can’t wait for morning to start on my half-laps. 😁

[@johnny55johnny59]

Where’s the link for saw blade?

[@lloydbannister8062]

How did you cut your shim the width of your blade

[@lloydjohnston5382]

very good video, I ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE WITH THEM . THANKS,lloyd

[@starkey0417]

Wow. That's awesome. Thank you and SUBSCRIBED!

[@richardblake8275]

Hi, how hard do you press down on the rail as you pass it over the blade - to keep it firmly against the table?

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Just enough to keep it held in place. If there is a little bow to the piece I would press down a little more firm of course.

[@fuerzalatina134]

very interesting...thank you!!

[@kencoleman7762]

That was particularly useful. I only need to make sure I can get that shim cut to exactly one blade width. Thanks again.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Thanks! Hey I just uploaded a video on how to cut the shim if you are interested. Super easy and no measuring. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKTaZqSip8mraKM

[@justinthomas4442]

That’s amazing brotha! Dude you’re coming thru with some great tips. Thanks man!

[@rosevan5485]

You are a great teacher. Thank you.

[@heatheralbertson303]

Excellent! I need to cut a half-lap joint in 3/4" plywood that is 2 ft wide (joint about 2 in.) EDIT: cutting across the grain, not with it. Would this be the best method for that? I do have a router, but it seems a lot of material to remove for that router.

[@davefeinglass9118]

Really nice, simple video. One thing I didn't catch was how to make that shim, but it seems setup blocks should do the same job. The Forrest Woodworker II blade is 1/8" kerf, so the 1/8" setup block would be a good spacer if you don't have the shim handy. Edit: duh, the directions to make the shim are right there in the pinned comment.. Anyway, setup blocks should work too:)

[@davidyoung353]

I've seen people use a drill bit of the same diameter as the blade kerf... however the wood shim is a lot easier to place and it stays where you put it... Superb video sir! thanks for great useful tips without a lot of fluff

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Thank you very much. I didn't want to use a drill bit because that leaves the folks out that are using thin kerf blades. Great suggestion though! I just uploaded a video on how to make the shim if you're interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKTaZqSip8mraKM

[@andrewk-majordochomerepair6014]

Ingenious out of the box thinking tip for how to make a kerf-width shim that is simpler than using a kerf-maker device in some scenarios. Having to smooth the bottom of a dado or half-lap with a chisel is wrought with potential error, so I invested in a Freud true flat tooth blade that increases the joint accuracy and time it takes to make a given joint; no bottom cleanup! For some rabbits or dadoes, although $$$, love using my Lie-Nielsen router plane. Caveat to that is when using plywood as a router plane can catch and pull up/splinter the layers (probably not as much an issue if using good quality ply vs the medium big box store stuff I more readily have at my disposal). Thanks you for video tips and instruction.

[@rayray31583]

This is a great video. I’m a novice woodworker and I decided to try this technique on a “hidden” frame for a project I’m doing. Great opportunity to try your method because any mistakes won’t be seen. But it turned out way better than I expected

[@HBSuccess]

Tip: you actually want the cut .001-002" deeper than halfway to account for glue. I set it up with a very thin piece of paper against the table saw top when "kissing" that halfway point. That gives me the glue line. You do NOT want the joint proud enough to feel, as fixing it literally doubles or triples your build time. If it's scooch deep you can shim with tissue paper or a super thin plane shaving of the same stock. Lastly a drill bit the thickness of your blade is a more reliable "shim"... If you use wood don't try to save it... perfect thickness today won't be next year.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

Drill bits only work some of the time. It's an old carpentry trick that some people have tried to pass off as a woodworking trick. But the problem is that they are not always the same size as the blade in reality. Just because you grab an "1/8th inch" drill bit, doesn't mean it will be the same thickness as a full kerf blade. The biggest issue is that it doesn't account for the width of cut that the blade actually makes. Blades can make a cut a few thou wider than what they claim to measure in width, either because the blade is lower quality and has manufacturer inconsistencies from blade to blade, it deflects, or even if the saw has an off-axis issue and is wollowing out a wider kerf, as well as other explanations. As for the shim, I have shims that are a year and a half old that still work great. You just have to understand wood species and grain direction.

[@md8744]

That's it Mr. I have been seeing people showing up all kinds of stuffs of dado for what....just show up to people they are pro!! Yes for pro.

[@scottgloster3601]

You opened with comments on affordability problems for some people regarding dado stacks, which I thought was really thoughtful. Then you link to a $200 flat tooth blade. Too funny

[@InspireWoodcraft]

It wasn’t $200 when I made the video.

[@pemtax557]

Thanks Jodee ... Once again a fantastic video!! I always learn something new with every video you make. Your time and effort is truly appreciated. Cheers Mate!

[@andrewbrown8148]

Fantastic technique~! I wish I'd seen this video before now, but better late than never. Thanks for sharing it~!

[@georgegri]

Thank you!! love your videos!

[@carlb0666]

Nice video man. Thanks!

[@greid9349]

So I'd need a big fat shim if i buy a dado?

[@jamisonr]

Seems to me this will work with dado stack too, just need to have the right sized shim. Great idea, I've been struggling to be consistent with these and similar types of joinery.

[@NormanRamsey]

I love my Forrest blades. I think I need to buy that flat top grind. BTW with that blade I use a brass setup bar in lieu of a shim.

[@InspireWoodcraft]

I still need to get a set of those. It’s always one of those things that slips my mind.

[@moodberry]

@@InspireWoodcraft But as you said earlier, for safety sake using wood instead of metal is better because if the metal gets loose it could fall into the spinning blade.

[@JDDupuy]

Nice job. Great that you showed using a single blade. I have dado stacks but like the flat grind single blade method and the use of spacers to ensure a quick fit without all the nudging etc. With all the blades I have it's time to add a couple more 24tooth flat top grind blades. Will use the link you provided which is much appreciated.

[@BruceAUlrich]

Good idea with the shim! I need to grab one of those FTG blades.

[@eddiel1538]

Thank you very much, I enjoyed your video, woodworking is my hobby and this is very useful. 👍👍👍

[@Zamboni-0805]

Very nice technique and well explained. I was thinking after watch your video and was wondering if you could take the male half and lay it flat on your table saw and then raise the saw blade up until it is flush with the half lap....then run the female side back through to get a perfect joint without having to sand or plane. Just a thought

[@robertlis2704]

Your so right in my opinion i been using routers from 1974 and the round base are best and i use the flat side maybe 2% of the time its only for odd ball case's plus I do have a nice router table but good job and good teacher

[@waynevowell9732]

Jody, first off, great video. I made the shim per your other video, then made my half laps per this video. On the edges of the boards they are off just slightly so that the two pieces aren't exactly flush. I'm wondering if I should try remaking the shim, or just leave it and sand them flush. I hate to do that since the idea is to use the actual material to get an exact fit.