Making simple plywood shelves - How to cut accurate lap joints

Watch me show you how I cut accurate lap joints real quick.
www.shaunboydma...
Patreon: / shaunboydmadethis
Furniture plans: www.shaunboydm...
T-Shirts: www.shaunboydm...
/ shaunboydmadethis
/ shaunboydmadethis
/ sbmadethis
Tools I Use:
● SawStop 3-HP Professional Cabinet Saw: amzn.to/2GL2MCF
● Festool Domino Joiner DF 500: amzn.to/2LqxfcU
● Festool Track Saw TS 55 Req: amzn.to/2s3giNv
● Bosch 2-1/4 HP Plunge and Fixed Base Router: amzn.to/2x6odyz
● Makita 18V LXT Sub-Compact Drill & Driver: amzn.to/2x6sBxD
● Dewalt Jig Saw: amzn.to/2Lm2gOS
● Ridgid Oscillating Belt & Spindle Sander: amzn.to/2s0Nu8u
● Dewalt Random Orbit Sander: amzn.to/2s1Kusi
● Makita 3” x 24” Variable-Speed Belt Sander: amzn.to/2IK89E6
● Jet 16-32 Drum Sander: amzn.to/2xdeuX0
● Grizzly 2-HP Canister Dust Collector: amzn.to/2kk4Loz
● Titebond III Wood Glue: amzn.to/2IGVQfM
Camera Gear I Use:
● Canon EOS 77D Body: amzn.to/2s3Znue
● GoPro HERO5 Black: amzn.to/2s1La0O
● Canon 10-18mm Lens: amzn.to/2IHCYsQ
● Rode Videomic Pro-R+: amzn.to/2IENnK6
● JOBY GorillaPod: amzn.to/2LohJyd
Logo by Tim Lautensack
www.behance.ne...
Music:
Bab Tista - Text Me Records / GrandBankss

[@Harinair72]

Loved the first 40 seconds... People who are in a hurry can always skip forward... Subbed!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you! Really appreciate that!

[@HonorMacDonald]

That first part was probably a lot better for regular viewers than new ones - as my first video on this channel, there was a moment of me thinking "Oh, dear. What have I gotten myself into?" :)

[@HonorMacDonald]

Nice technique, though - thank you :)

[@andrewmason4004]

Honor MacDonald Yep, nearly didn't even bother watching the rest.

[@wrzlgummidge7663]

"take a coupla sheets of plywood and cut them up into smaller rectangles".....You boiled it down to the basics Shaun, nice one! :)

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, I like to keep it simple.

[@toadsprocket7598]

shaun was poking around for how much margin to use for halved jointed plywood glue lines and came across this..... the opening blooper was brutal to watch as a fan of your channel .... cool to see where you were 5y ago cheers

[@rondagold2004]

This was so very helpful to me. I am rather new to woodworking, and need to learn a lot more. I will be making a wine rack for one of the shelves in the pantry I am finishing up, and this is the joining method I intend to use.

[@jaykepley5238]

Nice teaching. Nice video. You've become one of my very favorite KZbin guys. Thanks for what you put into these videos.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Really appreciate it, Jay! Glad you are enjoying my work, thanks for watching!

[@modestmaking5314]

I've seen this method before but never considered using a drill bit. You just saved me a few bucks for not having to buy those brass spacers. For that I thank you. That was a really simple trick... A really simple trick... A really simple trick...

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Awesome! Glad it could help. It is always nice to share some really simple tricks.

[@CarlMadsen]

Just wanted the confidence to get 'er done. Thank you. Didn't know what to call the joint either.

[@williamellis8993]

After watching your lumber storage unit video I had to come over and watch this one. Another great tip to store away in my feeble old mind.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

I use this technique all the time! It works like a charm. Thanks for watching, William!

[@andrewaustin6941]

THANKyou for putting a link to this in your newest video, i had not seen it yet! wow, BEST HALF/CROSS/HALVING/LAP/JOINT THING VIDEO ON KZbin!!!!!!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on! Glad you enjoyed it! That technique is so simple, but works so well. I use it all the time.

[@andrewaustin6941]

@@shaunboydmadethis yessir this will be a new goto joint for me lol

[@gregkieser1157]

I really enjoy your presentation style.....good self deprecating humour.....nice tips too.....keep it up.....

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks, Greg! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rsmolkin]

Thanks for these awesome videos. I’m trying to build a fairly basic shelf, except I need it to fit inside of a closet with a small door, so I need to be able to assemble (and hopefully disassemble it when needed) easily inside the closet. Also, I have limited tools, I do have a miter saw, a circular power saw, some chisels that I’m terrible at using. I’m considering getting a router, as they are fairly affordable and don’t take up much storage space, not sure what bits I’d need (and bits seem pricey). I’m trying to avoid buying a table saw, as I don’t have the space for it, and do as few cuts as possible, so I’ll be getting pre-cut 2x4s for the legs (I think) and pre-cut shelves (48x15.75). Since I want it to be easy to assemble and disassemble, I’m trying to avoid screws and angle brackets as much as I can. I’ve been researching wood joints. Thinking something like a half lap or dovetail to prevent the frame that would hold the shelf from sliding in or out of the legs. Also considering trying to do dadoes in the main legs for the shelves to go into, but I’d still need something to make the whole thing stay together, and to stop the shelves from sliding out. Or maybe just a mortise & tenon with some soft of a peg, to stop it from sliding out for the long way part of the frame, and maybe halved lap joint for the short way to hold it all together. Hopefully this makes sense, any suggestions for joints and tools needed?

[@johnconklin9039]

Great tip. An easy way to set the depth can be done with just one piece. Make the first cut at the end like you did, but then flip it over and cut again. If there's nothing left at all, the blade's set too high. A chunk of wood left in the middle, blade's too low. Just a couple little whisps and fibers, just right. Works as long as all pieces are ripped to the same width.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks, John! That is smart, I had never thought to do that!

[@mafhper]

Your Channel is the best!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Really appreciate it! Thanks!

[@supercheekykiwi]

This is great. Planning on doing some lap joints. Was going to use bandsaw but this is much better.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Nice! Glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@rodrigoamarante4832]

Wonderful method! Now, a very important unanswered question: how did you hang these?

[@joeyleerobbins]

Thank you for this video.....I would have left out the drill bit spacer and jacked it up....great tip!

[@ikindawannalearn9513]

Nice I literally just made these "halved joints" and of course had no idea what they were called. I wish I would have seen your tip on dialing in the blade height but they turned out good enough for the project I was doing. Thanks for sharing!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on, thanks for watching! This little trick just takes all the guesswork out, which is nice.

[@robinhughes-jones4034]

Do change description to include the words "cross halving" as I was looking for this. Thank you for the vid!

[@gokblok]

How exactly did you get square edges at the end of your cuts? I saw the jigsaw, but how did you get it square?

[@clesteroxendine4180]

Great video for those that halve and halve not worked with lap joints.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha! That is what I'm talking about! Thanks!

[@iillidge]

I think I get it now. Simple. Straight forward. Halved. Great video. Thank you.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

You nailed it! Thanks for watching.

[@CantTalkImRiding]

You're in Buellton, CA? Cool. I'm just up the 101 in SLO. All I know of Buellton is that Anderson's makes delicious pastries.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on! I actually just moved my shop to Goleta, but I was in Buellton for a couple years.

[@adamlindsay265]

I like the drill bit method. I use a similar method with my 1/8in blade, i use a piece of 1/8in steel flat stock. Your method qill be great when i am using a regular blade or on an unfamiliar tablesaw

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on, it works like a charm! Thanks for watching!

[@neilf4128]

Again. You never disappoint. Thank you for your focus on quality over quantity. You GO Boy....d.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Really appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jaybrandsma]

So, after this project, would you say you enjoyed halving a joint by your shelf?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha! That is as good as it gets. Thanks, man!

[@ewijntuin]

love how you dumb things down. will be using the technique!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

I am definitely a fan of simplicity. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@KellyVisionPictures]

Warping? Sagging? On each lap joint ... there is a portion that seems to be unsupported. How can you keep that portion from warping or sagging?

[@engineerscott2076]

How do you get the dado just right when you can’t use a stop block. For instance, when your sled is 3 feet wide but you need a dado in the middle of a 7 feet long board.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Yeah, that makes it a little trickier. I will often use my table saw fence, or clamp a stop block to the actual table. If I am cutting dados in something longer than my table saw, then I am usually going to use a router in that situation.

[@quickbreaks5865]

Great info. I always have trouble getting my lap joints to be a perfect fit. I will give this a try and let you know how it works.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Awesome, yeah it can be hard to get a really nice fit. Hopefully this will help!

[@trevorstrickland7811]

Also, epic shop space and great trick with the drill bit here! So smart!

[@markarmstrong2592]

Good job Shaun

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks, Mark!

[@jschwag2524]

Great tip dude. Love your channel.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on, thanks for watching!

[@wrzlgummidge7663]

Genial to use a drill bit as spacer!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Works like a charm!

[@WildmanTech]

Good tip. Found you from Chris' channel

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on, thanks for checking out my work! I use this technique all the time, works great.

[@yorckherzberg5628]

It is very very great !! I love your video´s !! Greatings from germany !!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you! Really appreciate it!

[@kenmcf]

I was thinking about one of these...is it strong enough for books? Did u glue or ? U said u had to do a bit of jigsawing...like what and why?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Yeah, you could definitely put books on it. I used glue on the joints just for extra strength, but if you cut them well, you could probably do without if you were wanting to take it apart. I had to jigsaw out the waste in each joint. The table saw cut the outer edges, but I had to use the jigsaw to cut across the square end where the two halves come together.

[@kenmcf]

Thanks...dude..ur so luck to have so much room for a table saw like that..u can do anything with space and cutters like that. Hell of a table saw.

[@deepsgnips]

k m Made something like that recently and had the same thought, then i realised there is nothing hanging: the weight is transferred directly on the vertical pieces so no issue

[@shoofle]

That intro is such a mood

[@sojomanchey828]

Is there any way we can do it with just the circular saw without the table saw?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Hmm, that might be tough, but I imagine there is probably a way to make it work.

[@trevorstrickland7811]

Hey Shaun! You went to Cal Poly SLO, right? I started woodworking about a year ago and some change and came across this video while looking for a cheap way to make some storage shelves. Small world: I’m pretty sure we were in the dorms together freshman year. Anyway, hope you’re doing well!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Hey man! Yeah, good to hear from you. I remember I had a poster of an e30 m3 on my wall in the dorms, and you were the only person that knew what it was. Haha, crazy that you found me on here. Hope all is well with you too, and good luck with your woodworking!

[@trevorstrickland7811]

Wow, you have an amazing memory! I had completely forgotten about that. I’m stoked that’s what comes to mind. Proud to be an E30 recognizer. Anyway, best wishes until next time and I’ll check out more of your videos! Though I need a table saw BAD before I can get a lot farther along. Been beating around that bush for a while now.

[@levisoriano1]

I wished you would have shown the way you delivered the piece and installed it that always cool to see.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

I'm not quite bold enough to ask people to film in their homes. Maybe one of these days, because I agree, it is always nice to see where they end up.

[@claterpult]

Great tip, better a halved joint than a halve-not... ed joint?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha! Now that is some wordplay. Thanks, man!

[@3DKen210]

Love the out takes and the tips. Thanks

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Awesome, thanks for watching!

[@TranTheClever]

Thanks for making this video. You're stopping me from going broke trying to furnish my shoebox. 4:47

[@MultiTom1956]

Shaun, brilliant tip 😊

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you, Mahendra!

[@JolienBrebels]

Haha great intro and outro Shaun! And ofcourse a sweet tip 😀

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, glad you liked it Jolien! Thanks for watching!

[@JonnyBuilds]

Great tips Shaun! Also that intro reminded me of every time I have to talk to the cam.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha! Every damn time. Thanks, man!

[@modestmaking5314]

If you think watching this intro was annoying, just consider it was at least 143x more annoying to record it. Talking to a camera isn't as easy as it seems (when it's done well at least).

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, that is very true! Thank you!

[@matt6740]

Been there, and it’s so painful editing yourself after as well! Thanks for enduring for us though!

[@mrhelixx8944]

So true brother I loved the intro lol Very well done also

[@junskey]

so you stopped the cut early and did the rest with the jigsaw?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

For the actual shelves, yes.

[@tonyh5429]

This what I was looking for. Thanks; halve joint- makes sense

[@Tyrolax]

Beautiful everything, as usual.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you! Really appreciate it!

[@keenanreynolds7872]

Hey Shaun, thinking about making similar shelves, how would you recommend securing these to a wall?

[@didriksoderstrom9891]

I’m not Shaun but I’ve found that those aluminum u-channels you can get at a big box store slip over these perfectly. Just cut a 1”-2” piece of that and drill a hole to mount to the wall and a hole through the sides to mount to the plywood.

[@prashantjoshi849]

Very nice ... love it ...

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you!

[@fruityone4233]

Shaun you're my you tube hero. Next time you're in New Zealand (!) let me know and I'll buy you a beer. Actually if you make it here I'll buy more than one. It's only fair.

[@TakamiWoodshop]

I'll chip in for one of the beers if you like mate 👍

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Really appreciate it! New Zealand is at the top of my list of places to go, so I will definitely take you both up on that offer when I make it over.

[@TakamiWoodshop]

Cool man! Okay - well I better go on record - I'll also buy you more than one. 😎

[@JTWoodworks]

Sweet project Shaun!! Great tip for cutting that joint

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SmallFryCreations]

Great video Shaun!! Well explained and helpful!!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks Ainslee! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@johnhutton7708]

can you or have you already showed us your cross cut sled? Is that a handle on the back or a safety guard?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

I don't think I have ever showed it in much detail. The back part is mostly just for safety, so the blade is never exposed on the backside when cutting through something.

[@Victor-mt2fu]

Is your table saw blade a flat top grind? Or are you making it smooth with other technique like l/r motion or sanding. Also I guess what saw blade are you using for your plywood?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

The blade I am using here is a Forrest ChopMaster which is an ATBR saw blade, so it leaves an almost flat surface. It isn't perfect, but it is plenty flat for this application.

[@iandlv6835]

OK Shaun, we get it, it’s not easy to make these videos!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Glad I got my point across. Thanks for watching!

[@SlowandExpensive]

Another great table saw tip Shaun! Probably more difficult to get that one sentence out than than shoot the whole video!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, that one was especially tricky for some reason! Thanks for watching!

[@hungry_arch]

Nice hack!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks!

[@myhoneyshandmade1077]

nice tip. Thanks for sharing

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you!

[@kenazi79]

Thanks for the precisely explained info

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks for watching!

[@WoodBrothersNDS]

Wow excellent job man ☺☺😉

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you, really appreciate it!

[@StephenMattison66]

Great intro! Thx!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks for watching!

[@JT-hw6mq]

Thanks! This might help with a built-in bookcase I need to do.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Awesome! Hope it helps. Thanks for watching!

[@jbrito2699]

hello man, nice video, but why you don´t use the cnc machine to do the work?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks! I did consider it, but my CNC machine is far too small to do the large pieces for this. Probably would have been more hassle than it is worth in this situation.

[@alexmullermusic8045]

Surprised you dont always get it on the first take!! Nice Shelf!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

I could only dream of that being the case. Thanks!

[@ryanrudd4346]

Nice intro. I’ve heard that joint called so many names, who even knows anymore.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right? It's almost like woodworkers just like to come up with names for things.

[@1XTREME14U]

LMFAO🤣🤣🤣 great start to the vid

[@zachjohnson41]

Thanks for the tip!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks for watching!

[@josephlucas8945]

Thanks for the tip. What brand/ type of saw blade are you using?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks for watching! I was using a Forrest ChopMaster for this.

[@GCustoms]

Good tip! Nice job!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Appreciate it, thanks for watching!

[@horsefeather]

REALLY SIMPLE TRICK

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Exactly.

[@fxnx38]

Hi Shaun, great tips they were very helpful for me that I'm starting in woodworking. I just have a quick question for you. What type of blades are you using for cutting the joints?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on, glad you got something out of it. I was using a Forrest Chopmaster for this one. It has an almost flat tooth grind, so it is great for dados, and it is a crosscut blade, so it is good for cutting across the grain for lap joints, etc. Thanks for watching!

[@katzmosestools]

I see you working! New tip for me

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Nice! Thanks man!

[@0ptimal9Films]

How do you fix those plywoods together, I mean where do you nail it?

[@barstad-9591]

Yugal kishor Sharma They simply slip together. For example, spread your index and middle fingers about 1/4” apart on both of your hands, then slide them together, so your hands will end up into a + shape. Given the depth of these half-laps, I doubt that he needed to nail or glue them; they just fit together.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Yep, you got it just right. I ended up gluing them because the client wanted it permanently assembled, but it could have been left without any glue and been perfectly stable. Thanks for watching!

[@hotrodhog2170]

Great to see a new video man! The beginning had me laughing and I had to holler "Spit it out man, you can do this!" Lol. Something else you forgot to mention that you need is a flat kerf saw blade (whatever they are called) I call em half lap joints. Did this use 2 full sheets? Maybe some dimensions for the parts? I would try to build this.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, thanks for the encouragement! Yeah, I had to get two sheets, but I have at least 2/3 of a sheet left over. The dimensions are really simple, uprights are 84" tall x 12.5" wide, and each shelf is 36" wide x 13.5" deep, and spaced 15" apart vertically.

[@hotrodhog2170]

Your welcome and Thank you brother!

[@sbrega]

Love your videos! What blade do you use to get a flat cut?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks! I use a Forrest ChopMaster for stuff like this.

[@raysmith1992]

When I did woodwork at school it was called a cross halving joint in the 70's

[@Woodden]

Thanks for the great info.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you for watching!

[@TheMakerMonster]

It's a good tip, but obviously my favorite part is the self-satisfied grin at the very end!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

It is the smile of someone knowing he is done filming himself for the day.

[@willpmack]

No Dado? would've saved you some time.

[@zachjohnson41]

What blade do you use on your table saw?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

I was using a Forrest Chopmaster for everything in this video. I also use a Forrest Woodworker II regularly.

[@thewoodworker1703]

As usual , very informative *thumbs up*

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Right on, thanks for watching!

[@Couture.m]

Learned

[@mattkessler7660]

take 137......and ACTION. lol! Thanks for another informative video!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, it definitely felt like that many takes! Thanks for watching!

[@kevinreuter8675]

You went real fast over the hardest part. "Just jigsaw the inside cut."

[@sethgrueneberg]

Nice man. What kind/where do you get your plywood? Thanks for the video!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks for watching! This is all 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood and I get it from a local lumber supplier near me.

[@tribsat100]

Thankyou 👍

[@TranTheClever]

I really want to get a good job to buy a house and try all these 😭💓💓 (you inspire me a lot =) ) 2:51

[@Bobby-bo3zc]

Super!

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks!

[@TakamiWoodshop]

Hey Shaun, the drill bit is the hot tip - it's kind of like a kerf maker isn't it - where the screw is adjusted to match the thickness of the blade. I've known those as half laps joints as well - but I defer to Wikipedia 😆 cheers man.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Yeah, it is pretty much the exact same concept. And who knows with all these different names. It certainly just seems that woodworkers like to come up with as many names as possible for things.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Great video. Nice tips! : )

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you!

[@collinobrien3597]

Great vid MAKE MORE

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thank you! I definitely plan to make more!

[@danbarrett6113]

Hi Shaun, me again,,,,, I am having issue finding 1 1/2 plywood anywhere,,,, help?

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Hmm, I've never used 1.5" plywood. Thickest I have ever used was 1". Maybe call a local lumber supplier and see if they can special order you something. Or just glue together two pieces of 3/4", that is what I always do.

[@danbarrett6113]

Oh sorry I thought you said 1.5" plywood in your video, guess you glued two together.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Ah, I see. I was just referring to how wide the pieces were cut. They were just 3/4" thick plywood scraps.

[@thistledownwoodcraft3426]

Good tips but,,,,,, dado blade? Oh yeah, good Max Headroom intro.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks! Yeah a dado blade could certainly be used instead. Just another way to get it done. Hadn't thought about the similarities to Max Headroom, but I definitely see it!

[@omaromar-lg3yu]

thankx

[@omaromar-lg3yu]

Hi...IT will ne great if you could show US how to do this l'AMP www.google.com/search?q=modern+geometric+lamp+hanging&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi5jKe2-ZroAhXN8IUKHb_6AewQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-img.1.0.35i362i39l5.70985.72311..73726...1.0..0.0.0.......0....1.......5.d6Gkb_4DvHc&ei=41FtXvmOL83hlwS_9YfgDg&client=ms-android-condor&prmd=ivmn&hl=fr#imgrc=b_miNYq0UPgWgM

[@omaromar-lg3yu]

Am l'ost with camb angles

[@silverfox8801]

This wood porn channel is criminally under subbed!??? 🤔🤔👍👍

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Haha, appreciate it!

[@mcnabster]

Cool..thanks..

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks for watching!

[@raysmith1992]

Hi, I watched this as I need to remind me how I did a cross halving joint on a table I made at school in 1974 in my woodworking class as I want to make a new plywood leg to raise the height of the table to 2ft/600mm and I cut it by hand so unfortunately your method is not going to work, love the shelving unit.

[@shaunboydmadethis]

Thanks, Ray. Cool to hear you still have a table you made in school.