Best way to join thin/narrow pieces of wood?

[LFS19]

I'm struggling to find a good way to join thin pieces of wood.
The only way I seem to be able to do it is a butt joint, which I know is inherently weak, so I'm looking for other ways.

The wood is about a quarter inch thick, and about one and a half inches wide.

Every way I'd usually join two pieces of wood isn't working for thinner pieces.
I don't have clamps to glue a miter, nor the equipment to efficiently cut one, and it's too small to pass along the routers fence without falling through if I wanted to do a rebate.
Using hand tools isn't any better, either, as the wood cracks and I'm not skilled enough to get everything square if I were to try a rebate using it.

Even cutting it is a job.
The circular saw is too cumbersome to use on a small piece like that, the band saw has always been hit and miss because of the blade drift so I rarely ever use it, and again, hand tools I'm just not proficient enough in yet to be able to get it square.

Any tips?

Thanks allot!

 

[RobinBHM]

Without knowing what you are making, my suggestion woukd be to make a sled of sorts for you circular saw with a sheet of ply or mdf. You can then create a support with zero clearance.

Jigs can be made for gluing. Basically a sheet of mdf with battens screwed on to the exact sizr of your frame, leave off the 4th side and use clamps or wedges.

 

[Wildman]

scarf joint

 

[custard]

If you want to avoid hand skills or machinery altogether why not just overlap them and glue, or if they need to end up in the same plane then butt joint them with a strengthening piece glued on each side to cover the butt joint. Not pretty, but with modern glues either would do the job.

 

[undergroundhunter]

half lap??

matt

 

[LFS19]

Without knowing what you are making, my suggestion woukd be to make a sled of sorts for you circular saw with a sheet of ply or mdf. You can then create a support with zero clearance.

Good idea, just checked that out on YouTube. Seems simple enough.

And my apologies, was meant to say but forgot - the thing I'm trying to make are the front, back and sides of a small box.
The bottom and top pieces are done, it's just this that I'm having trouble with.

Jigs can be made for gluing. Basically a sheet of mdf with battens screwed on to the exact sizr of your frame, leave off the 4th side and use clamps or wedges.

Of course, I didn't think of that.

Thank you.

 

[LFS19]

scarf joint

They look interesting, thanks.

 

[LFS19]

If you want to avoid hand skills or machinery altogether why not just overlap them and glue, or if they need to end up in the same plane then butt joint them with a strengthening piece glued on each side to cover the butt joint. Not pretty, but with modern glues either would do the job.

Not sure what you mean by the second part? About gluing a strengthning piece?

Thanks

 

[LFS19]

half lap??

matt

That'd be good bit the pieces I'm talking about wont work for that, unfortunetly.
Again, Should've mentioned they were for box sides, my apologies.

Thanks

 

[Lons]

And my apologies, was meant to say but forgot - the thing I'm trying to make are the front, back and sides of a small box.
The bottom and top pieces are done, it's just this that I'm having trouble with.

That's completely different to how I read your first post from which I assumed to were trying to join end to end to make longer pieces. From some of the other posts I doubt I'm the only one! - Are you saying you need to join the pieces at 90 deg to form the box?
If so, if you can't tackle more technical joints then just but them or mitre and but them and they can be strengthened by gluing in some thin slivers maybe in contrasting wood to make them decorative. Not difficult. They can actually be glued using supeglue and accelerator as long as you can align them quickly and accurately. Can be bought as a mitre kit (used by kitchen fitters) if you don't have any.

Bob

EDIT: Just quickly dug this of the net in case you can't visualise

 

[profchris]

Not sure why you're rejecting a butt joint, unless the mating surfaces are end grain.

This sound board is made from two butt jointed pieces a fraction over 1/16 inch thick and has been under continuous string tension of 40lb or so for the last three years. It should be good for 50+ more years.

If this is a small box then surely the sides aren't bearing any load, in which case even an end grain butt joint should hold.

 

[LFS19]

And my apologies, was meant to say but forgot - the thing I'm trying to make are the front, back and sides of a small box.
The bottom and top pieces are done, it's just this that I'm having trouble with.

That's completely different to how I read your first post from which I assumed to were trying to join end to end to make longer pieces. From some of the other posts I doubt I'm the only one! - Are you saying you need to join the pieces at 90 deg to form the box?
If so, if you can't tackle more technical joints then just but them or mitre and but them and they can be strengthened by gluing in some thin slivers maybe in contrasting wood to make them decorative. Not difficult. They can actually be glued using supeglue and accelerator as long as you can align them quickly and accurately. Can be bought as a mitre kit (used by kitchen fitters) if you don't have any.

Bob

EDIT: Just quickly dug this of the net in case you can't visualise

Yes, looking at my original post is seems I've confused this rather spectacularly.

What I meant was joining the pieces at 90 degrees to great a box, yes.
The reason I said joining two pieces was because that was essentially the joint I needed to make, and I was meant to follow it up with what I was actually going to use it for but I forgot to write that part for some reason :roll:

That sounds like a good idea - how would you make the thin prices of wood?

Thanks

 

[LFS19]

Not sure why you're rejecting a butt joint, unless the mating surfaces are end grain.

This sound board is made from two butt jointed pieces a fraction over 1/16 inch thick and has been under continuous string tension of 40lb or so for the last three years. It should be good for 50+ more years.

If this is a small box then surely the sides aren't bearing any load, in which case even an end grain butt joint should hold.

I've just never heard a good thing about them, really, I'm ignorant I guess because of my experience.
Thanks for pointing that out.
The sides won't be baring any load.

Thanks

 

[Kadushu]

Have a look in the downloadable books sticky at the top of this section. There's one on joints ;-)

 

[MusicMan]

Suggest you make a shooting board, and us it to square/finish/dimension the pieces. Then it doesn't matter if the hand sawing is crappy. Plenty of threads on here on shooting boards.

Keith

 

[Lons]

That sounds like a good idea - how would you make the thin prices of wood? Thanks

Could use thick veneer, plastic, thin ply or better slice off on your table saw or by hand a piece the thickness of the saw kerf you use to cut into the joints, just needs a light hand sanding and glue in with pva, trim off when dry.
When cutting thin slice use a thicker timber against the fence and the slice you want is the offcut on the free side of the blade, if that makes sense, easier to to than explain.

A cheap hand mitre saw might be very useful to you, they can be very accurate. This kind of thing, loads on the market to choose from. I have a Nobex I've used regularly for 30 years.

 

[sunnybob]

I make small boxes.
Among the methods I use are 45 degree mitre cut on a chop saw. But I had to spend a day "adjusting" the chop saw to give an accurate mitre because it didnt come square from the factory. And the joints are strong enough for any use the box would expect to be put to.

If its a very small box I make the mitres by using the disc sander on my 4" belt / 6"disc sanding machine with the table adjusted to 45 degrees.

I also use box joint with my trend router box joint bit on my router table. Tricky to work out the first couple of tries, but a nice consistent and quick job once youve mastered it. I make 8 sided boxes with the box joint cutter as well.

I am just about to start using my new birdmouth cutter for the next project box. Have a look at this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hmITWrn_jo

Another tip, make the wood a few mm thicker when you start. glue it all up and after its dry sand the sides back to the thickness you want. I always work with 8mm, then when finished sand the outside down to 6mm. That allows you to remove any "amateur" errors.

OH, while I'm here. get a GOOD blade for your bandsaw, bandsaw drift is a result of a bad blade or wrong adjustment.

 

[Emanuel]

scarf joint

They look interesting, thanks.

Yep, scarf joint could do the trick.

 

[Lons]

Yep, scarf joint could do the trick.

No it won't!

A scarf joint is used to lengthen timber not make a 90 deg joint.

 

[LFS19]

Have a look in the downloadable books sticky at the top of this section. There's one on joints ;-)

I read the stickies when I joined a few months ago.
My issue is how to accomplish those joints with a small piece.

Thanks for the reply