Jointing with the 1400

[thomastchoper]

I would like to joint two 4/4  48" long/6" wide oak boards to form a 12' wide shelf. I believe the first step is to obtain a smooth straight edge on each board. So, what would be the best Festool bit for the task. My choices would appear to be between an HW spiral bit (D 10mm, B 30mm) and a straight bit (D 20 mm, B 30mm). Second question, should I "tongue and groove" before gluing using the Festool tongue and groove bit?

 

[bruegf]

See this for another alternative:
http://woodshopdemos.com/fes-53.htm

 

[nickao]

There are so many ways to do that.  Did you want to use the guide rail?

In general I would say use the spiral bit, I rarely ever  touch straight bits(except for the bearing pattern bits) anymore.

You can tongue and grove it,  but I have found that if I edge joint two boards and glue them, then smash the board in pieces, it almost never breaks at the glue line.

The tongue and groove does provide  more surface area for the glue, so it definitely will not hurt and it may help with alignment if you need it.

The quick and easy way with a router is to place a board or something that you know is stick straight on top of the piece you want to joint, then run a flush cut bit with a bearing across the boards. Running the bearing tightly against the top(straight) board, copying the exactly straight board on the top, to the bottom board you want to cut.  Then do this again with the other board. The two will fit perfectly every time.

You can use the same technique I described, but instead of using a straight board on top, the Festool guide will determine the path.

I have never seen the need to joint like this so someone can chime in with exactly how to do it step by step with the Festool guide if they know some setup secrets on clamping the boards, etc.

The link  in the response before by bruegf is a technique I regularly use, but you did ask about a router, not using the saw. The technique used in the woodshop demo is one of the main factors I purchased this system, if not the main factor. I use it to join all kinds of angles to one another, with the saw.

Below is a  pie shaped disc that I cut using a TS75 and the pieces joined perfectly. So you are not limited in just joining straight(0 or 180degree)angles.

Nickao

Add * If I am careful I find I do not need to do the last step in the woodshop demo of cutting both boards on top of each other. I always check and if they fit I skip this last step, which is more times than not.

 

[semenza]

Hi,  welcome to the forum

          I second the woodshopdemos method for this. that bruegf suggested.  Assuming you have a TS55/75 and guide rail.  The nice thing with the saw method is that as long as you keep the board orientation the same for glue up as when you jointed them, they will match perfectly even if the squarness of the blade is a little off. Because they were cut in the same pass.

Seth

 

[nickao]

Hi,  welcome to the forum

          I second the woodshopdemos method for this that bruegf suggested.  Assuming you have a TS55/75 and guide rail.  The nice thing with the saw method is that as long as you keep the board orientation the same for glue up as when you jointed them, they will match perfectly even if the squarness of the blade is a little off. Because they were cut in the same pass.

Seth

Exactly Semenza and an excellent point!

 

[Warrior]

Hi,  welcome to the forum

           I second the woodshopdemos method for this. that bruegf suggested.  Assuming you have a TS55/75 and guide rail.  The nice thing with the saw method is that as long as you keep the board orientation the same for glue up as when you jointed them, they will match perfectly even if the squarness of the blade is a little off. Because they were cut in the same pass.

Seth

I have to add a second suggestion to this method. An excellent method made even better by flipping the boards over so the blade exits the cut at the underside of the joint so any tearout on the face is eliminated.

Eiji

 

[greg mann]

Without going out to John's site I am assuming everyone is referring to his and Bob's method of re-cutting the gap with the boards butting up to each other? If you don't have a TS to do this you can do the same with your router and an appropriate bit. Just clamp the boards in the orientation you want for gluing but with a space between them, say, 3/8 inch. Set up your router and rail to pass through the gap widening it to, say, 1/2 inch. This way, any variation in the cut surface in one board will have a perfect complement in the other board. You can do a 'rough' pass first if you want and just tap one of the boards in a skosh, re-center (or not), and re-cut so that your last pass is very light.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey Thomas.  John's process should work fine.  A couple of suggestions... be sure when you set up the two boards so that the grain combination is pleasant, for instance - cathedrals point in the same direction.  Route with the grain to avoid tearout.  Rehearse the cut first with the boards apart and power off, try to avoid starting and stopping - it will leave a small blemish.  Frankly, the only time I do T&G is when I'm leaving the joint unglued to allow the pieces to move - the bond you get between two well jointed glued edges is way stronger than the rest of the wood.