How to Make Finger Joints: Finger Joint Router Bits!
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- Finger joint bits are used extensively commercially in CNC machines and commercial shapers, but very seldom in smaller woodworking shops so setting these up is not well documented. This video shows one easy method of setting up and using the router table with the Freud 99-037 Finger Joint Bit in a router table.
Get the Finger Joint Router Bit here: amzn.to/2F58ZgJ
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As a woodwork beginner I really appreciated your relaxed and modest approach. Your simplicity of guidance made me feel welcome to the world of woodworking. Thank you
You're welcome, Richard! Thanks for watching.
My way of dealing with it on my commercial FJ plants is to set the cutter height so that flipping a piece after profiling results in a perfect match. Also, not discussed here is that in order to get a strong joint, the length of the fingers needs to be very carefully set so that you can take full advantage of the wedging effect of the two profiles when they are pressed together... The fingers should not "bottom out". They should not be too short that they leave voids on the end of the fingers though. You need to experiment to get it right though it differs with different densities of wood.
This is what I like about your channel, you experiment and not everything works first time. I am 67 years old and only started woodworking after retiring I have learned so much from you. Thank you very much.
Neil Dunbar it's never to late. I'm in my 30s and thought it was too late.
Az1 13 2222
como diz o ditado, vivendo e aprendendo, nunca é tarde para o saber.
Exactly the same applies to me Neil Dunbar!
Nice video. I liked how you made some cuts and figured out how to correct it. That helps so others don't make the same "mistakes" and to take a little more time to think it through and get it right the first time.
I really enjoyed learning about this bit with you Colin. Thank you for the great video.
You're welcome, Mark!
Probably suggested long ago, but I’ll add my tuppence. I’ve seen this joint on bread boards and chopping boards, very elegant. Great job as usual.
Loving the videos! Would love to see your experience and common-sense approach applied to those of us trying to do woodworking in small shops or garages that need to go back to being garages when done. Keep up the great vids!
I just bought one of these at a garage sale, from a lady who was selling off her late husbands tools. I've been anxious to try it out. Thanks for or another great video!
Great video Colin & I like the way you get your viewers involved in "learning together". Keep up the good work that you always do..................
I'm glad you like it Steve ... thanks for watching!
When using finger joint bits, raise the cutting bit so the highest tooth's center is flush with the top of your 1st board. For flush joining 2nd boards, lower the bit to the center of the valley between the 1st and second tooth. you should now be cutting flush nicely jointed boards without the need for the plastic.
You stole my thunder LOL I was going to say that.I have the adjustable one from Lee Valley
MrFunkapotamus was gonna suggest something similar but not so many words.lol Great minds think a like;)
Seems to me that Colin's method is faster and requires a lot less fidgeting. Even with a router lift Collin's method is more repeatable.
repeatable yes, but his cuts will always be wrong unless he sets the bit height correctly for the first pass.
MrFunk - I don't see how that is a problem so long as he uses a shim that is 1/2 the cutting tooth's width and is consistent.
I have seen this finger-joint system used to connect and glue beams together. I have them supporting my roof of my house in germany. The carpenter told me that they used to cut this by hand. And is strong as the beam itself
This is a useful bit for joining long lengths of wood to make planks or especially wide continuous wood with woods that are generally not available. This goes for wood that is especially varying in widths.
The biggest problem with the shim is that, in the way you used it, long cuts won't work. You have to reset the bit height.
The Bob Ross of woodworking videos! Another great one. Thanks!
You're welcome, Bruce! Thanks for watching.
Hey colin, nice video. Really helps out to understand the orientation!
I was wondering though would it be possible to set the router bit in such a way that you have the cutting teeth hitting the board on the first pass with the upper bit or lower bit halfway on the board and halfway off the board and then when you flip and run the second board in reverse positioning those two staggered patterns will then be aligned without having to move the height of anything? Just wondering... Thank!!
Raise the bit half the distance and leave the plastic for the ocean. Thanks for the great demonstration.
I used to work with my old man at a timber laminating plant, we used a finger jointer to create the required lengths for the beam work. The joint router was a big old machine with 3 cutting heads on it, 2 of them faced the end of the boards to square it up, then the finger cutter would pass over one board end, scooch over to the other board (there was a board end in either side of the machine) and cut that, the clamps would open, you'd fire the board through and repeat the process. It'd then be passed over to the rammer machine, where the ends are filled with melamine based glue, pressed together (with pneumatic rams, not hydraulic) to the required lengths, cut, then left to cure until the following day, when they get their first dressing through the 4 sider.
Yea the whole time I was thinking GlueLam beams
Very good video Colin. Try running two boards threw the bit in the same direction, then turn one over and mesh the two of them together. In a factory where they finger joint off cut blocks together the second block is always tuned over.
I'll give that a try Ray! Thanks for watching!
Thankyou you have solved the problem I was having when I was using the finger joint bit
Collin Knecht is teaching us how to connect boards lengthwise. This is priceless.
We use these finger joints where I work. We do long structural beams 60 feet and more depending on the job, and the joints are very strong. Obviously we don't use a router bit like this as our machinery is rather large. The entire finger joint line is about 400 feet long from start to finish.
I recently bought a bench that has what i believe to be a maple top. The pieces were joined using finger joints through out the kit. I'n not sure that I'd use this method, but it's worthwhile knowing about. Thanks!
- Colin, thanx a million for demoing how to "figger it out." It would be very helpful if the bit companies would give basic 'how to' leaflets on these newer, exotic bits that make terrific complements for wood. Thanx again.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
These are great for gluing up boards from planks. And with a bit of math they are amazing for reinforcing a mitre joint. And it makes them look really neat.
Though given what bits like this cost, I'd say that for the hobbyist it's a better idea to spend the little bit extra and buy a spindle with a set of cutters and bearings. The extra flexibility is so worth it.
Jiggery pokery. The most important tool in the tool box!
Always wondered how to use those bits. Thanks for showing how it worked...
Ha! Exact issue I had! I ended up making a couple keys after I nailed it down so I can quickly adjust the bit and match it up. But I think you’ve got a better idea here if I can find the correct thickness material.
Hello Mr. Knecht
Thanks for great tips.
I learn a lot from them. Thank you
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thanks Colin. I've wondering if I should get that bit and you have answered a few of my questions
I'm glad I could be of help. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video, you have solved my problem. You are a wonderful craftsman
Not sure if you woodturn but making segments with that would make them really strong and look great.
What an excellent way by placing a board to raise the height instead of adjusting the bit! I have this bit but actually I bought it by mistake thinking that it was used in making joints on boxes.. .
Thanks for watching Kim!
My friend does edging on hardwood lengths with that bit. He does the whole length, then puts on on a contrasting coloured wood and trims it so you have a striped edge. Looks like plywood made of different coloured wood. Kind of cool looking.
That's a great idea! Thanks for watching!
Jigery pokery! Love that. Also, for the plastic lift, have someone 3d print it. I have several 3d printed pieces of exact thicknesses. They have saved my bacon.
IKEA makes whole panels with this. They are very strong and stable when glued in a staggering way.
Sounds good. Great video. If I can find one I will give it a try.
Thanks. I think a setup block that is the correct offset would work perfectly with the depth stop on a plunge router to do this.
Thanks for sharing this video with us, I appreciate such i now learned that there was A Router cutter. To do finger joint on wood
hello from France, Switzerland border. In French this is what we call " fer à entures". Check those words on RUclips and you will find some videos, in French for sure but you will understand drawings. That is what we use for example to link several boards to get long boards, before to glue laminate them. We build glue laminated structure up to 25 meters long in my workshop.we won the universal building exhibition in Milano in italy last year, for the French building. This kind of joint add a huge resistance at the end of each boards increasing the surface for glue.
THANK YOUUUUU I was confused on how I can make those cuts 😅
As always, very informative and interesting. Thanks Colin and G'day from Australia!
You're welcome and thanks for watching Robert!
Excellent video Paul. Very interesting.
I bought one if these to turn two 8' boards into one 16' board to repair a garage door. Close examination of the original door showed they used finger joints. The bit car said 'just flip it over', but as you discovered that doesn't work. Thanks for providing a solution.
Follow-up. After viewing your article, I found I could set my router 5\64th of an inch up to cut the second piece. I also tested moving it 5\32 of an inch down to cut thicker boards, and that worked also. I have to use a router with an edge guide because I can't really run an 8' board with the cut edge against the table fence without making a pretty substantial jig. Since I only have to make two finger joints, the edge guide should work fine.
I actually just repaired a futon that that had the long members spliced with this joint. Except it was about 1 in wide interlocked. I'd say its reasonably strong but the wood did separate on the joint exactly. So my initial impression is that it is not as strong as an actual unified piece of wood. As I think about it, it does seem like its essentially endgrain to endgrain since you cut both sides at an angle. Whereas a straight finger joint has smooth sides for a solid gluing surface.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas and talent keep up the great work.
Thanks Colin !
Another informative video.
I always learn something when watching your channel
I work for a large hardware company. I've seen finger joints used in a lot of the trim we get. Quarter Round and Base trim to name a few.
Thanks, I just spent $100 on a CMT bit and thought I was going crazy
It's a good example of those bit types. Surprising it did not solve the alignment as perfectly as I had anticipated when you displayed the shim you would use. Were the pieces slightly different thickness?
Lowes sells boards that are made from scraps put together with that cut. They are glued together to form longer, wider boards.
My thought is that this can be used in a similar way to build "bricks." If all the pieces are the same length, you can alternate contrasting wood and glue different board you make side-by-side until you have a 'brick wall' look.
Nice bit I like the idea of cutting boards.
in a visitors centre in kent uk there some large structural beams made from short boards Ieach I think of 300 mm in length and 100 mm width and 20/25 mm thick in horse chestnut with fine finger joints end on end these were then lined up vertically side by side with about 10 rows of similar sized boards all with finger joints so beam was about 200/250 mm in width each joint was staggered much like brickwork . then at at least 3 identical sized rows of finger jointed boards of 100 mm width were laid on top in the vertical effectively providing incredibly strong structural beams of 400mm high by 200/250 mm wide and of lengths up to 10 metres bolted or glued to together ??. These beams are curved for architectural purposes. from a distance they look like a single beam cut from a huge tree but really close up you can see the fine finger joints . Absolutely amazing .obviously engineered on an large scale but had me thinking of what one could do with scrap wood and finger joints ...
Очень приятно видеть людей увлеченых любимым делом.
Great explanation really helped me!!
Thanks it was very helpful
I think you should adjust fence so that shank carbide sticks at least a bit. That way it will ensure that all fingers are of exactly same needed length to fit well. I mean why would they be putting expensive carbide on the bit if they are not expecting it to cut?
Yeah, he's messing up the cut every time once the end of the board gets past his fence. He should be using a miter fence and insuring the entire end gets cut, including the "valleys" of the bit.
You will find this joint on a lot of hardwood furniture that's bought from furniture stores. Usually its covered over with dark stains and high polish finishes to hid the fact that the wood is hundreds of off cuts. The furniture looks and works fine but i took the finish off an oak table recently and found that the table designed to sit 10 was made from sections of oak no bigger than your test pieces and they were all jointed together with finger joints. Totally agree that there are lots of cool ways you could use those bits though.
Interesting! I've never seen that before ... but I also don't look at much new furniture. I've keep an eye out for this now!
NEW SUBSCRIBER - Thanks for great content! What brand/model router table?
Here a suggestion I do: after cutting the first board, lift the bit sitting so the board fingers touch the bit fingers then it will match perfectly. 😊
As always great video, I love the way you explain things, just revisiting your videos you gave a talent, God bless you!
I think it can be used for flat piece glue ups (cutting boards, etc.) To extend material and create variety and design
great! I learned something, thanks
Wow you made that way more difficult than it needs to be. All you needed to do was adjust the height of your router bit and when you get the height adjusted correctly, you can just flip the boards and they’ll fit together perfectly no plastic needed.
Ummm: am I missing the obvious here? You set up the cutter to make your initial the initial cut. Make the cut. The adjust the height of the bit so the tips of the blades meet the tips of the "points" (what do you call the peaks of the cut?). Then you run your next piece through it. If you lined up the peaks of the cutter with the peaks of the first piece, the second piece should fit like a glove.
Now, I've never used this bit nor a router table, but I think this would be easier than trying to find the right thickness of material for the offset. Also, one less piece of material on your table (the shim) is one less thing to worry about (the shim hitting the blades). Also: what if you don't have the correct thickness shim? Are you out of luck? Router tables are adjustable, as mentioned in this video, and the adjustment is very precise, as mentioned in this video: why wasn't that even attempted?
Bingo. This is precisely the required approach.
"Also: what if you don't have the correct thickness shim? Are you out of luck?" I feel like I'm the one missing the obvious, now. If you've a woodworking workshop, you make things. Why wouldn't you simply make the shim?
Given that "makers" have an expanding number of tools these days, 3D modeling and 3D printing make it trivial to create a plastic shim like this. Some calipers to measure the bit's offset between valley and peak down to tenths of a millimeter, some quick modeling, tell the printer to start and now you'd rarely need to fiddle with adjusting the router table. Sure, you've a 2mm bit of plastic or two in the shop, now, but it cost pennies to make and doesn't take up much space.
I like the idea of testing the elevation of the bit by inserting it into the piece you just cut to ensure it's the proper height now, but why go through that effort for every single cut you make with this bit, when a one-time creation of a shim makes it unnecessary?
Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Woodworking just already involves so many jigs and whatnot already, the idea of 2mm of material being a burden in the shop seems funny given that it'd save you countless table adjustments.
Colin it really makes my day to watch you, I love it because,,’you are fallible’,,Just like me,! 👍👍👏🏻👏🏻🇬🇧
I make mistakes all day long David, no worries! Thanks for watching!
With the cost of materials skyrocketing during COVID I think I’m gonna try this bit. What if you finger joint narrow boards then stagger the joints to glue up a bigger panel?
As always Colin...thanks you 4 another brillant video!!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
I was wondering after watching this video after you do the finger joints that you did can you do the same thing side to side. Might be a fun video to find out if you can. I have a project comming up that if possible would solve some problems for me thanks for any imput you might have. AND LIVE THE Channel keep it up Thanks Tom
Making me want to take out my finger joint bit and try it again!
THIS is the real " Board Stretcher". The one every newby is sent to find at the job site. Right? LOL.
Nice work man
If you mark T for top on one piece and B for bottom on the other. You can tell what way it needs adjusting after you've made the cut. If T is higher then the cutter needs to go up code versa for bottom.
Amazing bit of kit!
Might be good for joining boards edge to edge to increase the surface ofnthe joint
the undesirable offset that you experienced on the first couple of tries can be remedied without a piece of plastic to gauge the cut, just by raising or lowering the bit on the end of the wood (adjusting the bit or router motor up or down)... raising the bit slightly will bring the fingers HIGHER on the end grain, and as you are running the second piece of wood thru it UPSIDE DOWN, the fingers on this piece will be LOWER on the end grain, which can easily be seen when its rotated back to the mating position... the trick is to get the bit in the correct spot so that you can mill the ends of BOTH at at the same time, and then when you flip one of them over, it will make a perfect fit..... if you are doing a one off joint, the way you have shown is acceptable, but if you are doing many pieces to make longer material, getting the bit in the right spot so that you can run several ends thru the cutter all at once will make short work of it....
This particular finger joint bit (Freud 99-037) was annoying to work with at the outset because the packaging does not include instructions that define the distance by which you must offset the bit to make the mating cut on the second piece of wood, and also because the tooth-to-tooth dimension in the diagram in the packaging (21/64"), which you would need to calculate the offset, isn't even CLOSE to matching the actual tooth-to-tooth dimension on the bit. After carefully measuring the bit itself, I determined that the bit must be offset by .080" to make the mating cut. Because the bit is made in Italy, it's possible the offset Freud had in mind was a nice, even 2 mm (.0787", or .0013" less than I measured).
Great video. Thank for sharing.
awesome video... ..carpenter from malaysia..
Thank You!
I love this video.
Awesome you just corrected it wonderful
Or you're like me and you work with pallet wood and want to make a table...
Very nice video Colin, thank you very much for sharing
Thanks for watching!
I like it I like it,, learning more every day,,,,,
I've seen finger joints in husky bench tops and all over IKEA where there's any hardwood. It seems to make building large panels more cost effective for mass manufacturing
A friend worked at a window manufacturing plant, back when they built the frames out of clear fir. They would finger joint the frame material so there was no waste. They could make them any length, no cut off pieces, basically and endless board.
So I noticed you never posted the thickness of your Plastic. I'll bet though it's Distance between the Teeth div 2 ? I'm assuming that's your thickness of plastic, offset half the tooth, valley & tooth. Be interested to know if they sell shims that thickness w/ newer kits.
Great video video.The solution with the piece of acrylic is genious and simple at the same time.
Thanks for sharing. This is exactly what I need! Well, not really exactly. The price is far beyond my financial possibilities at this moment.
And it has a 1/2" shaft. I need 8 mm (about 1/3"). I wonder what the strengt of such a connection is. The cut outs are rather short.
Locally I buy Makita router bits. Just today I ordered a T shape router bit because they did not have it in the store. Next week I'll have a look for a finger-joint router bit.
Hope it comes in handy for ya. Thanks for watching, once again !!!
I bought a large amount of commercial finger jointed pine for a good price, after using it, I found why it was cheap....it just falls apart. They say it has 80 percent of the strength of normal timber, that might be the case if it is kept totally dry. From my experience it's a product to avoid.
Looks like fun with some interesting design possibilities. How about using a nice piece of hardwood for your push block as well as a setup block. One portion of the needed alignment on each end.
Of course, then you would need a box with finger joints to store your setup/push block and fancy router bit in! :~)
Love that router table Collin!
congratulations really very good
Seems like it would be good for edge-joining boards for panels. More surface area for glue, and it would maintain alignment in the glue up similar to biscuits or dowels.
Yes, I plan todo more test with it soon! Thanks for watching!
How about edging with hard wood to cover up the plywood edges?
Thanks a great idea! Thanks for sharing it!
Can we do that on the long?
Is thumbs up , agree or you want to know too? Lol
Can this be made somehow into a box joint? Instead of dovetails, finger joints?
Thank you for your videos! Can you make a video and comment on buying used power tools. Anything that would stand out for you and any of your experiences... thank you
I'll add that to my list, Jeff!
Its a very strong glue joint as the glue suface is 3 or more times the width of the original surface, finger jointing has been used in the furniture buisiness for many many years, as its invisible inside setees and armchairs that uses hardwood for their constuction..
Nice!!!🤝🤝🤝from indonesia
thanks - held of buying one, but will now
I do understand this is an old video... However I am interested to know if this technique could be used in making boxes? Creating the finger joints on the sides of a box?
You would square finger joints, but yes you could.
The fingers are flat ended and the router bit creates a rounded socket for it so there is a gap at the end of each finger so to speak. Are there any bits that can produce a rounded finger to match the profile of the cut sockets?
I think the main intention for this router bit is for joining boards in the other direction than what you're doing here. (So it's sort of a replacement for using something like a biscuit joiner for making wider boards.) I think. I could be completely wrong.
There's a practical limit to the length of joints that can be made with this bit, whether parallel to the grain or perpendicular to it, because the vagaries of the wood (stresses relieved by the cutting process, defects, grain, etc.) will come into play in long joints, and it can be difficult to squeeze and clamp long joints together. The application demonstrated in this video--to join the narrow ends of boards to make longer boards--is the best use of the bit. For edge-gluing long boards to make wider boards (without using splines or a lot of biscuits), there are specific bits available, which create simpler "glue joint" profiles (having fewer and coarser "fingers").
Will this bit work on edge grain? If so, and I"m guessing it will, how about using it to edge-glue material to make panels? Overkill? Fun?
Thanks for information how to make finger joints
I would love to have one of those bits,I use a lot of pallet wood and they are always to short for big projects .I was just wondering how strong the joint would be,could you do a strength test ?
One of the best - I have one - is sold by Lee Valley,and is adjustable.
Perfect use for lengthening wood, as for strength, remember strength is all in the surface area. Finger joints like this would give a lot of surface area. If you could measure all the peaks and valleys you would have one large glue area. In other words this would work great in adding length to your stock.
I have used this bit a lot and I like it. As for strength, well there are many mouldings that use this type of joint to make their boards longer and of course less scrap. If you want to make a board 16 ft long, this is great. The glue is important too. If you were just making a moulding this is great, however if you are joining 2x4s and using it as a support, I would not use it here. However I have seen "I" beams 24 ft in length using this type of joint, 2x3 and OBS to make floor joists, so go figure. Just try it and test it to see if it meets the requirements that you need. All in all, it is still a great investment and a nice bit to have. I hope this help you. Tim
Look at all the "Glue stress test videos" The glue joint breaks after or before .I think Tim is correct,it is the glue that is most important and having a good fit,which I have always had with these bits. You see plenty of 2x3 construction lumber in stores,so I think the strength question is kind of mute.
Taylor Guitars did a video a few years ago of this type of finger joint in the headstock/neck area, then showed it being broken with a shop jig that had a pressure gauge. The necks with the finger joints actually withstood more pressure!