[Closed] Woodwork help required

Will a track saw be a bit too rough/strong on such a small bit of wood (cutting down 10mm and leaving 10mm of material)

It would be ideal (in the sense that you already have it and it can do the job) . Trenching cuts - cuts that don't go all the way through the material- are something plunge saws are particularly good for.

The only challenge is keeping the saw stable when working with a track across narrow material. The trick is cut several he joints at the same time - lay all the wood out side by side so that you have a more stable base for the rail to sit on (support the rail further with off cuts of the same material). This is giving you a more stable base fo the rail but its also easier to accurately position and square the rail when you are working across a larger area

Then make your half depth cuts - the first, accurate cut at the edge of your joint then move the rail  across the waste area a few mm and cut again and repeat - like making Hasselback potatoes. You can then knock out all the waste with a chisel.  Depending on the size of the joint you can make those cuts so close together than you effectively mill out the material in the same way as you would with a router - but plan the area you are cutting to make sure you've got good support under the rail as you work

Lap joints would be fine.
You could cut the shoulders quite nicely with a track saw(well supported) then make a few relief cuts in the waste then chisel away the rest.
That would work fairly well.
You'll get a nice consistent depth with a track saw once you dial it in.

Another way might be to do butt joints with a couple of dowels.
Look for some dowel points which make marking much easier. You can probably get a cheap kit with the bit in and everything.

Alternatively, buy a Festool Domino.

I was about to go off on one that half laps are the devils work (not strong, not easy) and you should instead spend a wee bit on a pocket hole jig from kreg. Dowelling jig as above would be a half way house. But actually, why not? Half lap should be ok and you’ve already got a good tool to do it. To make life easier and give a better finish, how about cutting the laps over long, so they stick out the end of the joint, then come back with the track saw to cut the whole door and joint down to size once jointed.

The second point of my rant would have been to use hardwood. You’ll actually find it much easier to work for joinery like this, vs pine which could literally fall apart before your eyes as you fine tune a fiddly joint. But maybe save the hardwood for the next project, let’s crack on.

Or lap joints, then dowel peg though them for a nice detail and strength.

Domino... Always Domino assuming you already have one.

Thanks all. Will try and source some pine next week, dust off the rusty chisel lurking in the garage somewhere and give the track laps a go.

Check out Peter Millard on YouTube. He will answer all your questions. I make furniture (not quite to Kayak23 standard in some cases) and I really rate him.

Regardless of whether you use it on this job, buy the router anyway

Buy a router, if possible get one that can do plunge routing, it's fun

The second point of my rant would have been to use hardwood. You’ll actually find it much easier to work for joinery like this, vs pine which could literally fall apart before your eyes as you fine tune a fiddly joint. But maybe save the hardwood for the next project, let’s crack on.

Yes, pine is generally a bit shit, unless it's old and/or been seasoned properly.

The point about making the lap joint ends too long and then cutting down is a good one, I teach every Yr7 to do that. Means you can cut and then sand down to a smart finish.

The very first thing they give you to make at college for a diploma, is 6 pieces of pine(About 6"x2"x1") to make 3 joints. A half lap,a mortise and tenon and a half lap dovetail.
If you screw it up they give you some more pieces.

Its not difficult exercises, but it shows you what you need to do, and practice makes perfect.

Take some short pieces and get to it.
You'll need a marking gauge, a tenon saw, a pencil and sharp 1/2" and 3/4" chisels.
Hand or block plane optional.

Personally I don't see why everything needs to be cut using a machine of some sort. Cutting a half lap will take only a few minutes using a handsaw.

Hand cut method

Just got a kreg pocket hole jig. I’m well impressed, wish I’d got one sooner.

Pocket hole isn't ideal in this instance as when you open the doors you'll see whacking great pocket holes which look bad.

You can fill them but that'll also look a bit rubbish. Kreg do pre-cut dedicated wooden plugs for filling pocket holes which will look better than wood filler but the nature of pocket holes means you always get that long elliptical hole that sticks out a mile.

I'd only ever use them where they won't be seen.

A router is tricky to do that type of joint on handheld as you are cutting away the very thing you're resting on. It's much easier inverted in a table router, and you'll still need some sort of guide so you don't cut past the shoulders, and it doesn't sound like you have all that.

Nah, hand saw and lap it, butt and dowel it, or lap and dowel.

Finally got round to doing this!

It took a couple of attempts at the lap joints to get a good even depth series of cuts.

I'm pretty pleased with how the doors came out. The match to the old stained pine is pretty good.

The biggest pain was installing the concealed hinges as the counter sunk holes were not deep enough for the supplied screws.

Thanks for the advice all.

Haunched tenons.

All in or nothing.

Describing half laps as the devils work then suggesting pocketholes...

Nice one djambo. That looks dope!

H. Missed the original dates. Looks good!

You're winning. That turned out very nicely.

Looks great djambo!

Personally I don’t see why everything needs to be cut using a machine of some sort. Cutting a half lap will take only a few minutes using a handsaw.

I have found using hand tools in some situations is better and cleaner. But I would limit that to cross cutting boards or smaller trimming jobs. Anything that requires precision I just don’t do often enough to do well so I use a machine.

The good thing is that machines allow you to do precise work quickly and easily, as long as you use decent materials. I tend to avoid pine and stick to oak when I can as it’s easier to use a router on. I find it easier to chisel oak as well if I need to do some tidying up.

Next thing I’m buying is a table saw which I think I’ll get a lot of use out of. But I’m also buying some quality hand tools as I need them to try and improve those skills as well.

The way I look at it is that if I had to buy or get someone else to make the thing I want it’s probable cost way more than buying the machine that helps me do it myself so I may as well give it a go.

I got a mini plunge circular saw yesterday, can't imagine needing more than that and the oscillating tool for most woodwork I do now, brilliant little thing. So easy to just clamp up a straight edge and cut where the workpiece is, rather than shuffling back and forth to wherever the mitre saw is.

Well done Djambo. I make really nice furniture for a living. You make really nice furniture.

@djambo - That is a very good job of it, got the colour matching really nice as well.

Surprisingly tricky matching stain colours or finishes as the age and type of wood can make it harder.

Very nice Djambo. you should maybe stain the wicker, it looks too much the contrast to the stained timber.

Well done OP. Regarding hinges, flush hinges are the work of the anti-christ plus they are weak.you can back bevel the door edge to help stop the hinge binding but much better to sink in a butt hinge.