triton finger jointer

[jow104]

I set up the triton finger jointer today and did some trial runs.
Reading and perusing information on a router they all seem to stress to take small bites with a router.

However with the finger jointer the instructions suggest the 1/2" bit is raised 0.5mm above the depth of the workpiece.

This means that with a 20mm thickness of timber you are whacking out a large chunk in one go.
With some timbers it appears O.K. but others (MDF in particular) it a reel No No!!!!

I also note that the triton instruction sheet shows the corners of a box using finger joints has been rounder off.. I can guess why !!!! (the joints have many tear outs)
How do other forum members get on?

[John Saxton]

Hi, no offense intended but ignore the bloody instructions and use common sense as you have stated.
What you have to think of is the intention of the instruction may well have been designed by someone who has had no practical experience.(It could be misconstrued in translation)

With the statement that the bit is raised 0.5mm above the depth /thickness of the timber could well be intended to mean on the final pass of the cut.
Taking such a large bite will put not only undue stress on you but also your router, your bit ,and your timber or material that you're using.

ALWAYS take the cut in small bites/passes ..and as many as you and the machine/bit are comfortable with to achieve your desired cut thereby reducing heat and rapid dulling of the bit.
Also remember to use the speed best suited for the bit to arrive at it's best performance.
I use a finger joint jig on the Leigh and by using light passes and back cuts the result is better with a steady approach.
Cheers:)

[jow104]

I did consider taking smaller bites after seeing the results of my first finger joints.

BUT !!

If there are 8 finger joints to one corner and you make 4 passes each finger !!!!!!!!!!

Thats 32 passes per corner . I dont think my back would stand it (adjusting the depth setting each time) and my wife would possibley note a fall off in performance after 6 draws ( 18 corners that 576 passes)

Need I say more

[John Saxton]

If you use the step setting on your router ( I reckon its a great time saver) then tear-out will be minimal because of the shallow staging of cuts providing the bits are keen.

It is a pain in the butt having to do numerous passes but to achieve that nice clean finish its probably necessary.
Also if you are of a tall stature and using a Work bench/tool it becomes tedious.I have my Leigh set up at a height that is above the waist mounted on a stand that I use on my workbench but long runs can still be exertive.
May I suggest that if you find it tiring only do so much of that task at any one time and share your time having a spell doing other tasks that require your time in your shed.

Doing numerous cuts like a set of drawers can be physically tiring maintaining the stance needed with all the safety applications in place glasses/hearing muffs and the noise or climate factor.
It is generally conceived by most that they like to finish the task at hand and move on to the next step but as we get older we need to pace ourselves moreover with power tools so we retain the comfort level physically and mentally.
Cheers:)

[jow104]

Thank you johnno for your very helpful advice.
It certainly sounds a good idea to break off and restart again to avoid fatigue. I will try and remember this tip for other applications as well.

[Stuart]

I'm not going to disagree with the other posts, but I haven't had any problem with single passes. Having a backing helps prevent tearout. Have only used pine to make finger joints, however- have had no call to make them from MDF. The look of MDF kind of defeats the purpose of having a decorative joint doesn't it?

One excellent piece of advice I was given for making joints tighter or looser, was to adjust the guide using a single sheet of paper as a spacer.

[mikmaz1]

hi all,
my 2cents worth in regards to multiple passes in the finger joints.(i do them in a single pass)
would you make multiple passes when doing a d/tail joint with the router? i think not , even though this cutter is made weaker by the narrow neck of the shaft.
seeyasoon mik.

[John Saxton]

This thread relative to finger jointing with the router and the concerns originally of the router bit extended slightly above the cut in one pass raised the issue that jow was not entirely comfortable with the amount of material taken out in one pass/bite and the tear-out.

MDF appears to be one of his main concerns with this so the softly softly approach as one would expect would naturally be the way to go with this being of a fibrous nature (along with the glue compounds)as to in effect give cause for concern.

Whilst some may feel that they can in turn achieve a desired result in one pass of the joint thats fair enough...but others may be desirous of a cautious approach moreover if the cost of the material/tooling is restrictive or they may not have access to a lot of timber/product.

Mik, in terms of routing with dovetail bits ...yes I do do more than one pass for dovetail bits and because both a straight and an angled bit are used I do a shallow pass and a back cut to reduce tear-out as I would a sliding dovetail.

Cheers:)