8 ways to make end-to-end joints that hold
Miter-cut scarf joints
Try this joint for an even larger gluing surface. Begin by making a 4:1 angle guide that's more than double the width of the workpieces. (The guide shown in the photos measures 5x20" for a 2"-wide workpiece.) Identical cleats on both sides of the triangle help position it on the face of both workpieces, as shown at right. Mark angles on both workpieces, and bandsaw the pieces to within 1/32" of the lines on the waste sides.
Next, chuck a straight bit in your router. Clamp the guide and workpiece together against the top of a firm surface, such as your workbench, with the workpiece edge overhanging. Place the triangular piece of scrap removed by the bandsaw beneath the angled guide and next to the narrow tip, as shown in middle photo, to help stabilize the router base and back your cut at the tip. Then trim the remaining waste down to your marked line. Flip the guide upside down and rout the other workpiece.
To assemble the joint, glue the mitered edges and hold them loosely together so both edges form straight lines. Then clamp both pieces to a flat surface to prevent them from slipping when you clamp the joint together, as shown in bottom right photo.
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