Tongue & Groove-No Router Table?

[Richard D]

I want to cut a tongue and groove in 1/2" thick cedar, but I only have a trim router that uses 1/4" shank bits. Is this safe? Can anyone recommend an in-expensive bit set? I'm only doing four boards.

 

[MattGarage]

Will need a way to stabilize and may not be able to take the whole pass at once. Successive passes with increasing depth? Sounds like a pretty thin arrangement that may not give needed strength. Can sometimes buy individual bits for the price of an inexpensive set or so. HF has a set that includes a 1/4 bit but the quality of that set is low end and can cause damage. Would be better to buy a $10 carbide bit.

 

[Lumpy102]

Wow half inch cedar? pretty delicate. do you have a table saw? I'd try cutting the tongue and groove with my tablesaw if I didn't have a good router table and a fine bit. With a quarter inch groove you'd only have an eighth left on either side and that would make for pretty delicate edges. I think dividing the half inch board in thirds would leave a bit more robust edges. just my thoughts

 

[Roert42]

Table saw works good for tonged and groove, but can be labor intensive if doing a bunch. If you have a big enough table saw you can use a dado blade, makes it a bit easier. However, for a thinner board, your kerf may be thick enough you might not have to do a bunch of extra work.

 

[Richard D]

No table saw either. This is a quick project, a sample if you will, to see if I like the colors as this will be wall paneling.

 

[billconner]

Consider just a kerf in both edges and some splines? Seems easier.

 

[mike93lx]

If it's just for a color check, why bother with the joinery? **** joints and face nails will be a lot easier and faster

 

[gleman]

Are your sample pieces long?

Trying to freehand with a trim router isn't going to be easy.
Do you have access to a table saw?

 

[MattGarage]

Glue em up w some Home Depot paint sticks for backing?

 

[strutaeng]

What tools do you have? Does it have to be T&G?

I was thinking v groove (chamfer on each board) with biscuits. You probably don't have a biscuit joiner, do you?

Half lap is another option with a rabbeting cutter.

You should be able to find cutters that you can cut the groove, the adjust the height and plow out the tongue (flipping the board over.)

In the old days there were pretty inexpensive Stanley metal planes that did T&G. A few years ago you could even find those planes pretty cheap, just sharpen/hone the iron.

 

[Richard D]

I think I will just **** them together as mentioned. It's just a 36"x48" section of the wall between the front door and a window, to see if I like it. Cedar fence pickets sanded and wiped with boiled linseed oil. Should be quick cheap and easy. Budget is pretty tight.

 

[Richard D]

I actually have a Stanley 55(45?) with about a hundred accessories, never used it.

 

[tarbellb]

Mount your router (upside down) into a temporary table top. Plunge a zero clearance hole through, clamp a fence for your gap.

 

[Richard D]

I have a cheap HF router table. I have removed the motor and am adapting another router, just haven't finished it yet.

 

[Ohmthis]

A half lap joint will give you what you want here.

This is an example of a homemade jig that can easily be made to use your hand router with. You probably have enough scraps to make a jig that will work. Hope this helps.