FishyFish Tolman Alaskan Skiff and Boat Building Forums

Scarfing is a very simple process! Jig is not required

The John Henry jig is awesome but the power planer, purchased separately, is spendy.

For bright finish where you need tight joints, the jig is very helpful. I have found that a handheld belt sander is almost as good if I mark my lines well and use 80 or 120 grit to add patience and avoid over sanding.

For a painted boat, perfect scarph joints are not needed. In fact, imperfect joints with gobs of epoxy to fill the imperfections are better than perfect joints that are over-clamped and starved of epoxy.

I will never again try a scarphing jig on a circular saw, regardless of bright or painted.

More info at http://seascull.blogspot.com/2014/02/scarphing-101.html

I think I saw potato chip crumbs in the epoxy on one of the pics.

You have a keen eye. Those potato chip crumbs are from my experiments using potato chips and shredded Jockey shorts mixed with Loctite PL as a substitute for epoxy reinforced with fiberglass.

I've made scarfs several ways - every method mentioned works. Hands down, the easiest, quickest, cleanest, most precise scarfs were made with the scarf jig attached to my circular saw made to Renns specifications in the book. Well worth the effort to make this for your saw. 1/4" & 3/8" straight through. 1/2" goes deep enough for a perfect guide to finish by hand.

There's no right way, jig or bait as long as you get what you went out for aye.

I wish I'd made a jig rather than sanding them sheets down with a grinder.

I made this jig too. I had an old craftsman saw that I had beat up pretty bad already so I removed the guards and made the opening large enough for an 8 inch blade and VIOLA!

one pass 1/2 inch scarfs.

Any photos?  Ken

I made a jig like MikeS a couple nights ago, so freakin easy to use, If you make the bottom piece thinner it will cut deeper, I bet 1/4" plywood for the bottom piece would work. I made it 18" long.  Just clamp a strait edge to the panel and go.  I attached drawing.