: Happy New Year all!!

: Is a scarf joint inherently stronger than a lap joint of the same
: length?

: I have been playing around with different joints today and I find
: the scarf joint a little more finicky than the other woodworking
: joints than I'm used to. How much flex do the stringers need. I
: created a butt joint reinforced by two pocket screws and it is
: darn near unbreakable, but I sense it may be too rigid.

: Thanks for any advice,
: Jim A.

Couple advantages to a scraf joint, one it's pretty strong assuming it is long enough, usually at least 8:1 and often up to 12:1, length vs. thickness.

The big advantage is, done correctly, the scarf doesn't adversely effect the bending of a piece of wood, so the scarf bends naturally just like there was no joint in the wood. A lap joint will end up with a hard spot that'll tend to straighten the bend where the joint is.

Bill H.