Neat demonstration of the need for woodworking accuracy.
How much is that piece of wood going to contract and expand across its width with humidity (and temperature) changes?
I don't have Hoadley's book, but I vaguely recall when I built a bookcase with both maple and sycamore, looking up the rates of expansion (to make sure they matched), and it was something like 1/8 or 1/4" across the depth of the bookcase. That gives something like .006" per inch, a bigger gap than any of the loose joints the BCTW video shows.
Well, in this cas, my firm opinion is practical. I own a Kerfmaker Pro. Been in my possession since the beginning of October. I've only used it twice, but both times, the joints were flawless.
All this stuff about being overpriced and unnecessary overlooks several things. The first is that similar joints made by me in the past were poorly done. Obviously, that's my fault because I hadn't learned the proper procedures. Now with the Kerfmaker my joints are exceptional. Maybe I might be criticised for spending my money and taking what some might call a shortcut. But, now I have the confidence and ability to construct them well and will do so. Isn't that the most important thing in woodworking, to build ever better constructed projects? Doesn't matter so much as how you get there, just that you find a means to do so.
I'll agree with your assessment that the Kerfmaker is unnecessary, The joint can be cut with a hand held circular saw with no real need for a TS which will cost much more. I agree with your assessment that the Kerfmaker is exorbitantly priced, all of Bridge City Tools are, yet I own several of their tools.
If you actually cut half lap joints on a regular basis or avoid them because they can be a lot of trouble to reproduce accurately over and over than, I don't agree that the tool is overrated, it does exactly what it is designed to do with VERY little effort and chance of error. If would be overrated if it showed even a hint of not being able to do what it was designed to do, perfectly. There is no flaw in the design and if the joint does not come out correctly it is not the fault of the Kerfmaker.
Unless you have actually used one your assumption that it is overrated is not valid. If you have used one and still feel that it is over rated you really don't have the skill to do accurate work any way.
Now that is not to say that you are not a skilled woodworker, it is only to indicate that this tool makes as much sense and works as dependably as an electric on/off switch on a corded tool. You can stop and start an electric power tool by simply plugging it in and unplugging the power cord but life is soooo much easier if you don't have to do that every time you want to use the tool.
There are days when my right knee feels like it has razor blade fragments in it. The other morning, I couldn't lower my right arm after I combed my hair...not without cringeworthy/tear-inducing bolts of blue neon pain. Then a bit of a crunch and all is well for weeks and weeks. It all depends on how I slept on it. I blame the years of gruelling dirt-bike riding...and the fact that the shoulder and knee are both on the same side, makes me think it could have been that same tree that totalled my Husqvarna.
I'm getting tired of the noises, only I can hear, when I turn my head. Coming from the base of my neck, it seems to resonate through the bones, one of these days when I am driving and check over my right shoulder it may get interesting.....
I concede your point about the tool not being overrated. I am sure it does work very well for its intended purpose and I do like the design and implementation. I still would call it unnecessary, as it takes less than a minute to cut a piece of stock that will do precisely the same thing. And that method doesn't anything to be recalibrated if you change blades.
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