Stair tread caps

[coalsmok]

I need to dress up the stairs into our basement. The treads are made of 2x pine lumber and are looking rough. I have left this on the back burner but haven't found a oak that will yield 12"wide quarter sawn treads yet 😀. Rather than replace the entire tread I would like to do something like the 1/2" tread caps that lowes sells out of white oak.
  What would be the easiest what to join the edges of my boards together?  The ones at lowes use a finger joint, but would a straight edge be strong enough?  I would have to buy any router bit needed but compared to the cost of pre made ones that's fairly cheap and I will still have it for other projects down the road.

[yukon cornelius]

I have been tongue and groove joining a LOT lately.  I bought a set of router bits on ebay for around $30 total with shipping included and I have put lots of lumber through them. they are holding up very well. I pass the edges over a joiner first to make sure I start with a true edge.

[Magicman]

After doing a good bit of T&G during this past couple of years, I could see an application for gluing.  It almost doubles the surface.

[coalsmok]

Yukon do you care to share the brand of the bits you bought. I was planing on buying a set of tounge and groove cutters anyway. I am just wondering if there is enough benefit to the finger joint for glue ups to justify its purchase.

[yukon cornelius]

There is no brand on them. The ebay item number is 141544294506. I bought the 4 piece set 1/2" shank tongue and groove and car siding set. The tongue and groove is set for 3/4 inch material and I have been making multiple passes when joining up to 2inch material. I have ran quite a bit through them and even been using them for cutting grooves for other projects an its working very well. My 4 piece set was 50 is dollars. The 2 piece set is around 30. For me it was well spent. The car siding on the other hand wad a mistake on my part. It clearly states it is for 1 1/4" material and not the 3/4 I expected. There is nothing wrong with them but the wrong size for what I wanted. So its not a fancy name brand......I am here to say I was not dissappointed. I thought I wanted to try with a lesser cost bit to see if tongue and groove would fit my joining needs. I can't imagine needing anything for a long time.

The best part for me is the lessened clamp time. Some projects never get clamped. I glue, fit together, check the joint and let it sit.

If that number doesn't work to find it let me know and I will try to get a link for you to check.

[coalsmok]

Thanks Yukon the number worked.  I have been looking at the bits from that seller and wondered if they were any good. Think after Christmas I will order some from him. A little birdie says I'm getting a 1/2" router for Christmas.