Replies

1. 
   JeffHeath | Dec 31, 2009 09:37am | #1

   Lie Nielsen makes the low angle rabbeting plane, which is designed specifically for this process. I make my tenons just ever so slightly over sized, and a couple of quick passes on each side of the tenon until it fits perfectly.

   You can also trim them down with a patternmaker's rasp, but it's no where near as accurate, and takes a little more practice to get it right.

   Jeff

1. 
   boilerbay | Dec 31, 2009 09:54am | #2

   Also a plane maker's float
   BB
   Also a plane maker's float

   BB

2. 
   salamfam | Dec 31, 2009 10:07am | #3

   I second the low angle rabbet block plane. I have one and it works great for this purpose.

   I tried to post a picture but can't seem to find a way to do it here. Can anyone help me?

3. 
   hammer1 | Dec 31, 2009 10:20am | #4

   It will cut your labor time and improve accuracy if you can cut your tenons to fit without a secondary operation like planing. There are a few milling rules you have to follow along the way. For instance, if you cut tenons by referencing from both faces of your stock, all the stock must be equal in thickness. This usually means planing all the boards at the same setting, not going back and trying to get that same setting on the planer, later.

   Holding a hand plane, even a small rabbet plane on a small tenon and getting it to cut evenly and accurately is a real challenge. So much easier to use a paring chisel. With a plane, you can only cut cross grain. With a chisel, you can work in any direction. Working cross grain with a plane typically results in blowout at the outfeed side. An 1 1/2" tenon is too small to cut in from both sides. A timberframe tenon is a different story.

   If you can get your milling and joint cutting accurate, you will only have to fit your tenons on rare occasions. Leaving a little extra to whittle on introduces the possibility of error, not to mention additional time.

1. 
   derekcohen | Dec 31, 2009 11:28am | #5

   Hi Dan

   The most accurate method of trimming a tenon cheek is to use a router plane ...

   View Image

   This will ensure that the cheek is parallel.

   For very fine tuning, use a rasp, file or float. For removing a lot of waste, either the #60 1/2R rabbet block plane or #140 skew block plane, both by LN.

   Reference: A Primer for Mortice-and-Tenon Joints http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AHandcutMorticeandTenonPrimer-BlindMortice.html

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

1. 
   boilerbay | Jan 01, 2010 09:39am | #7

   Derek,
   I've always thought of
   Derek,

   I've always thought of the router plane as one ob the best to uniformly sneak up on the width. I have noticed that it has "screw" hole through the base. At least I think they are rather than "look down to see where you are locater holes". Have you ever added a sub base on it when doing longer tenons than the width of the base?

   Thanks

   BB

1. 
   derekcohen | Jan 01, 2010 10:11am | #9

   Have you ever added a sub base on it when doing longer tenons than the width of the base?

   Hi BB

   With the exception of through tenons, most tenons rarely are greater than 1" - 1 1/2" long. I find no difficulty balancing the router plane on one side for a tenon this size. Keep the pressure firm and you will be OK. For longer tenons you will need an extension.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

2. 
   tooljunkie12 | Jan 02, 2010 01:19am | #12

   Derek, How did you add the photo to your reply?

1. 
   mikeddd | Jan 02, 2010 11:01am | #14

   tooljunkie:

   Read the thread Chris started on Signing Your Work, they go into detail there on how to post pictures when your replying to a message.

   Mike

4. 
   philip | Jan 01, 2010 03:54am | #6

   Suggestions? I think that if you make tenons by machine then there should be no need to make any further adjustments as long as that machine is "right" and the other machining processes such as consistent thicknessing of parts, reference methods etc are appropriate.

   At worst you may have to shave a hair or two now and again and especially since you are doing short tenons I would tweak by use of a nice wide bevel edge chisel-quick and easy. The last thing I would use is a rasp or sand paper. The router as suggested by Derek is accurate but slow and not good for long tenons unless bridged-even more slow, and anyway if you needs to take off that amount then a re-visit of the tenon machining set up or method would be more appropriate.

   But I am just commenting from the point of view that cutting tenons is fairly boring and needs to be done as quickly as possible. In the (extreme) event of some really wayward tenons I would dust off the old Stanley #10.1/2.....

   (;) (;)

5. 
   chgorugbyref | Jan 01, 2010 09:48am | #8

   I just went through this exercise the past couple of days, fitting the tenons for a bed project. I cut the tenons on the dado stack which left a fairly rough surface. I used the LN low angle rabbet plane to clean them up, but it didn't seem to have the mass and I kept smashing my fingers (user issues...). I moved to the rasp and file and found I got far better results and no smashed fingers. I cut the next round of tenons using the router and I got smooth cheeks and next to no fine-tuning. I would vote for the rasp file approach followed up by the plane if necessary.

6. 
   Jammersix | Jan 01, 2010 07:53pm | #10

   I'm with Hammer1 and
   I'm with Hammer1 and Phillip.

   Set the machine up right in the first place, and skip the "tuning".

   I've always wondered about this, because I've never found the need to do it, so I've always wondered what you guys who do it knew that I don't. :)

1. 
   WillGeorge | Jan 02, 2010 10:29am | #13

   Set the machine up right in the first place, and skip the "tuning".

   I've always wondered about this, because I've never found the need to do it, so I've always wondered what you guys who do it knew that I don't. :)

   I usually cut mine on a router table. I normally do not use loose tenons. I have found that making a nice fit one day and trying for the same fit a few days later may or may not require 'tuning'... I have a large and medium Veritas shoulder plane but frankly I have "operator" problems using them. They work very well for making long tenons but I usually ruin the short ones. Trimming the shoulders seems to work for me but NOT the faces.

7. 
   AZMO | Jan 01, 2010 10:26pm | #11

   I use a LV rabbit plane to trim if I need to. Esp using a table saw and flipping them over leads to some variance, down pressure on the stock as it passes over the cutter, exact thickness in the stock etc. In small tendons, rails and such, it is hard to keep the plane level, so I use 1/2" ply scraps on both sides to keep it fairly level. The height of the plane keeps the fingers out of the way as well. It is nice to cut them right the first time and not mess with them again, but in hard maple they need a bit more precision than softer Cherry.

   AZMO