Replies

1. 
   pritcharded | Mar 27, 2005 07:37am | #1

   Using a bandsaw is fine. Fine tune the cheeks with either a shoulder plane, chisel or a router if necessary.

2. 
   hammer1 | Mar 27, 2005 07:37am | #2

   I like to use the table saw and dado blades holding the rail flat to the table. You could either use a sled or the miter gauge with a long fence attached. I had to cope some 12' rails last week for raised panel wainscoting and I used the router. I clamped a backer piece in line with the rail to eliminate tearout. The cope bit had a bearing so I didn't need a guide bar. You could do the same with a straight bit and guide bar if the rails are too long for the saw. 40" shouldn't be a problem. With the dado blades, even thickness of stock will be important since you will be cutting from both sides. You can leave the tenon a shade strong and pare it down to fit if in doubt.

   Cutting the shoulders would be a little hard with just the bandsaw. The cheeks would be fine. I would set up a stop block so you don't go to deep. Check either set up with some scrap of equal thickness as the rails.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

3. 
   BG | Mar 27, 2005 01:22pm | #3

   repairman,
   It does depend on how many I have to cut...but,in general, I like to cut the shoulders on the table saw and cut the cheeks on the bandsaw using a fense. With some scrap pieces to experiment with setup is fairly quick.

    

4. 
   Routerman | Mar 27, 2005 04:28pm | #4

   Jig at the tenonmaker link is insensitive to work length.

   Similar contraption in old FWW, x this author.

1. 
   MarkRD | Mar 27, 2005 07:58pm | #6

   except that you might have to be 8 feet tall for a 6' board.THe jig actually looks quite cool and reasonably easy to build. Thanks for posting it.Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

5. 
   Dustmight | Mar 27, 2005 05:48pm | #5

   Nothing wrong with a handsaw and chisels when the piece is unwiedly for a power tool...

6. 
   joinerswork | Mar 28, 2005 03:41pm | #7

   repairman,

   An alternative not yet suggested: waste the cheeks on radial arm saw (multiple cuts with regular blade), fine tune with rabbet plane.  If you are tempted to use a dado blade on radial arm saw, be sure to PUSH the blade thru the cut from the "outside", don't pull forward as you would with normal sawblade.  Dado will grab and pull itself into the cut, with possible disastrous results.  I've got a neighbor down the road who has stubs for fingers from just such an accident.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   Repairman87 | Mar 28, 2005 04:59pm | #8

   Thanks for all the great suggestions!

2. 
   Woodhead | Mar 31, 2005 02:36pm | #10

   I've been using a radial arm saw with dado head for cutting tennons, and have noticed the tendency for the saw to want to "run" across the timber, as you mentioned. However, if I push rather than pull the cutting head into the timber, will it not want to "throw" it in the push direction? I use a backing fence, but somehow pushing doesn't seem right. But I'll certainly be trying this next time. THANKS for the post..Richard

1. 
   joinerswork | Mar 31, 2005 02:57pm | #11

   Wood,

   Yes the tendency is for the dado head to push the stock more tightly against the fence, just as it does with the crosscut fence on a tablesaw.   Slow and steady, it is more controllable.  I've never seen it try to throw anything this way.  The worst part about this technique, (aside from having to eat the chips, thrown right into your face) is it's awkward using it to cut a gain (groove) somewhere across the middle of a long, fairly wide piece.  That's where I usually find a different set-up to do the same thing.

   If it doesn't feel right to you, I'd suggest that you go with your feeling.  Don't go on my say-so.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   Woodhead | Apr 01, 2005 12:21am | #12

   Ray, once I try it I'm sure it will be OK. I'm just used to a pulling motion on the radial arm saw. As additional comments on this topic, I use my radial arm saw with dado for cutting all tennons - whatever the length of the stock. Using a stop against the fence and setting the depth, you can quickly cut multiple tennons. However, with wide stock, say door rails over 120mm, I use my panel saw. My radial arm fence is only about 100mm high. I once tried cutting the shoulder tennon with the stock "standing up" against the fence, but a little higher than the fence. The force of the saw blade against the stock which was not "fully" backed by the fence caused it to throw the work piece backward (suddenly and very "violently"!). I ended up with a small knick to a finger but learned a BIG lesson. Radial arm saw work pieces must be fully fenced / backed. Richard

1. 
   MarkRoderick | Apr 01, 2005 12:58am | #13

   On some projects I've cut the tenon by hand to about 1/32" (not trusting myself any closer), then cleaned it up on the RAS. Much less danger that way and much, much less dust, but also slower.

7. 
   MarkRoderick | Mar 28, 2005 08:03pm | #9

   This is an application that cries out for the good old radial arm saw.