What’s your favorite method for makin…
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What’s your favorite method for making tenons?
- Commercial tenoning jig for tablesaw
- Shopmade tenoning jig for tablesaw
- Dado set
- Bandsaw and tablesaw
- Handsaw
- Other (post in Knots)
You will not be able to change your vote.
Replies
Since I got my Domino over a year ago, I have not made a "traditional" tennon. I used to make them on the band saw though...
Peter
www.jpswoodworking.com
"Other" = Domino
Better life through Zoodles and poutine...
David,
Since I'm in line with getting one of those tax refunds and not wanting to irritate the poilticians in Washington I now use gov't specs. for laying out tenons:
Measure with micrometer, mark with chalk and cut with an axe. Then file to fit.
View Image
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Other: Purchase loose tenon stock from Lee Valley and use a router jig to make mortises in both halves of the joint.
But I do cut some tenons, and most half-lap and bridle joints, on the bandsaw.
-Steve
Other: Leigh FMT, chose this over Domino...
Leigh FMT
David,
I got the Vega machine, which uses a router motor and upcut bit. I think they are out of business now, but I read about the machine in a FWW article several years ago. It was relatively inexpensive, and makes repeatable, accurate tenons. Relatively easy to set up/ adjust. Cuts angled tenons, and round self tenons(attached dowels, as it were) and allegedly, box (finger) joints as well, tho I've never done the box joint thing.
Ray
I use a cheese grater and fuel myself with a 12-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon.
http://www.ithacawoodworker.com
They still make Pubers!? 16 ouncers?
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Yes, I drink only the finest of beverages;)
http://www.ithacawoodworker.com
Pass the Sapphire, please.
I like the woodrat best, as it makes piston-fitters.
But I use all them other methods, as well as the router in various guises, just to play. Which one shall it be termorra? I just don't know until I steps into the shed.....
Lataxe the inconsistent.
Me too... Woodrat
David,
I use a tablesaw and the standard 1/8" kerf blade. I clear most of the waste using the miter gauge and the fence as a stop before sliding the workpiece across the blade with the miter gauge as a fence.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Most of the tenon I make are fairly short, so I use the table saw with a standard blade and the miter gauge.
Rick W
Loose tenons, David.
Cut mortice in both components with a horizontal mortiser and use available scrap to manufacture tenons to fit.
Cheers,
eddie
I love my Domino. (Anyone in England want to buy a redundant morticing machine?)
I haven't made atenon since I bought the Dowel Max about a year ago.
I'm old enough to have, and still use a radial arm saw.
David:
I use a shop-made horizontal routing attachment, fitted with a Bosch trim router which attaches to the shop-made router table/table extension on my table saw.
dewesq
Other = cut on the table saw, regular blade. Easy, minimal set up, no jig required.
I have been making mortise and tenon joints, although small, using my Epilog Laser machine. I just superimpose a square on the edge of a piece for the tenon, delete the center and inside lines, and make a corresponding rectangle as wide as the wood is thick for the mortise.
Grouter.
I use a variety of methods but the one I'm liking most these days is my Leigh FMT.
I typically use a tablesaw jig I made which glides on the fence, to get the job done faster. But I really enjoy cutting tenons and mortises by hand for fine furniture pieces. Nothing bets the satisfactionof looking at a join that is perfect and you cut it with you own hands.
I guess if I were making a bunch of tenons, I might be interested in a jig/tool for the job, but for the way I work, a marking gauge, saw and shoulder plane is my favorite way to go.
I thought I would like the bandsaw, since it is my most used power tool, but it didn't turn out to be the case.
The only time I use anything other than the handsaw, is for wide tenons like those on slant front desk lids or sideboard sides and backs, where I use the router and fence.
Rob Millard
http://www.americanfederalperiod.com
nice web site and BEAUTIFUL furniture!
Jeff
Jeff,
Thank you.
Rob Millard
http://www.americanfederalperiod.com
For one or two, I don't bother with the dado set, I use the tablesaw with a single blade. I didn't try my Delta tenonning jig yet, but I bought it particularly for angled tenons. I like using loose tenons because it's fast, versatile and accurate (when setup is done). I plan to build Ernie Conover's horizontal router table from FWW #147. It looks great and should helps making tenons very easy and fast.
Serge
I mount two blades in the table saw, spacing them with the inner blades from my dado set. I use shims to get the exact width I need to match the mortices I cut in the rails. Then I use the Delta jig to hold the rails and pass them through the saw. I use a shoulder plane to perfect the fit.
I made all the doors in my house this way. The tenons were 2 1/2 inches long land about 3 inches wide 1/2 thick. Cut the mortices with a morticing machne. Fit pretty well. Pegged all the joints.
Stef
Single end tenoner or spindle moulder with appropriate tooling. At a pinch I'll use a bandsaw, though. Tablesaw with unguarded blade is too dangerous for my liking
Scrit
Nuclear-powered laser cutter on a CNC machine. This is set up on a hydraulic jack and vacuum clamp to make sure nothing moves during the vital cuts.
However I still prefer to use a backsaw, shoulder plane and occasionally a steam-powered bandsaw at times.
Regards from Perth
Derek
I use a shop made jig for the router. It can handle mortises as well as tenons.
Not an original idea, I saw it in shop notes or woodsmith one of those.
It works best with an up cut spiral bit!
Chaim
Make your own mistakes not someone elses, this is a good way to be original !
I like your hammer wind chimes in the background....;>) AZMO <!----><!----><!---->
-----------_o
---------_'-,>
-------(*)/ (*) http://www.EarthArtLandscape.com
Thanks I have people inquire of it from all around but your the first to see it for what it truly is... Modern Art!
Thank you once again.
Chaim P.S. I like your work But I noticed that there are no wind chimes.
Make your own mistakes not someone elses, this is a good way to be original !
Edited 5/3/2008 2:19 pm by chaim
I have also just purchased the Domino and in many cases prefer it
to the traditional mortise and tenons.
I am building the interior doors for our new house. The Doors are four panel doors.
http://www.superwoodworks.com/Projects/PanelDoors.htm
On the last door I used the Domino to make the loose tenons. The doors are very rigid and machining /assembly time was less. As a result I will likely be using the traditonal methods less in the future.
http://www.superwoodworks.com
I use a tenon jig I made from a plan from Jim McCleary of provenwoodworking.com with a plunge router with a rabbeting bit. It makes pretty tenons that are obscenely crisp and square. Key is a router bit with a long shank and various sized rub collars. I believe this is also what Pat Warner uses (or may have invented) as well and he sells jigs pre-made along with long router bits.
This is a very safe method and with a dust collector on a router a pretty dust free one.
I use floating tenons. IMO easier and just as strong and provided some flexibility in adjusting. (domino)
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Edited 5/4/2008 8:54 am by bones
When doing exterior joinery on items like doors, sash windows, etc I was taught to use through tenons with wedges and glue every time. the reasoning is simple - even if the glue joint fails, the wedges will retain structural integrity. I've seen quite a few Victorian (i.e. pre-1900) sash windows and doors made in this manner which are still in one piece so somebody must have got the original design right. Are you sure that a joint depending totally on glue will actually outlive you?
Scrit
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