Thread: Routing tenons

In a Table or freehand

Another question from me.....
fixed or loose tenons????

Don't have a routing table so would be looking freehand.

Fixed tenons.

Thanks.
Af.

Right!!! Now we have a plan of attack.
There are heaps of jigs described here.....so scroll down to the bottom of the page and there you'll find a Google search bit.........click on the search for woodworkforum.com type in mortice & tenon router jigs.....press search......and then we'll see you next week sometime
There are some great jigs there.

If you have a tablesaw, I'd say it would probably be easier and quicker to cut your tenons that way. If you just have a router without table, maybe loose tenons are the way to go
cheers!

Looking at a number of jigs, that's what I'm thinking I may end up doing. Cutting a tenon with a router on a router table should be okay I assume?

Are router tables built specifically for each brand/model of router or are they reasonable generic to fit?

They are generic except for the ones with router lifts built in. You could build your own very cheaply and easily which would be better than a cheap one. See http://www.gifkins.com.au/Gifkins%20...%20version.pdf

Okay, I've decided to take the plunge (pun intended) and get myself a good router table.

I currently have a Festool 1440 router. Any recommendations for what table would work? What should I look out for? What things do I need to consider?

Thanks,
Af.

Hi Afro,

I have a 1400, but havent considered it for under the table use. Personally I think for under the table, you would be better off using a Triton router. It comes with everything you need to get it working well under the table.
Ive cut tenons on my router table, with the use of a miter gauge (with a miter slot fitted into the router table top), it worked quite well
Im sure there are other suitable ways to make tenons on the router table
Tablesaw is faster and easier though

Originally Posted by Afro Boy

Okay, I've decided to take the plunge (pun intended) and get myself a good router table.

I currently have a Festool 1440 router. Any recommendations for what table would work? What should I look out for? What things do I need to consider?

Thanks,
Af.

Here is a link to a fantastic home built router table. Seriously, this bloke is good

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ighlight=TABLE

Just do it!

No need for a router table, just lay all the piece's to be tennoned next to each other then use a straight edge as a guide for the router, set the bit height and "bobs yer uncle", obviously you'll need to rotate the piece's to do each side.

Thanks Harry. That's exactly what I trialled yesterday on some scrap so the confirmation from you is encouraging.

I'm working with 70x70 legs (pine) and need to cut in a square tenon which have a 15mm shoulder and is 70mm long. Basically I'm realising it will take a number of cuts (depth wise) and then continual adjusting along the length of the tenon.

The continual depth changing and adjustment of the router position is certainly teaching me patience which is a good thing!

Doing a couple at the moment and thats the way I had planed to do them my mortise is 15mmx20mm deep my problem is all my router bits are imperial and largest I have is 1/2"

I could cut the tenon to suit I suppose or just use the micro adjustment on my new GMC Router

I could cut the tenon to suit I suppose

I have never seen any recommendation by anyone that would advocate doing it any other way. It doesnt matter what the mortice size is you hcan always fit the tenon and if you make a mistake it can be easily fixed. Pretty hard to reliably fix a mortice.