Thread: Cutting tenons on long lenghts

Originally Posted by DPR

So having spent the weekend practising cutting tenons on my workcentre I realise that using 12" lenghts of softwood is very different from the 2meters x 80mm hardwood that I really want to tenon.

Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to achieve this? I also have a router and table.

The easiest way is to mortice them instead, using a Rocker jig or slot morticer, and then use floating tenons.

Rocker

Or cut them using a bandsaw or by hand.

If you haven't cut them by hand before, use a marking gauge to mark the tenons. Use a rip saw to make all the cuts along the grain before using a crosscut to cut the shoulders.

Cutting along the grain is best in done three steps for each cut.

Cut from the centre of the top to the shoulder on an angle, then cut from the centre to the other shoulder, complete the cut by sawing parallel to the shoulders.

It sounds tedious and as if it might take forever but in reality it is quite fast. Obviously a production run would be done best using the power machines.

Gday DPR, here's a couple of ideas from my "archives"

The idea of using a "ski" on the fence rods may be suitable as it would prevent the bit from cutting too deep if you tip the router.

Depending how many you need to cut, you could gang together the workpieces to give the router base more bearing area.

For the rods, you could either use the existing rods for your router side fence, or get some allthread, nuts, and wingnuts.

The article suggested cutting the shoulders with a hand saw first, you could do this or use a circular saw, or the router alone.

A combination of the two jigs could be the go, the ski to limit depth and a straight edge clamped on the workpiece at a right angle to guide and limit the shoulder cut.

HTH.........cheers.............Sean

As Rocker has stated mortice them either with his great jig or with lose tenons as I did for some dining chairs.



Select a straight router bit that will fit your needs & cut away. Then use a round over bit ½ the diameter of the mortice on timber that is thicknessed to fit the slots you cut.

I did about 8 at weekend on tablesaw / hand combination. Real pain and not great - think I will have problems down line and am still half tempted to sawthe lot off and go with floating tenons as suggested earier in post. Would still have same lenght runners (for work bench).

How do floating tenons compare re strength. In work bench I think strenght is important.

If you have a few to do, it is probably easiest just to use your router.

1. Lay out all the parts side by side and clamp them together,
2. Mark where you want your tenon to stop,
3. Set a straight edge for your router so it cuts up to the mark,
4. Set the depth of cut,
5. Start cutting from the outside working your way in so the router is supported the whole time,
6. Flip all you pieces over and do the other side,
7. Stand the pieces on edge, readjust router depth if necessary and finish your tenons.

Cheers, Jack

IMO, floating tenons would be just as strong as regular tenons, probably stronger, if the regular tenons are not accurately cut.

Rocker

What a fantastic forum this is especially for me as a novice to all this woodworking. Well I think I'm going to practice with the router and jigs method first on a long piece of 'scrap' wood.

Also thanks to Sean for suggesting I clamp pieces together because I actually want to tenon 4 pieces and I was going to rip them first and then tenon but its obviously going to be more accurate to tenon then cut.

Thanks again to you all.

David

Dave's original question was how do you cut the tenons on the ends of long lengths.

Scooter's pictures show how to route the tenons.

But for loose tenons, I don't see how you would route the slot. Do you hold the router horizontally and route the end-slot that way? What's this jig Rocker talks about?

Originally Posted by John G

What's this jig Rocker talks about?

John,

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=5633

Looking at that thread, I see that you said, in 2003, that you had read my article on it. Seems as if Alzheimer's is taking its toll.

My jig can be clamped to the end of a long board which is then clamped vertically in a vice, and you can rout the mortice for the loose tenon by standing on your workbench.

Rocker

David, I think common wisdom has it a good idea to cut the mortices first then cut the tenon sizes to suit, easier to fine tune the tenon than the mortice.


Good luck..............cheers................Sean

Having just finished 72 about half an hour ago, i find the easiest way is to first cut the shoulders all way round on the table saw, then mark and cut the tennon around one mill over size on the bandsaw, then back on the tablesaw with stops set up, move the timber back and foward over the blade to flatten to size. Quick and very accurate

Sean,

That was what I was recommending - cut the mortices first using my jig, and, say, a 3/8" spiral bit, and then use 3/8" thick loose tenon stock cut to the same width as the mortice.

Rpcker

Originally Posted by Rocker

Sean,

That was what I was recommending - cut the mortices first using my jig, and, say, a 3/8" spiral bit, and then use 3/8" thick loose tenon stock cut to the same width as the mortice.

Rpcker

Loose tenons are the best way, but DPR has 2000 x 80 x 80mm lengths. Unless he has a slot morticer its to tricky. On those lengths he would best cut tenons