mortise and tenon joints

[woodman619]

mortise and tenon joints. does any one know how to make the tenon joint?

[cpw]

Originally Posted by woodman619

mortise and tenon joints. does any one know how to make the tenon joint?

The tenon is the easy part. If you've got a table saw, you can just nibble away the outside of the tenon either with a regular blade or a dado. Mortises are tougher, but a plunge router works OK.

This is a good video:
http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/season1/110/

[wbrooks]

What tool do you want to use? TS, BS, router, hand plane, there are many ways

[woodman619]

well i used chisels to make mortise

[Hacksaw123]

I made one of these for my table saw.

[woodman619]

may i ask what u made?

[Bob D.]

Originally Posted by woodman619

well i used chisels to make mortise

Then you probably want to cut your tenons with a tenon saw.

And clean them up with a chisel and/or plane

[Gofor]

If you already have the mortise, probably a hand saw will be the fastest way to make the tenon. Cut on the outside of the line, and use the chisel to fine tune it. If fine furniture, undercut (slightly bevel from face deeper to tenon) the face side a little, and cut the back side a bit long for a tight fit, especially of you are using a draw pin/peg. Always reference the face side when laying out your cut lines.

Sounds like a loaded question

Go

PS By Hand saw I mean a tenon saw, back saw, or rip saw, depending on the size and application.

[Wood_Junkie]

Originally Posted by woodman619

mortise and tenon joints. does any one know how to make the tenon joint?

You can make a tenon with just about every powertool there is, plus two or three different hand tools.

Options:
Table saw:
-- Dado blade is easiest
-- Nibble method uses standard blade, but takes a while and results are "jagged".
-- Tenoning jig. Other user posted a pic of a shop-made version. You can also buy these from any woodworking store.
The limitation with the tenoning jig is the height of your ceiling over your tablesaw.

Router:
-- Several jigs and methods to create tenons, whether using a table mounted router or freehand.

Bandsaw
-- Four cuts and you'll be done. But your control of the stock determines whether or not it's straight.

Jigsaw
-- Can be done, similar to the bandsaw, but harder to get "clean" results.


Hand tools:
-- Chisels. Slow, but if you like hand work...
-- Tenon saw; back saw, coping saw, dovetail saw... just about any saw with a nice stiff or tension held blade could work. Same approach as with a bandsaw. Make four cuts and you're done.
-- Plane. Possible, but prone to blowing out the far side that you're planing. Slow, I would think..

Check any woodworking magazine within the past 6 months and you'll probably find at least 2-3 articles on making M&T joints, and specific techniques for making each joint. Ironically, the mortise is the harder part!

[CWSmith]

Probably the length of the piece you are "tenoning" will, to a large degree, dictate what tool you will use.

Like you, I have cut my mortices by hand with a chisel. On a few occasions, that's been a job for the chisel from start to finish. I've also used my drill press to bore out most of the stock and then used the chisel to clean it up a bit. I've done the same using a hand-held power drill and a drill-guide and have also used a brace and auger bit (remember those?).

For the tenon, I've cut most of it away with my radial arm saw and, if the stock isn't too long, I quite imagine that the table saw could do likewise. For shorter pieces, my router table would be my first choice I think as it requires no cleanup at all, as you don't get any left-over ridges as you would using a table or RAS.

With longer pieces, I have used a hand-held router, but you need to set it up so that you have support for the router base as you carve away the stock. I usually clamp a straight piece of stock at the base of the tenon, to ensure I get an even cut and then use a piece of stock the same thickness as your workpiece at the outer end, to provide support for the base.

As previously posted (excellent post, BTW) by Wood_Junkie, many different tools are applicable. For me, the size/length of your workpiece (stock) depends on whether you bring the tool to the stock (long) or the stock to the tool (short).

I hope this helps,

CWS