Gary,
I’m a big fan your work and I read and enjoyed your article about cutting tenons.
However, I need some advice on best practices on cutting tenons with the table saw.
I have a European saw with a sliding table and no miter gauge slots for a vertical tenon jig.
But, I’d like to cut tenons using the saw, as I have a number of long pieces. Is a dado blade the best option here?
Or, do I need to consider making the tenons another way? My bandsaw produces decent tenons, but the faces are not very smooth.
Any thoughts on this?
Edited 10/31/2007 12:30 pm ET by Corrib
Edited 10/31/2007 12:32 pm ET by Corrib
Replies
Corrib,
Thanks for your kind words. If you look in my book on joinery, you'll see a shop made jig for cutting tenons. It holds your piece vertically while you run the jig tight up against the fence to make the cheek cut. You could also make a tenoning jig that fits over a T-square type fence for better stability. I prefer these methods.
A dado blade will also work to cut tenons. Just make sure that your stock is flat and milled with parallel sides so that your tenons come out a consistent size.
A band saw cut will work for you if you clean up the cheek cuts with a shoulder or bullnose plane. Good luck. Gary
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