I know there’s a lenghty ongoing mortise and tenon discussion (but it seems to have petered out/veered off track). Anyways, I’m attempting to build mortise and tenon frames for my kitchen cabinet project and was able to buy some very nice quatersawn white oak boards (1 x 6″ x 8) from a guy on craigslist. Rather than pay the Boston market $5.20/ft, I paid about $3.90. (I also bought a brand-new, in-the-box Ridgid jointer on craigslist for $225 as opposed to $479 + tax at HD.) Rather than hack up the good wood to practice I bought some poplar and cut the mortises with my craftsman benchtop mortiser. They came out pretty good; a little rough on the inside but sharp corners and cut to the size I wanted.
I’m cutting the tenons on my Ridgid 3650 table saw using a Freud dadoe set. Those are a little harder to get accurate but with some block sanding and a little trimming, I’m getting close to something I would put on my cabinets.
Here’s a question, though. Once I cut my rails and stiles to length from wood that is planed and jointed from the lumber yard on all four sides, but before I cut the mortises and tenons — should I mill the wood through my planer and jointer. I ask because my poplar, although OK with my Mor.-and-ten., was a bit a warped that threw off the glue up. What’s the process you use to mill lumber in the rail and stile process? Thank you.
Replies
Yes -- its always a good idea to be sure that you wood is flat, straight, and square.
If it is not, your cabinet frames won't be -- flat straight, or square.
j,
If you are going to mill your stock do it before cutting any joints imho.
Leave your stock long in all directions while milling do not cut it to size yet.If you do get some snipe on the ends having the longer boards is handy .
You really should not use the edges that come on the stock to make precision joints unless it is sold as such and you see it is right .
You need to create your own square and straight edges in your milling process
regards dusty
Dusty,
" If you are going to mill your stock do it before cutting any joints imho."Dusty, you know, you are doing it the easy way.
Do you always do things the easy way?
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Dusty, you know, you are doing it the easy way. Do you always do things the easy way? I sometimes hire a contractor to do the hard stuff! :>)
"Here's a question, though. Once I cut my rails and stiles to length from wood that is planed and jointed from the lumber yard on all four sides, but before I cut the mortises and tenons -- should I mill the wood through my planer and jointer."
I advise you to joint and thickness plane your timber regardless of if it has already been machined in a lumber yard. You will then know that it is straight, "square" and consistent thickness. If you are to machine cut any joints then these specs are especially critical for registration purposes on fences, stops etc. Example: mortices will not be in the middle if thickness of stock varies.
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