# Tenon Jig



## Deej (23 Dec 2012)

This is the tenon jig i made a couple of months ago. a lot of the jigs out there couldn't manage to cut a tenon big enough for what i wanted. i borrowed some ideas from Matthias Wandel at woodgears.ca however his jig also would've been too small.




You can see in this picture the adjustable stops which let you set the jig to cut both sides of the tenon which is handy for making doors as it enables you to set it up once and this will cut all of your tenons.










This is the first time i used the jig to make some "rustic" stools for a customer.






I've since made a door using the jig. so i cut the tenons on an 8" bottom rail which went through a 4 1/4" stile. could possibly cut slightly more than this but it's adequate for most doors which is mainly what i wanted it for.


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## Steve Maskery (23 Dec 2012)

Don't tell me - Guards removed for clarity?
Why on earth did you put so much effort into building something so - second best. Sorry, but that is exactly what you have done.
How long does it take to set up? How do you guard it?
I've no doubt the end results are fine tenons, but that is not the best way to create them on the tablesaw.


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## powertools (23 Dec 2012)

Bet your'e pleased you posted that now, looks ok to me perhaps we both need to buy a dvd.
Happy Christmas to all.
With only 1 day left has anyone got plans I can use to make a guard for the electric carving knife.


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## Deej (23 Dec 2012)

Thanks for the feedback steve. Please let me explain my jig further.

When i first looked into making a jig i did some research online and as i turns out i did come across your youtube video on your design of tenon jig.

Let me explain why i went with this design

Your jig would not have worked with my table saw as the fence on it only runs part of the length of the table. Also a table saw fence is much more likely to lose accuracy over time than the groove/mitre slot ground into the bed.
I needed a jig that would run with the groove on the outside of the blade, to fit my table saw and one that would stay accurate

In answer to your questions
1. No i will admit that i haven't made any guards for it yet.

2. "Second best" Let me quote from your youtube videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XXftwASnK8
Your jig cuts tenons *upto 80mm*. Wow!
Well that should come in handy when I make the doors for my barbie dream house.

Now your response to someone who said Matthias wandels jig is better

"As it happens I love Matthias's work, but in this particular instance I believe that my﻿ jig is more useable. Sure it's not as mechanically glamourous, but it's a lot quicker to set up and just as quick in actual cutting operation. See my justification a few posts down.
If you want to have credibility, you need to explain what you mean by "better" and be able to justify that claim.
Just like I can" 

How is it Quicker to set up?? You didn't "justify that claim", do that before you claim any credibility. His jig and my imitation are put onto the table saw, the workpiece is clamped to it and the stops are set in the time it takes to tighten two wing nuts.

3. How do i guard it?
I haven't made guards for it yet, however i can operate it and still be at a good distance from the blade and stood off to the side. At no point does any part of the user go over the table of the saw or over the blade. thats something that you are taught at school should never happen.
Your jig requires the user to stand inline with the blade pushing directly down towards the blade and if something goes wrong there's a piece of thin mdf between you and the saw blade. 

And my final evidence that this style of jig is superior,
Currently on youtube 

Matthias Wandel 277,567 views 335 likes 10 dislikeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_BB7uwmPFY
Steve Maskery 111,047 views 61 likes 18 dislikes.

Sorry, matthias is clearly the favourite. your design will always be a poor second, if that.

Still guess you have to do all you can for a sale. Shame to have all those dvds going mouldy in the attic.


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## RogerBoyle (23 Dec 2012)

powertools":118kriwj said:


> Bet your'e pleased you posted that now, looks ok to me perhaps we both need to buy a dvd.
> Happy Christmas to all.
> With only 1 day left has anyone got plans I can use to make a guard for the electric carving knife.



Actually I have PMSL :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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## Steve Maskery (23 Dec 2012)

Well that is a good riposte, I'll grant you that! 
Not entirely accurate, of course, but feisty. I have no wish to fall out with you, and I don't expect you to buy any DVD, but i stand by every word I say.

You say it takes as long as it takes to tighten two wing nuts. At what position do you tighten them? How many test cuts do you have to make to get it right? What if the tenon is the right size, but is not in quite the right place to make a face-frame flush? How do you move the whole thing over by , for example 0.2mm? Perhaps I am missing something, but my understanding is that it is a nudge here and there. Mine is moveable on a lead screw. No test cuts for size, just one for position. Then Away I go. I do not have to make any test cuts for size. It is always right, first time every time.
As to capacity, how does your jig have a bigger capacity than mine? 80mm is the most any jig can get out of any 10" saw blade, surely? When I want more than that I do the same job with an equivalent jig on the bandsaw.
The point you make about the fence is a fair one. I have made a version that runs in the mitre track, but I don't think that is on any film, YouTube or the DVD, so you cannot be expected to know about that. That is fair enough.
I do not expect to win you over, but please, at least make a guard for it!
Steve


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## ColeyS1 (23 Dec 2012)

I was a little shocked at your first reply Steve. The op had only posted 6 times- luckily your reply didn't scare them away.....


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## Steve Maskery (23 Dec 2012)

I didn't notice that, Simon, perhaps I was bit heavy handed.
It's just that I get a bit jumpy when people post pictures of unguarded saw blades to do a job for which tablesaws were not originally intended. Beginners can get the impression it's all OK when it most definitely is not.

Now. let me address the subject of unguarded carving knives...


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