which is the preferred way to machine tenons?

[Anonymous]

hello,
am setting myself up my first workshop,bit small to house a tenoner along with all the other machines. So my question is when cutting large tenons(ex 5" stiles) what is the next best option after using a tenoner?
Is it possible to cut large tenons on a spindle moulder with recessed fixing nut cutter block?
would much appreciate any advice as am at a bit of a loss!
cheers
paul

 

[Noel]

Paul, depending on stile lenght you've a big choice:
By hand, dedicated bench top m + t jig (shop made or Trend/Leigh),
table saw (with mitre gauge and jig), bandsaw, router table, RAS and a few other methods that I can't think of. Spindle moulder? Might be possible, no experience of one.

Noel

 

[aldel]

pcarter77

For tenons that size I would use the band saw.

Aldel

 

[Knot Competent]

The Trend M & T jig will only do max. 4" x 2" timber - unfortunately!

Regards, John

 

[Anonymous]

hi
i agree with aldel and noely, but i think tenons are boring enough
without messing about with a trend m/t jig, unless you is bald and talk like a australian
http://www.dewalt.com/us/articles/artic ... ing&ID=244

 

[Anonymous]

thank you for your replies
cheers
paul

 

[Midnight]

Paul..

the bed project built last year needed some massive tennons.. I used a hand saw to cut the cheeks, milled the bulk of the waste off the faces with a router and shop made jig before relying heavily on hand planes to make the thing fit in the mortise properly.. my 73 earned its keep on that job..!!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Paul
If you have a well set up bandsaw, that is a good way to cut the cheeks. Work from the same face and use a spacer, that way the tenons will all be the same thickness, even if your stock isn't.
I usually cut the shoulder on a RAS. A crosscut sled on a TS also works well.

Very large tenons I nibble away on the RAS.

Angled tenons I do with a jig and router, end-on like the Rat.

Lots to select from, I'd say. Have fun choosing.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Jake]

All of them, angled or not, I do on the table saw (its a pull saw) and then trim back the bits between the kerfs (word's escaped me) with a chisel. Simply because it is a matter of seconds to set up and the extra pull strokes only take a second or two each. The set up time for any other method isn't worth it in my view. I guess I'd be the same with a RAS or SCMS (of the right type) which is the same thing upside down, although the mitre fences on my table saw speed up angled ones no end.

Jake

 

[Midnight]

The set up time for any other method isn't worth it in my view.

I take it that this is with the proviso that the size / weight of the piece in question works safely with the chosen tool??
In the instance I outlined above, 18kg oak rails in excess of 2200mm long don't lend themselves to too many tools; I'd hate to have to control that with a table saw and mitre guage...

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul

At 5" across, I would cut the cheeks with a sliding mitre saw and the faces on a bandsaw.

 

[ike]

Ditto. For large tenons I use the SCMS. Or handraulically, Faces:- I make a series of crosscuts with the tenon saw and paring off the waste with the chisel, then final clean up and fit using the shoulder plane (a 3110 in my case).
Sides:- bandsawed usually.

Ike

 

[Aragorn]

I'd use the Leigh FMT for that size M&T :twisted:

 

[Scott]

I'd cut the cheeks on the bandsaw and the shoulders by hand then clean up with a shoulder plane.