Tenons with a router & table

[david babcock]

I've now read tons of interesting stuff about cutting tenons; saw some complex looking jigs and a cool hand tenon router of Harry Strasil.

SO whats the simplest way to cut a small tenon without a dado blade?
I have to cut dozens of 3/8" tenons on 3/4 stock. Is there not a decent way to do this on a router table?

[Dan Barr]

all you have to do is set your fence and bit height. especially for tenons where all the sides are the same. just use a block behind the piece to push it through.

on a 3/4" piece cutting a 3/8" X 3/8" X 3/8" tenon, i would use a 1/2" straight bit. set the fence to 3/8" deep from the outermost edge of the bit. i would set the height of the bit to 3/16". then i could run all of the pieces quickly.

hope this helps,

dan

[Bill Huber]

Do you have a left on your router table?

The tenon is really easy.
Set the fence so the bit cuts the amount you want to cut on one side of the board. Flip the board over and do the other side, this way the tenon is centered.
I used a square board as a push stick and this keeps the board square to the table. On the ends stacked 2 board to my miter guide and run them though and then turned them and did the other side.


For the mortise.
Just set start stop on the right side of fence, set a stop, stop on the left side of the fence. The set the board on the table over the 3/8 straight bit and then raise the router to the depth you want. Now just push the board to the stop, stop and lower the router.

That's it, I have done this a few times and it works find.

[david babcock]

all you have to do is set your fence and bit height. especially for tenons where all the sides are the same. just use a block behind the piece to push it through.

on a 3/4" piece cutting a 3/8" X 3/8" X 3/8" tenon, i would use a 1/2" straight bit. set the fence to 3/8" deep from the outermost edge of the bit. i would set the height of the bit to 3/16". then i could run all of the pieces quickly.

hope this helps,

dan

Dan,
thanks for the quick help! I tried running a sample board through and it splintered pretty good. I was running the slat through horizontally (laying on its side) Should I stand it up vertically and use a feather guide or something like that?

[Dan Barr]

make sure youre pushing the piece through with a scrap block behind it, otherwise you'll get that same tearout again and again. i would make two blocks or one with these two sides

the first one flat and the second one with a 3/16" nib (or whatever size your cutting) that sticks out to support the tenon after the first cut.

ciao,

dan

here's the idea:

[david babcock]

make sure youre pushing the piece through with a scrap block behind it, otherwise you'll get that same tearout again and again. i would make two blocks or one with these two sides

the first one flat and the second one with a 3/16" nib (or whatever size your cutting) that sticks out to support the tenon after the first cut.

ciao,

dan

here's the idea:

Whoa- I was doing it all wrong. I was running the slat towards the blade length wise, with its length towards the fence- no wonder it was splitting.

Dan you are the man. Thank you.