Cutting tenons w jig or not?

[Matt Roth]

Help me understand what my tenoning jig can accomplish that I cannot do with miter guage and a dado or even chipping away material with a regular blade until the tenon is formed.

I hope I'm being clear with this question...I've used the tenoning jig to make cuts with the boards on end, but can make the same cuts with the same board flat on the table saw using a miter guage. Seems like two ways to accomplish the same thing. What am I missing?

[Mike Henderson]

I only use a tenon jig for complex tenons. For regular straight tenons, I cut them with a dado blade, a sled, and a stop block. I've cut them with the regular saw blade when I didn't want to put the dado set on - just takes a bit longer.

Mike

[M Toupin]

More than one way to skin the cat... the jig is just faster.

Mike

[Rob Grubbs]

Not only can it be accomplished in those two ways, it can also be done by a host of others. Whatever method works with the tools you have at hand and achieves the best and safest results is the one you should use.
To try to answer your question, your tenoning jig can't accomplish anything that can't be accomplished many other ways, including a hand saw.

[glenn bradley]

I'm with M Toupin (didn't we used to use full names here?); If I am doing a dozen, I set up the jig and let 'er rip (no pun intended). Other ways are just as good for a few. I feel the same about dovetails, a few drawers in a piece or if the style demands; hand do them. 24 drawers in a wall unit, break out the jig.

[John Thompson]

I have a tenoning jig and it works as mentioned.. I have done them with a Freud Box Jointer cutter... but I have basically gone the circle and come back to how I did them in the 70's... I cut them with a 19 T pull saw by hand and it's just as quick frankly without all the set-up ado involved with the mechanical methods.

More than one way to skin a cat and many methods also mentioned hits the nail directly on the head.

Sarge..