Log tenons?

[Dave Cav]

One of my students wants to make some log-style furniture using round tenons on the end of the pieces. I can't spend a couple hundred $$$ for a round tenon cutter just for one student, and would prefer not to cobble anything up to cut them with a router; anyone got any suggestions for some neander or semi-neander methods of cutting these?

thanks

[Frank Drew]

Dave,

I'd probably prefer rectangular tenons, but if the tenons have to be round, and the logs are reasonably straight, the easiest method I could think of would be to mount the logs between centers on a lathe and turn the tenons. Easy peasy.

If lathes aren't considered sufficiently Neander, then I guess your student could use a compass to describe a circle the diameter of the desired tenon on the ends of the log, use a hand saw to cut a shoulder all around the log at the tenon length distance away from the ends, then use a chisel to carefully pare away the waste, checking his diameter often.

[Dave Cav]

Dave,

I'd probably prefer rectangular tenons, but if the tenons have to be round, and the logs are reasonably straight, the easiest method I could think of would be to mount the logs between centers on a lathe and turn the tenons. Easy peasy.

Thanks; I have considered that (and may give it a try) but all of our lathes are Jet mini lathes, including one with an extended bed and I worry about one jumping off the counter from an out of balance log. If I still had a decent PM or Delta full size lathe it would be easy, but we surplused the last one years ago when the Reeves drive gave out.

[Rob Lee]

One of my students wants to make some log-style furniture using round tenons on the end of the pieces. I can't spend a couple hundred $$$ for a round tenon cutter just for one student, and would prefer not to cobble anything up to cut them with a router; anyone got any suggestions for some neander or semi-neander methods of cutting these?

thanks

Hi Dave...

Cheap solution - use a hole saw to form the round tenon, and saw through to the base of the cut...

Cheers -

Rob

[Jason Roehl]

I once made log tenons where I needed an angled shoulder. Basically, I used a hole saw to give me a reference diameter as well as a pilot hole. Then, I build a jig that I clamped to my table saw behind the blade and to the side. The jig was just a right angle with a couple supports and a large lag screw in the upright. Using a pneumatic impact wrench, I ran the lag screw into the end of the log. Then, with my TS blade at 45º, I would raise the blade a little at a time (1/32" or 1/16" as I recall), then rotate the log by hand and repeat the process until it was done. I don't remember the exact placement of the jig or the blade in relation to the log, so you could experiment, but I ended up with the angled shoulders and a cylindrical tenon.

[Andrew Gibson]

I think I would go at it with a saw, a draw knife, and a spoke shave if a lathe was not an option.

I think you could get quite good results without much trouble. I am sure you could make some form of plane that would smooth up the tenon once it is roughed out. I would think the basic design of a wooden screw box would work.

[steve germanson]

I do a lot of rustic log furniture and I use a hole saw and draw knife. Trace the hole saw on the end of the tenon piece. Use a draw knife to get it to size. Use the hole saw to make the mortise and just chiesel out the inside. Works well and is cheap and easy. Using this method you can use different size hole saws depending on this size of the log. I use whatever hole saw is closest in size to the tenon, just less work with the draw knife.

[Dave Cav]

Lots of good ideas here; we might try the hole saw method(s).

[Steve Wirt]

If your student only wants to make a few, a compass to make the circle and a saw rasp will work well and does not take long. The hardest part is coming up with a way to hold the wood that also helps establish the shoulder of the tenon.

Here is a cool video of somebody using a saw rasp that inspired me to try it.
http://www.timberframe-tools.com/tools/round-tenon-maker/

[John Powers]

I'm not much of a woodworker but I've been going to adirondacks for 30 years. A lot of the rustic furniture in the Great Camps was made by caretakers and guides in the off season. They would certainly have a drawknife but little else. I've never seen a shaving horse in an old photo. Not saying they didn't have them, just never seen one. I think a brace, bit and drawknife was how they made furniture that you can see in coffee table books of adirondack furniture.

[Dave Cav]

If your student only wants to make a few, a compass to make the circle and a saw rasp will work well and does not take long. The hardest part is coming up with a way to hold the wood that also helps establish the shoulder of the tenon.

Here is a cool video of somebody using a saw rasp that inspired me to try it.
http://www.timberframe-tools.com/tools/round-tenon-maker/


This is a great idea. We may have to give it a try. Thanks.

[Steve Branam]

+1 on the drawknife. I've made a little rustic furniture from freshly cut birch saplings this way. It's lots of fun. Use a shaving horse or some kind of bench-mounted shaving vise to hold the irregular sections of sapling. Some people just mount them in a face vise; that works, but takes longer when you need to adjust the position of the workpiece.

For the mortise, I just used my largest auger bit in a brace. An expansive bit would probably be better, allowing for a larger diameter and hence beefier tenon.

You could also make a hand-held rounder plane, similar to a threadbox. That's the hand equivalent of a round tenon cutter that goes in a drill. Would probably work well in tandem with a drawknife: use the knife to hog off the bulk of the waste, then the rounder to precisely shape it, especially if you wanted uniform shoulders. Drew Langsner's book "Chairmaker's Workshop" covers this, he calls it a "tapering plane".

Then there's also spoke pointer and hollow auger, both fit in a brace, but most hollow augers I've seen don't really have that large a diameter.