Cutting Tenons With a Bandsaw - What Blade Do You Recommend?

[Joey Chavez]

My long term goal is to cut more tenons by hand, however that is going to require much more practice. I've narrowed down my preferred method of cutting tenons to using my bandsaw as I have some upcoming projects that cannot wait for my hand saw technique to catch up. Besides, roughing the tenons out on the bandsaw allows me to use my other hand tools to refine to fit.

I have a Laguna 14 SUV with a 1" Resaw King along with a 1/4 and 3/8 general purpose blade. What size and TPI would you use to cut various sizes of tenons? Is there another blade that I don't have I should consider? Although I will refine the fit, I'd like to start out as smooth a cut as a bandsaw would allow.


My plan is to mark out the tenons with a marking gauge, cut the shoulders with a cross cut back saw, then cut the cheeks just outside the line with the bandsaw. Opinions?

[bob hertle]

I make all cuts--shoulders and cheeks on the bandsaw using the miter gage or the fence. For tenons up to about 2.5" wide, my preferred blade is a carbon hardback 1/2 inch 6T raker (non-hook). I buy these blades 10 at a time. Larger tenons I'll use my 3T bimetal. This is a hook tooth blade but I reduce the hook to 6.5 degrees on a new blade "out of the box". I've found the finish to be so much improved, that it's worth the trouble. Blade alteration is done in a fixture on a tool and cutter grinder.

Bob

[Van Huskey]

I cut shoulders with the table saw, cheeks with the bandsaw using a 1/4" 6 TPI skip tooth blade. If you want the best finish possible try some with your RK, you are not going to get a better finish than the RK. My preference for the blade also comes with my preference for the saw, I don't like doing tenons on the low tables of my "resaw" bandsaws so I use my old 20" Delta 28-350 which has a much higher table, it happens to live with a 1/4" blade on it, thus my choice for tenons...

[Van Huskey]

my preferred blade is a carbon hardback 1/2 inch 6T raker (non-hook).
Bob

Curious what size wheels you have on your saw, hardback blades hate small wheels so I am guessin' yours are big.