Tenons on 8/4 material

[Joe Cowan]

I am getting ready to start a bed project for my daughter. The plan calls for 1 -1/2" X 7" X 70" rails on the headboard that are tenoned into the corner posts. Just wondering how is the best way to cut the tenons on this large stock.

[Bill Rogers]

Make a jig and cut them with your hand held router. In other words, bring the tool to the material as compared to bringing the material to the tool.

Here is how I did it: http://www.woodworkingseminars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/WS97_SimpleTenonJig.pdf

[Matt Day]

Or use a Radial Arm Saw if you have one.

[glenn bradley]

I made the same type of jig Bill mentions. Quick to make and worked great.

[Tru Thach]

I wished I had seen this jig when I made my queen size bed. My tenon ended up not perfectly square when I connected the rails to the posts.

Tru

[Rod Sheridan]

Shaper with sliding table...........Rod.

[Peter Quinn]

Shaper with sliding table...........Rod.

I was thinking the same thing when he said "best way" but was afraid to be a wise guy! But I was playing with the garniga tenoning heads I got this spring (very late stealth gloat of sorts) this weekend, tuning up my old slider, and it really is the best way I've tried. Quick too. I like the router jig idea too....

[Kent A Bathurst]

And the contrarian weighs in with:

Cut the shoulders on the TS with a miter gauge.

Cut the cheeks on Mr Bandsaw. Slightly - ever so slightly - proud. Then use a shoulder plane, rabbet block plane, or [my current fave] a cheek float to dial in the fit.

Shapers? We don't need no steeenkin shapers!!! :D :D

Lighten up guys - simply a lousy joke....... ;)

[mreza Salav]

We don't have to use power tools for everything, if it's only a couple of tenons (or 4?) it takes not a whole lot of time to do them by hand if you have some basic
hand tools (a good saw, shoulder plane, and chisels).

Just to add: I have done this exact thing using this approach.

[michael case]

Joe,

The jig Bill suggests is a nice easy way to go. The only drawback to any type of jig of this sort or for that matter any method that relies on a fixed ratio between the edge of the work piece and the tenon is that the thickness of the work piece will determine the thickness of the tenon. This means any variation in the milling thickness of the piece being tenoned will result in a variation in the tenon. i.e if the board being tenoned is 1/64" thicker at one end that tenon will correspondingly be 1/64" thicker than the tenon on the thinner end. Most lumber off the shelf varies. So unless your careful you can end up with two different thickness tenons. As long as you are aware of this you will be fine. You can either make sure your lumber is dead even or compensate in the depth of your router setting while cutting the tenon. Also if cut your mortise last you can compensate for it in the mortise. Of course as Rod points out the best thing would be a shaper with a sliding table. Of course you will also need a set of tenoning heads too as Pete mentioned. So run right out and drop four grand on a shaper and $300.00 on some heads right away! :D

[Rod Sheridan]

And the contrarian weighs in with:

Cut the shoulders on the TS with a miter gauge.

Cut the cheeks on Mr Bandsaw. Slightly - ever so slightly - proud. Then use a shoulder plane, rabbet block plane, or [my current fave] a cheek float to dial in the fit.

Shapers? We don't need no steeenkin shapers!!! :D :D

Lighten up guys - simply a lousy joke....... ;)

Very funny, very true also. It's often easier to use hand tools for a couple of pieces.....Rod.

[Rick Fisher]

handsaw and a chisel will work for a few .. Really fast ..

Cut the cheeks with a handsaw, all 4 sides, then chisel downward.. pare to fit ..

[Keith Hankins]

There are many ways to skin that cat. I too am making a bed about the same dimensions as yours. Make a box out of 3/4 material mdf or ply or scrap. Slip it on to the line to cut. Us a router with pattern bit with bearing riding against the box edge (box should fit snug) and bam your done. Easy!

[ken carroll]

Just done this very thing.

I thought about doing it with hand tools but decided on gang sawing the tenons on my RAS. Worked a treat.

[Joe Cowan]

Just done this very thing.

I thought about doing it with hand tools but decided on gang sawing the tenons on my RAS. Worked a treat.


I used to own a RAS and miss it for things like this. No room left now that I purchased my 2nd bandsaw.

[Kirk Poore]

We don't have to use power tools for everything, if it's only a couple of tenons (or 4?) it takes not a whole lot of time to do them by hand if you have some basic
hand tools (a good saw, shoulder plane, and chisels).

Just to add: I have done this exact thing using this approach.

Sacrilege!

Are you saying machines can't do everthing?:)

Kirk
(who, actually, would cut the shoulders by hand, cut the cheeks to rough size on the bandsaw, and then finish by hand. If, that is, he didn't use his tenoner.:))

[Dave Cav]

240265

I would use my tenoner, probably with an outboard support.