What is your Mortise and Tenons methodology?

[Mike Leung]

I know there are so many methods of cutting this joint. What is the method you normally use to create the M&T joints? Neanderthal saws and chisels? Dado stack? Tenoning jig? Router? Domino?

Currently I cut my mortises on a delta benchtop mortiser with a xy vise to move the workpiece. Before I added the sliding vise, my mortises were not clean.
I then cut my shoulders on the tablesaw and trim the faces and sides with the bandsaw. When fitting, I use a rabbeting plane and vixens to adjust.

I'm curious about the method that works for you.

[Prashun Patel]

My method is evolving, but currently:

Mortises: Router with spiral bit and jig to hog. Chisels to clean
Tenons: Router table or bandsaw to rough cut + table saw with rip blade to bring to final width + shoulder plane to clean up the table saw chatter.

[Dave Zellers]

Not much different here. Delta bench top mortiser, no vise.

Delta tenon jig on a Delta table saw.

Any delta variation is handled with a shoulder plane.

[Alan Lightstone]

Leigh FMT Pro.

Pricey, but real nice and totally repeatable.

[jack forsberg]

Mike i guess i am i little spoiled as i have many ways i like to cut mortises. I could cut them with my German swing chisel Maka that is fully automatic and cut a tenon in 6 sec .Or the Stenner from England thats a chain and hollow chisel mortiser. The stenner will take hollow chisel or chain heads, but by far i love cutting with chains.

the Stenner cutting with chains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=Wiq3wfS9Ulw

[Mike Leung]

Mike i guess i am i little spoiled as i have many ways i like to cut mortises. I could cut them with my German swing chisel Maka that is fully automatic and cut a tenon in 6 sec .Or the Stenner from England thats a chain and hollow chisel mortiser. The stenner will take hollow chisel or chain heads, but by far i love cutting with chains.

the Stenner cutting with chains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=Wiq3wfS9Ulw

Jack, That is an amazing mortising machine. My benchtop looks like it was made for Pee Wee Herman in comparison. Wow.

[Dave Zellers]

Mike i guess i am i little spoiled as i have many ways i like to cut mortises. I could cut them with my German swing chisel Maka that is fully automatic and cut a tenon in 6 sec .Or the Stenner from England thats a chain and hollow chisel mortiser. The stenner will take hollow chisel or chain heads, but by far i love cutting with chains.

the Stenner cutting with chains
I bet your finger gets tired. :o

[jack forsberg]

Mike than your going to love the Maka swing chisel as my second favorite.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJUJ796jxls&feature=player_detailpage

[Dave Zellers]

Mike than your going to love the Maka swing chisel as my second favorite.
That can't be legal.

[jack forsberg]

That can't be legal.

now i know what you all are saying " i can't afford machines like that". so i won't tell i picked them up both for $650.

Oh Ya this is how i cut the tenons on the Wadkin PK slider. I made a jig with brass and Rosewood.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/IMG_0512.jpg
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/IMG_0513.jpg
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/IMG_0514.jpg
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/IMG_0516.jpg
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/IMG_0527.jpg
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/IMG_0528.jpg

[Mike Henderson]

When I don't have access to a horizontal slot mortiser, I either drill out the mortises and then clean up with a chisel, or, if I can use the size, I use my Domino.

For the tenon, I cut them on my table saw with a stop on my sled, or use a Domino as a loose tenon.

If I have to do angled tenons, I use a tenon jig on my table saw.

Mike

[John TenEyck]

Here's a link to my horizontal router mortiser where you can see pictures of it and even a SketchUp model if you want to build one. https://sites.google.com/site/jteneyckwoodworker/current-projects/horizontal-router-mortiser It cost me about $50 and 8 hours to build. I have cut hundreds of mortises on it in the 3 years or so since I built it. It is easy to build, fast, accurate, and pretty much fool proof. It also can cut integral tenons, but I normally prefer loose tenons. You can drill dowel holes and cut rabbets, sliding dovetails, and raised panels with it as well. Probably other things I just haven't thought of.

John

[Keith Hankins]

I've done it a bunch of diff ways. I have a griz horizontal boring machine I used for a while to do floating tenons. Worked fine. I also owned a domino. Loved that little tool made joining wood fast and easy. I needed a large M&T capability for a bed project and bought the Powermatic 719T. Sold the domino to pay for it. Kinda wished i'd kept the domino as it is great in certain applications. I cut the Mortises first centered (where needed) and then use a homemade tenon jig to cut the tenons to fit. Cut some last night.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Mike
I use my JDS multi-router for almost all my mortise and tenons, and other time just the Domino. Tom

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I use a hollow chisel mortiser and a shaper.
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Regards, Rod.

[Mike Leung]

Great techniques and machines Guys. I am extremely impressed with the variety so far. Keep em coming. I'm learning quite a bit already.

The swing chisel is insane. Let me know when you are ready to sell one of them Jack.

On the other end of the spectrum, here is my humble setup cutting mortises and tenons for curved slats.

Here is a pic of my Frankenmortiser with xy vise
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these were the pile of slats that needed tenons. I had to add more layers at the ends for tenons.
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made a jig to hold the curved slats to be used on ts and bs
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ready to cut faces on bs here with same jig
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slats going into rail
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done
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[Jeff Duncan]

Jack's got all the fun toys....that Wadkin saw is almost too pretty to use:D

Myself, most of my M+T is actually loose tenons, in which case I have an old Bini slot mortiser that gets the job done. For the rare occasion I need a 'real' M+T joint I use the tablesaw with tenon jig and a little bench top mortiser. As much as I'd like an older freestanding mortiser....I just don't have room for any more toys.....unless something else goes:o

JeffD

[peter gagliardi]

I use my single end tenoners, and either the Oliver HC Mortiser, or the New Britain chain Mortiser. Once you get to these machines there is NO other way :D

[Albert Lee]

if its relatively small, I will use the Domino XL.

if its relatively large, I will use spindle moulder and a morticer

[Clint Baxter]

I use a little of everything it seems. Have done, and still do, the occasional Neander chop and hand saw. Have the bench top mortiser to use when I want square mortises, and a Leigh FMT which as Alan said has super repeatability as well as superb fit. I probably, however, use the Domino the most, as long as the required joint is not too large. Works great on adding tenons to cope and stick joints when building cabinet doors. Would like to get/try the Domino XL for its increased size. Maybe someone here with one will chime in as to its effectiveness.

Clint

[Charles Lent]

I have a Leigh FMT Pro jig. Since buying it 8 years ago I haven't made M/T joints with anything else.

Charley

[Phillip Gregory]

I use a stack dado and a rip fence to cut the tenons. It works very well and is pretty quick, simple, and easy to do.

I use my router table with an up-cut spiral bit to cut regular mortises, and then square up the ends carefully with a chisel. A mortising tool would be better but I have a limited budget and shop size at the present time. Some day I will get one though as most of my joints are M&Ts.