Procedure advice for angled mortise/tenon

[Carolyn Hirtle]

Hello,

New to the forum! I've been having trouble searching for practical advice on two procedures needed in my next project.

1 - I need to cut tenons which will have a 3 degree angle to match the mortises in some angled legs.

2 - Will need to use my router or router table to create mortises 4 degrees from 90 on the other edges of the legs.

I will post my plans:

410514410515

While I have some loose ideas I'm curious how others would approach this build.

Thanks for your patience with my newness to the community.
Carolyn

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I make those mortises with a hollow chisel mortise using a wedge under the work piece. You could use a drill press and a mortise chisel.

I would make the tenons on the shaper, you could use a router table..............Regards, Rod.

[Frederick Skelly]

Welcome Carolyn! Glad you could join us!
Fred

[Scott Bernstein]

Well I guess the answer depends on what equipment you have... Sounds like you at least have a table saw and a router. I have done complex angled M&T with a Festool Domino and also with my pantorouter. You can make angled mortises, even compound bevels, with a handheld plunge router and a jig made from plywood. For the tenons you could use the handheld router + jig, or a router table & coping sled. However the easiest would probably be with the tablesaw and a tenoning jig. However if the pieces that need tenons are really, really long it can become awkward to do that on a table saw. If you are doing chairs then those pieces should be fine to do on the table saw. You can round off the tenons to match the mortises with a file, blade, or chisel.

[andrew whicker]

I made a coffee table with lots of angled tenons, but matched with a groove, not a mortise. But, on the tenons I bought a std jig and set it up as thus (used dado blades):

410519

to end up with this:

410520

[Charles Lent]

It's easy to do with a Leigh FMT, but hard to justify the cost for just one small project. But there are several plans for shop made versions of the FMT complete with the ability to do angled tenons (both directions). A study of their jig should be enough for you to make a jig that will hold your work the same way and angle it in both directions. Then you will need a way to guide the router so it cuts the desired size tenon. I've seen shop made versions of the FMT, but in a quick search while writing this I have not found plans for one. The vertical part of the jig where the work is clamped can be hinge angled for making angled tenons or mortises. If it's necessary to cut compound angles, some stops attached to this plate can be positioned to hold the work at the desired compound angle. Clamps can be added to hold the work to this plate to secure the work for cutting.

When faced with a large project requiring over 1,600 angled M&T joints I explored many ways to do it. I ended up buying a Leigh FMT Pro jig and it paid for itself doing that one job.

Charley

[Derek Cohen]

Hello,

New to the forum! I've been having trouble searching for practical advice on two procedures needed in my next project.

1 - I need to cut tenons which will have a 3 degree angle to match the mortises in some angled legs.

2 - Will need to use my router or router table to create mortises 4 degrees from 90 on the other edges of the legs.

I will post my plans:

410514410515

While I have some loose ideas I'm curious how others would approach this build.

Thanks for your patience with my newness to the community.
Carolyn

Easy peasy.

Use your router to make the mortices ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable6_html_4ab32cd8.jpg

These legs were then turned to shape, leaving the mortices intact ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable6_html_m336734a3.jpg

Mark off the tenon at the angle you choose (in your case 3 degrees. I think mine were 10 degrees) ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable6_html_m2fcd61cd.jpg

I simply used a handsaw ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable6_html_m22a9a94a.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable6_html_636f48d8.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable9_html_2cdff40a.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Carolyn Hirtle]

I made a coffee table with lots of angled tenons, but matched with a groove, not a mortise. But, on the tenons I bought a std jig and set it up as thus (used dado blades):

410519

to end up with this:

410520


Anyone know why I don't seem to have permission to view certain images? I'd like to see these!

[Carolyn Hirtle]

Beautiful table! I'm not turning the pieces on this particular project, but curious how to keep the tool from catching while turning around the mortises?

[Derek Cohen]

Carolyn, you need to be a Contributor status. There is a $6 p.a. fee involved.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Beautiful table! I'm not turning the pieces on this particular project, but curious how to keep the tool from catching while turning around the mortises?

Just light cuts around the mortice ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable6_html_5a91e849.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AnotherCoffeeTable9_html_43990ca8.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Carolyn Hirtle]

I'm going to use a tenoning jig on my table saw for the angled cosmetic shoulders on the pieces as they are maximum 15" long and should be manageable.

Thinking it might be possible to clamp a 4 degree wedge along the fence of my router table with good clearance for the bit and then run my work pieces along this for the angled mortises. Alternatively, would it be safer/beneficial to use a wedge and edge guide with my plunge router? Unfortunately I am without a drill press at the moment. I'm also working with a very drifty 9" bandsaw and appreciate any advice in acing the creation of a 4 degree wedge.

[andrew whicker]

https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/tablesaw/tablesaw-pattern-jig

I haven't done this yet, but basically you make the above jig for your tablesaw, draw a line on your board-to-be-wedge at the angle you want. double side tape a straight edge following your line on the top of your soon to be wedge and rip it on the tablesaw.

Make sense?

[Carl Beckett]

I am not sure I would bother angling the mortises. 4 degrees is not that much, leave some space at the ends for clearance is all.

For the tenons I would do them the same as straight tenons. But would cut the shoulders on the table saw with the miter to get the desired angle, then remove the outsides with a bandsaw (or TS tenon guide or router), then just clean up the last bit of angled area with a hand chisel or small saw (or some combo of both). It doesnt matter that the end of the tenon is not parallel to the shoulder, but you could always trim them if you wanted.