Mortise and Tenon

[Doug Jones]

What is the best way to make M & T joints?

[Bob Noles]

You can make them with power tools. but I like doing them the easy way with hand tools :D

May need to clarify the question a little further, Doug.

[Mark Singer]

I typically use a router ...make a jig and use loose tenons...but , I have some flexibility....those are just as strong and easier

[Jim Young]

Tennons - table saw
Mortise - mortiser (used to use the router)

[Burt Waddell]

A lot of us are coming toenjoy doing these with the EZ Smart and a router. Here is a link: http://eurekazone.com/gallery/mortise-and-tenon

[Jim Becker]

Doug...no best way, but lots of ways to do it! I tend to use different methods on different projects and pick what is best for the given job and also what is convenient for me relative to setups at the time.

[Richard Wolf]

Liegh FMT jig. Pricey, but works very well.

Richard

[Dave Richards]

WoodRat is my favorite way.

[Steve Clardy]

Jet Mortiser
Table saw

[Dev Emch]

I prefer the sliding table on my TFS-1200 shaper or my vintage Oliver 125-D tenoner. As for the mortise, nothing beats a Maka for blowing super precise tenons instantly. I can eve blow haunched mortises in a single operation with all square edges.

[Philip Glover]

I generally use the shaper for tenons, or sometimes I hand cut them.
I like to make mortises with my slot morticer followed up with a mortise chisel when I need square corners.

Dev, how fast is the setup change-over on the 125?

Regards,
Phil Glover

[Dev Emch]

I generally use the shaper for tenons, or sometimes I hand cut them.
I like to make mortises with my slot morticer followed up with a mortise chisel when I need square corners.

Dev, how fast is the setup change-over on the 125?

Regards,
Phil Glover

Relatively quick. I have never had to change out the tenon heads on a job. Just when you need to sharpen. The tenon heads move up and down and in and out along their own way systems. Movement controled by lead screws.

The coping heads a bit harder to setup but not to bad. I did not use the upper coping head for a couple of years due to a broken casting but I got that fixed. The coping cutters are held in with a single set screw on the shaft. So changing a coping head is super fast. Again both heads move indenpendent of each other. The coping heads move up and down and left and right. If you dont need a second cope profile, just move the second head down and out of the way. If your doing shaker style or seriously old fashined rail and style, you just move both cope heads out of the way and dont turn them on. That is because these joints are mitred only along the profile edge. See the work done by Garrett Hack.

Lastly, you dont need to precisely cut your stock with this approach. Just rough cut the blanks about 2 inches longer than needed. You will set the exact length of each stick on your length extensions. Then, flip up the final length and place a stick onto the table. Oh yah, the exact length of a tenon is actully set by the fifth and last motor. This contains a circular cutoff blade with a precision cross cut blade to trim the tenon to exact length perfectly square. When you have stuck the cope to the first end of all your pieces, then flip the extension guide into place. Then turn the pieces around and rerun all the items through thus sticking the cope to the other set of ends. When your done, each and every stick is the same exact length and has the same exact profile. This aides in glue up and keeping the air gaps tight as well.

Yes, there is some setup. The first time was murder figureing how how all this stuff works. But you get pretty quick at it. And its not as hard as it sounds. Its similar to setting up a Liegh D-4 in terms of test cuts, tweaking and more test cuts.

[Russ Massery]

Mortise- Delta mortiser, Sometimes a router
Tenons- Table saw, Tenoning jig, Miter guage

[Brian Jarnell]

Mortices,slot morticer,tenons rounded off on spindle moulder.

[Jim Tobias]

Multico mortiser for mortises and table saw and band saw for tenons. Ther eare a lot of methods, just pick one and "get good" at it.

Jim

[Mike Cutler]

I can even blow haunched mortises in a single operation with all square edges.

That is so not fair.:mad: ;)

I don't think that I use one specific tecnnique.
The last tenons were on stock to large for the TS, so they were done with a router and and a jig saw. The thru tenon openings were cut with a coping saw.
If the material is small enough I use the TS with a Tenon Jig, or the bandsaw. Mortises are cut with a router and squared with a chisel, or a Bench top mortiser.