PDA

View Full Version : Tenoning Jig



Kevin Gerstenecker
02-24-2003, 8:01 PM
I am on the hunt for a new Tenoning Jig. I was wanting to get some opinions from the "Saw Mill Creek Gang" on what is the way to go. I am leaning toward the Delta Model 34-183 Tenoning Jig, but I value the opinions of the Woodworkers that frequent this board. I guess what I am looking for would be pros and cons of the Delta, and what other fixtures are available. Thanks in advance for any and all opinions.................this forum makes getting the right equipment the first time SOOOOOOO much easier! :D

Joe Tonich
02-24-2003, 8:11 PM
and I'm gonna sell it as soon as I get a chance to build the one on Ken S's site. Saw it work, real nice!

Joe

Kevin Gerstenecker
02-24-2003, 8:27 PM
........but I would rather have a Table Saw application. I have the magazine issue that featured the Tenon Jig using the Router, and I have no doubt that it works well................I may whip one of those up some day when the mood strikes me! I have seen "New Yankee Norm" use the Delta many times, and it seems like the "Hot Setup" for what I want to accomplish. Besides that..........if I buy another Router/Laminate Trimmer, my wife will SHOOT me. :rolleyes:
Women................they just DON'T understand, do they? :p
Thanks for the input!

ray clargo
02-24-2003, 8:43 PM
hi kevin, i have the delta tenoning jig and am very happy with it. im not in a prodution shop, just my own and it will do everything i want it to do. so on a one to ten ill give it a ten. best regards ray.

Ted Shrader
02-24-2003, 8:55 PM
Originally posted by Kevin Gersty
I am on the hunt for a new Tenoning Jig. .... I am leaning toward the Delta Model 34-183 Tenoning Jig, but I value the opinions of the Woodworkers that frequent this board. I guess what I am looking for would be pros and cons of the Delta, and what other fixtures are available. .....

Kevin -

I have an older model Delta tenoning jig. Really heavy ~20lbs. Holds the work very solidly. The crank handle makes it easy to get the pieces in and out quickly and still hold them securely. The knob to adjust the thickenss of tenon is pretty close to the saw table top and kind of hard to turn. But once it is set for a series of cuts, you don't need to adjust it.

Ted

JayStPeter
02-24-2003, 9:08 PM
I agree with Ray to a point. I don't think the newer ones are quite as nice as the ones sold a few years ago.
Be prepared for a mess when you get it. It comes covered with sludge. Seems like a mixture of grease and cosmoline covers everything and is even in the screw holes etc. I completely dissassembled the thing and cleaned each screw/washer etc. Yuck, took me 3 hrs. and a med. size WD40 to get it clean. Believe me, it was necessary. I wasn't just being overly anal. It was nasty!
I also had to do some filing to get the small fence to get to 90 degrees and lock. Pretty poor casting fit means that every time I tighten down the fence it moves a little bit. The stop for 90 degrees is rounded and pushes it forward a bit upon tightening. It takes lots of fiddling to get it to stay in place. Fortunately, I haven't had a reason to move it from the 90 degree position yet. But, I think my filing (maybe a little more filing) and experience will reduce the fiddling time next time. But, I don't think the 90 degree stop will ever work right. I would call Delta about it, but I don't really want to clean another one.
Now that it's working and adjusted, I like it. But, I only got it a few months ago and am still annoyed by the cleaning process. If I knew another one was just as good and came with less work required, I would've paid more to avoid the hassle. I still need to replace a small screw which holds the cursor that I lost in the process.

Ken Wright
02-24-2003, 9:27 PM
I've had mine about 6 months. Because of my wood working experience level it took me a while to get the hang of the thing just as it did with every other tool I've purchased. But over the past couple of days I've used it extensively and find that it does a fine job even though about a month ago I managed to knock it off the workbench onto the concrete floor ... broke one of the handles but it was none the worse for the fall ... I find it well made and a good choice.

Jorge Castaņeda
02-24-2003, 9:38 PM
Kevin,

I have not read the other posts, but I will say, it depends on the size of the tennos you are making, It I am making a front door for my house, or a table, I use my delta jig, if I am making doors for a kitchen cabinet, I use my newly made horizontal router table, fashioned after the pictures Ken Salisbury posted in his site. This horizontal router table will make the mortises too.

Hope this helps,
Jorge

Von Bickley
02-24-2003, 9:53 PM
Kevin,
I have the Delta jig also and would buy it again. It's well made, heavy duty and does the job.

Ken Salisbury
02-24-2003, 9:58 PM
I have used this method for making tenons for many years with great results. It also has many more uses besides making tenons. As a matter of fact I made the vast majority of my mortises with it before I bought a mortising machine. Take a look.

<p align="center">
<font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" color="#008000">
<a href="http://www.klsal.com/tenon jig.htm "> Tenons in 10 Seconds</a></font></p>

Kevin Gerstenecker
02-24-2003, 10:00 PM
I deeply appreciate all the replies, thanks to all! I know what you mean about the Protective Gunk some manufacturers use to protect equipment, it can be a PAIN to remove. I work at a College in St. Louis, and the Manufacturing Processes Lab purchased 10 new Lathes and 6 CNC Mills about a year ago. You should have seen the mess! I wired the machines, and even after they were cleaned, you couldn't walk by them without getting the Cosmoline on you. Nasty stuff, but is sure protects the metal. I guess it's better than getting a piece of rust when you purchase equipment? Thanks again! :D

JayStPeter
02-24-2003, 11:25 PM
FWIW, the tennoning jig took me about 3x the time to clean as my Unisaw and my bandsaw combined (and that includes the replacement table I had to clean on my bandsaw). These things won't rust for a long time.
I haven't heard of one that is better though. Definitely a nice solid piece of equipment. Just wanted to let you know what you're in for:D

Robert Henderson
02-25-2003, 7:07 AM
I have the Delta 34-183 and am very happy with it.

Robert

Richard McComas
02-25-2003, 3:02 PM
If anyone in this thread owns a shaper don't overlook it as a way to make tenons. I use the shaper to make all my tenons. Stack two straight cutters with the appropriate spacer between them. You get very smooth accurate tenons every time.

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/9299012AE191EEA/standard.jpg" border=0>