Steel City Tenoning Jig

[Denny Rice]

I am getting ready to purchase a new tenoning jig, I was sure I wanted the Delta, until I seen the tenoning jig from steel city. Not only looks better but comes with a starard 5 yr. warr. for 99.00. Does anyone have this jig, I cannot find any reviews of this jig anywhere on the internet.

Thanks,
Denny Rice:)

[Brad Townsend]

Seems I recall a recent magazine review of tenoning jigs and other than a few very minor function and cosmetic issues, they were all pretty much the same. As I recall, the recommendation was to buy the least expensive one you could find, as they all worked well. Perhaps someone else can remember where the article can be found.

The SC was not in this review (probably wasn't available yet), but if it's the same design as all the others, it will probably work fine for you.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Fine Woodworking, #175 (Feb 2005)

[Don Bullock]

I would be surprised if it's any different than all the others. Since Steel City doesn't have a picture of the jig on their website it 's hard to tell what it's like. Currently Woodcraft has a tenoning jig on sale for $59.99 and Grizzly has theirs on sale for $55.

[Mike Cutler]

I'm going to go against the grain here.

I have not seen the SC Tenon jig, but if it really weighs in at 27lbs, as stated on an internet sales site, this makes it significantly heavier than the Delta 34-182/183, and associated clones. This added weight would give it more stability, something that is missing on the Delta 34-184, and the associated copies of that tenon jig. The 34-182/183 weigh ~ 20 lbs. The 34-184 is less

The nicest tenon jig is the older style Delta, much older than the 34-182/183. It weighs in at close to 35 lbs. These usually go for a couple hundred bucks on eBay, when they appear.

If I were looking at the Steel City. I would check the weight, and the fit of the miter bar in the slot. The Delta 34-182/183 miter bars were loose in the slot. According to Delta this was intentional to allow for blade clearance on the return stroke. ( Personally, I thought that answer was nonsense)

I would also check the "fineness" of the lateral adjusting screw. The 34-182/183/184, and associated clones are a little crude. Workable but crude.

One more thing to look for is the distance from the miter slot on your saw to the blade, and make sure that the tenon jig will fit. A tenon jig riding in the left miter slot on a left tilt saw is closer to the blade than a right tilt saw. Some tenon jigs have a second set of holes pre-drilled in the base to move the miter bar over, some do not. The Delta 34-182 does. I don't know about the SC.

I would like to see one though. If it really weighs 27lbs, and the other problems have been addressed. I will probably buy one to replace my Delta 34-182.

[George Lesniak]

I found this at Woodworker's Supply

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=035-810&LARGEVIEW=ON

George

[Brad Townsend]

I guess the extra weight is from the chrome handles.;)

[David DeCristoforo]

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=5457

They sure don't make em like that anymore..... My old man had one of these kicking around in his shop but one of his "friends" made off with it at some point after he kicked....

[Mike Cutler]

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=5457

They sure don't make em like that anymore..... My old man had one of these kicking around in his shop but one of his "friends" made off with it at some point after he kicked....


The last one I saw for "auction" on ebay went for almost $400.00. I want one, but not that bad.

[Rod Sheridan]

Denny, except for the chrome handles, it looks identical to the Delta jig I purchased about 9 years ago.

Pick the one that looks nicest, they work the same, so you may as well have chrome appeal!

Regards, Rod.