Making a tenon with a router - any pointers

[Rob Diz]

I am in the process of making a shaker style table for my kids. I have pretty much built the legs, and will be starting on the stretcher tonight. The stretcher is long (50 inches or so) 6 inches wide, and 1 1/4 thick. I will be making a 3/4 tenon that will be going into a 2 1/2 thick leg support.

Given the size of the stretcher. I thought I would pass on making the tenon on the TS - it just doesn't feel safe to me.

I was going to cut the faces of the tenon using my plunge router (because it has a flat area on one face) and a fence to cut away the face of the tenons, and then a - dare I say it - hand saw to cut the tenon to fit the length of the mortise.

Are there any tricks to using a router for making a tenon?

[Jamie Buxton]

If you're going to use a handheld router to cut the faces of the tenon, leave the stock a little longer than you need. Cut the cheeks of the tenon with the tablesaw, and make another set of simlar cuts where the tenon will end. Now remove the waste between the cuts with the router. The extra part of the stock will support the router, so it doesn't attempt to tip while you're cutting the cheeks. After you've cut the cheeks, you can cut off the extra end with the table saw.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

The extra part of the stock will support the router, so it doesn't attempt to tip while you're cutting the cheeks. After you've cut the cheeks, you can cut off the extra end with the table saw.
I was going to suggest the same thing. Or, use a cutoff scrap to support the "outboard" side of the router.

If the piece is too unwieldy to cut the shoulders on the TS, either use a backsaw, or score the shoulder lines thoroughly with a sharp knife, rout close to the line, and clean up with a chisel.

[Doug Shepard]

Hmmm. If I were doing this, I think I'd take 2 scrap pieces of your 1-1/4 stock to straddle the stretcher with a straight-edged piece of ply attached. Then line up the ply with where you want the shoulder cut line and use a bearing bit to follow the ply.

[Jim Nardi]

I'd make a free floating tennon. Quick and easy.

[Josiah Bartlett]

Be careful using wide tenons when you are gluing woods with grain at right angles. They tend to fail by shearing the glue after a few seasons. I would split it into two smaller tenons, no more than 2-1/2" wide.

[Nissim Avrahami]

I made a tenon of 6" wide, some 11 years ago in Japan.

The table "traveled" to Israel and than to Poland....still no problems...I used Titebond.

70525

[Josiah Bartlett]

It will depend on the species used, and how good your glue is. And how likely the table is going to get dragged across a floor by the legs.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Why not simply hand cut the tenon to begin with? It is fairly easy. If need be, practice on a piece of scrap. If you feel the need, leave it a little thick and use a shoulder or rabbet plane, or a rasp to final fit. All told, it would be faster than messing around trying to support a router for a couple tenons.

Take care, Mike

[Jim Kountz]

You mentioned not being comfortable doing the tenons on the TS but when I read this the first thing that came in my mind was using a dado head and running the piece flat with the aid of the miter gauge and/or sled to guide it.

[Rob Diz]

You mentioned not being comfortable doing the tenons on the TS but when I read this the first thing that came in my mind was using a dado head and running the piece flat with the aid of the miter gauge and/or sled to guide it.

I had the Dado set in the TS already, but I am just a little bit concerned about being able to keep the long heavy stretcher steady. I had one experience with kickback when I made a cut that little voice in back of my head said didn't feel right. Nothing hurt, but I had one hell of a bruise on my hip.

I think I'll cut the cheeks using my sled, and then cut the rest off with a router.

Now comes the "mating" question - what's the best way to cut a mortise. I was thinking about marking the area, and then using a plunge router a fence to cut about half way through the workpiece, and then flip the piece, and do the same coming back from the other side.

I think I can keep the router stable, and will undercut the ends of the joint a bit. Is there a better way?

[Greg Funk]

I'd use the dado, the fence and a miter gauge. With a dado and the miter gauge there really isn't any risk of kickback. Make sure the table is waxed and have a support along the side for the stretcher to ride on. Clamp the stretcher to your miter gauge and you should be fine.

Greg