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Thread: First time using loose tenons

  1. #1
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    First time using loose tenons

    I am making 2 face frame vanities (Door, 3 drawers and the false drawer. I used a 1/4 inch upcut bit in a router with template guide along with a jig I made to create the mortises. I created the loose tenons from 1x1.5x.25 pieces of wood made from the same maple being used for the face frame.

    The first one in is now clamped up and glue drying, using titebond extend wood glue. This stuff is really liquid compared to other titebond glues. It drips everywhere. Hopefully it works well. I am hoping the tenons give it the surface area needed to hold it all together.

  2. #2
    Justin,

    Congratulations! Mortise and tenon joints are not the easiest and are one of the best wood working joints. A plunge router makes in my experience nicer mortises than does my hollow chisel mortiser. My domino takes less setup than a router but doesn't make mortises any nicer. I haven't used titebond extended but I've always had good luck with other types of titebond.

    Jim

  3. #3
    Do a search for the Morley Mortiser. Easily duplicated, and slick as a whistle. His method of locating center line is based upon something I learned in drafting 101, back in 1966.

  4. #4
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    Justin if you push two dry (not yet glued) parts together and can hold them up without anything falling apart as a pre glue up test, they should be strong enough after the glue dries to hold together for a long time. The trick with M&T assembly is getting the tenons just fat enough to fit fairly/very snugly in the mortises. Lots of folks use liquid hide glue for this work because it offers decent open working time and the LHG tends to lubricate the joints during assembly rather than grab as yellow glue tends to do. Plus, the LHG is easier to reverse if you have to take something apart to fix a screw up. M&T work is a cornerstone to furniture building IMO. Have fun.
    David

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dwight View Post
    Justin,

    Congratulations! Mortise and tenon joints are not the easiest and are one of the best wood working joints. A plunge router makes in my experience nicer mortises than does my hollow chisel mortiser. My domino takes less setup than a router but doesn't make mortises any nicer. I haven't used titebond extended but I've always had good luck with other types of titebond.

    Jim
    This is not my first time with Mortise and Tenon's. I use them often enough, but my first time doing a loose tenon instead of cutting the mortise out of the end of the wood. Trying to do my 'cheap' version of a domino, since i already have the router!!! All other titebond i've use is amazing stuff. We'll see how this holds up.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Eisenhauer View Post
    Justin if you push two dry (not yet glued) parts together and can hold them up without anything falling apart as a pre glue up test, they should be strong enough after the glue dries to hold together for a long time. The trick with M&T assembly is getting the tenons just fat enough to fit fairly/very snugly in the mortises. Lots of folks use liquid hide glue for this work because it offers decent open working time and the LHG tends to lubricate the joints during assembly rather than grab as yellow glue tends to do. Plus, the LHG is easier to reverse if you have to take something apart to fix a screw up. M&T work is a cornerstone to furniture building IMO. Have fun.
    Yup - they were tight, had to tap most of them, so i hope the glue sets well. This wasn't liquid hide glue, it was titebond extend wood glue.

  7. #7
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    Loose tenons almost make cutting joinery fun, especially when you cut them on a horizontal router mortiser. If you plan to use them often take a look at my machine, with free plans to build one.

    https://sites.google.com/site/jteney...outer-mortiser

    John

  8. #8
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    I've been a fan of loose tenon for a very long time...which did make it easier for me to invest in the Domino I now use for the purpose. I like loose tenon joinery because it takes away some of the work that I personally find to be drudgery; admittedly the kind of work that some folks truly enjoy...fitting mortises and tenons. It's good to have choices!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #9
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    I think it was Tage Frid who said, "if you need a hammer, it's too tight. If you can use your hat, too loose".

  10. #10
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    One trick with loose tenons is to first glue the tenon into the what would otherwise be the integral tenon piece and let it set up. Then glue up the assembly. Makes glueing up the final assembly much easier with a lot less scrambling to get glue on all surfaces.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick Simon View Post
    One trick with loose tenons is to first glue the tenon into the what would otherwise be the integral tenon piece and let it set up. Then glue up the assembly. Makes glueing up the final assembly much easier with a lot less scrambling to get glue on all surfaces.
    The truth!

  12. #12
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    Another fan here. For larger, more complex glue ups I glue the tenon into one part or the other to make a fixed tenon. This is the exception and for most assemblies I float the tenon during assembly. Neither is right for all situations. Sounds like you are doing fine.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mick Simon View Post
    One trick with loose tenons is to first glue the tenon into the what would otherwise be the integral tenon piece and let it set up. Then glue up the assembly. Makes glueing up the final assembly much easier with a lot less scrambling to get glue on all surfaces.
    This is a good idea. I've got another frame to glue up, I was just cutting the mortises. Had to stop for another reason but have a few more to go before I can start the glue-up.


    The first one came out of the clamps this morning and is perfect!

  14. #14
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    Mick's idea is sound, but you also want those tenons to be "ideally sized" if you're only going to do one side first. There can't be any movement at all or they may not be truly perpendicular and that will mess up subsequent glue up. If there's any play, either re-make the tenons or do the whole glue up at once and check very carefully for square while clamping. This doesn't mean the tenons have to be super tight, but they need to be snug with no wiggle room.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #15
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    I try to do the glue up all at once. I guess I'm not good enough to make perfect laterally aligned mortises in the mating parts with perfect fitting loose tenons so I often need a little wiggle room during glue up. If I need more time to accomplish the glue up I either only glue up a portion of the joints, then the remaining after those are set it that's possible, or change to a glue with a longer working time. Epoxy is my go to for long, complicated glue ups, but I'm thinking of giving Titebond Polyurethane glue another look as it has a long working time (and much higher strength at high temperature than any of the other TB products).

    John

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