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    Perfect Tenon: Routing A

    Uploaded by

    Tdm Avo
    This document provides instructions for using a hand-held router and homemade jig to cut tenons on long workpieces. Some key points: 1) A simple jig made of plywood with a fence, stop, and sides allows routing tenons accurately on long pieces that are difficult to balance on a table saw. 2) The process involves routing one cheek, rotating the workpiece to cut the shoulder, then repeating for the other cheek and shoulder. 3) Benefits include a stable workpiece, easy handling of the router compared to a saw, and smooth shoulders and joints produced by the router bit.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Perfect Tenon: Routing A

    Uploaded by

    Tdm Avo
    55 views2 pages
    This document provides instructions for using a hand-held router and homemade jig to cut tenons on long workpieces. Some key points: 1) A simple jig made of plywood with a fence, stop, and sides allows routing tenons accurately on long pieces that are difficult to balance on a table saw. 2) The process involves routing one cheek, rotating the workpiece to cut the shoulder, then repeating for the other cheek and shoulder. 3) Benefits include a stable workpiece, easy handling of the router compared to a saw, and smooth shoulders and joints produced by the router bit.

    Original Description:

    wooden jig

    Original Title

    WS97_SimpleTenonJig

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    This document provides instructions for using a hand-held router and homemade jig to cut tenons on long workpieces. Some key points: 1) A simple jig made of plywood with a fence, stop, and sides allows routing tenons accurately on long pieces that are difficult to balance on a table saw. 2) The process involves routing one cheek, rotating the workpiece to cut the shoulder, then repeating for the other cheek and shoulder. 3) Benefits include a stable workpiece, easy handling of the router compared to a saw, and smooth shoulders and joints produced by the router bit.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    55 views2 pages

    Perfect Tenon: Routing A

    Uploaded by

    Tdm Avo
    This document provides instructions for using a hand-held router and homemade jig to cut tenons on long workpieces. Some key points: 1) A simple jig made of plywood with a fence, stop, and sides allows routing tenons accurately on long pieces that are difficult to balance on a table saw. 2) The process involves routing one cheek, rotating the workpiece to cut the shoulder, then repeating for the other cheek and shoulder. 3) Benefits include a stable workpiece, easy handling of the router compared to a saw, and smooth shoulders and joints produced by the router bit.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    HANDS-ON

    Technique

    routing a
    Perfect Tenon
    A handy, shop-made jig makes it easy to cut
    a smooth, clean tenon with a hand-held router.

    SPACING BETWEEN STOP


    AND FENCE DEFINES THE !/2" SPIRAL
    ROUTING PATH AND DOWNCUT BIT
    DETERMINES THE LENGTH For most projects, I like to cut tenons on a table saw.
    OF THE TENON
    ROUTER But there are times when that’s not the best option.
    BASE
    For example, cutting a tenon on a long workpiece can
    be difficult on a table saw. That’s because balancing
    a long piece off the side of the saw can cause it to tip
    and the tenon ends up being inaccurate.
    So, when I need to cut a tenon on a long workpiece,
    I turn to a hand-held router and a simple jig, like you
    STOP
    see above. This method works great for table aprons,
    FENCE KEEPS
    ROUTER BIT AT NOTE: bed rails, or any long workpiece.
    SHOULDER LINE ALL PARTS
    MADE FROM Benefits. Using this technique has several advan-
    LENGTH OF SIDE #/4" PLYWOOD
    IS LENGTH OF
    tages. Clamping the workpiece to a workbench keeps it
    OPENING PLUS stable. And moving a small router across the workpiece
    WIDTH OF STOP FIRST: ROUT
    AND FENCE CHEEK WORKING is much easier than trying to balance and move a large
    TOWARD FAR SIDE
    IN A BACK AND workpiece on a small saw table. Plus, the router forms
    FORTH MOTION
    WITH THE GRAIN smooth cheeks and sharp shoulders (inset photo).
    WORKPIECE
    WASTE
    THIRD AND MAKING THE JIG
    FOURTH:
    SECOND: REPEAT PROCESS To keep things simple, I build the jig to suit the proj-
    CUT FIRST SHOULDER FOR LAST CHEEK
    BY ROTATING WORKPIECE AND SHOULDER ect at hand. If you look at the drawing at left, you’ll
    ONE QUARTER TURN

    34 ShopNotes No. 97
    SMALL BITES
    WITH THE GRAIN
    ROUTER
    A Perfect Tenon:
    BASE

    TOP VIEW
    REDUCES STRESS
    ON ROUTER
    Step-by-Step
    WORKPIECE
    FENCE STOP

    SIDE

    SPIRAL DOWNCUT
    FENCE STOPS BIT REDUCES
    ROUTER BIT TEAROUT
    SIDE VIEW AT SHOULDER
    (CROSS SECTION) STOP { Secure Clamping. After clamping the work-
    piece to the workbench, securely clamp the jig
    WORKPIECE
    to the workpiece to keep it in position.

    see it’s just a fence, stop, and two Then clamp the jig to the face of
    sides made from 3⁄4" plywood. The the workpiece, as shown in the
    jig is assembled to fit snug around top photo at right. Set your router
    the workpiece to make routing the against the fence of the jig and ver-
    tenon more accurate. ify the inside edge of the bit lines
    Sizing the Jig. There are several up with the shoulder mark of the
    things to keep in mind as you size tenon before you start routing.
    the jig. Of course, the length of the First Cheek. You’ll start by rout-
    tenon is key. But the size of the ing one cheek of the tenon. For the { Rout With the Grain. To start the cut, route
    baseplate on your router and the best results, you’ll want to rout in down one side of the tenon. Then continue
    size of the router bit you’re using several shallow passes. Each cut removing the waste, routing with the grain.
    are also factors. And speaking of should be about 1⁄4" deep. If you’re
    the bit, I use a 1⁄2" spiral downcut using a fixed-base router, you’ll
    bit. It cuts clean shoulders on the rout all four sides of the tenon
    tenon without tearout. before adjusting the depth. This
    Fence. To locate the fence, mea- makes it easy to sneak up on the
    sure the distance from the outside final size of the tenon.
    edge of the router bit to the edge of Shoulder Cut. With one tenon
    the baseplate. Then add that mea- cheek routed, turn the workpiece a
    surement to the length of the tenon. quarter turn to work on the shoul-
    This will be the distance between der. You’ll need to clamp the jig in
    the fence and stop. place once again, but there’s one
    Sides. With this measurement thing to note. In order to support { Shoulder Pass. Rout back and forth with
    in mind, you can add that to the the cut to minimize tearout, clamp the grain until you reach the fence. Then make
    width of the fence and stop to the jig so the router bit cuts into a final pass along the fence.
    determine the length of the sides. the side of the jig at the back of the
    Stop. The stop is attached to the cut. You can see what I mean in the
    end of the jig so it registers against bottom photo at right.
    the end of the workpiece. So after Opposite Cheek. Now you can
    gluing up the two layers, you can rotate the workpiece another quar-
    attach it to the sides. Finally, you ter turn to rout the opposite cheek.
    can fasten the fence in place. Finally, you can rotate the work-
    piece once more and cut the last
    USING THE JIG shoulder to complete the tenon.
    Once the jig is built, cutting the This technique is surprisingly
    tenon is easy. The box at right simple, and the jig is easy to build.
    helps you through the process. I think you’ll find it will save time { Completing the Tenon. For each additional
    But before you start, clamp the when you’re working with large edge, rotate the workpiece and clamp the jig in
    workpiece securely to the bench. workpieces in the shop. place to prevent tearout at the end of the cut.

    www.ShopNotes.com 35

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