slick trick for cutting round tennons

[Dave H]

I've been reorganizing my shop needed to cut some round tennons (store bought dowels didn't fit tight in standard holes) so I decided to turn then on my lathe using the old open end wrench for a gauge trick, time consuming required two hands pain in the butt I needed a more efficient way as I had a lot to do. Here is the trick I went to my junk drawer found an old wrench cleaned it up a bit, ground one leg of the open end wrench to a sharp edge more of a scraping angle than a cutting angle I cut the tennon on my lathe about a 1/8" short of the tennon thickness than used the wrench as a turning scraper and was able to make perfect tennons rapidly able to use both hands on the wrench I was done in no time I'm going to find some more old wrenches and, make a set of these for standard hole sizes.

[Dave H]

I'm sure others have done this trick before me but it was new concept to me at the time.

[Mark J]

Interesting idea.  Can you take a picture of the tool positioned for use (lathe off)?

[Just Bob]

I saw this on a Michael Peace youtube.   I just finished a batch of material stilettoes, stubby screw drivers, and needle boxes, for my wife's quilting group's up coming quilting show.  Used a 1/4" for the stilettoes, 9/16" for the screw drivers, and 5/8" for the boxes.  For the 1/4" tenon I have to pre-cut the tenon and use the wrench to verify the diameter,  but for the larger tenons once the stock is round, I use the wrench for the entire cut.  They are huge time savers.    

3 minutes ago, Mark J said:

Interesting idea.  Can you take a picture of the tool positioned for use (lathe off)?

The only change in lathe set is you pull the tool rest away from the stock to provide room for the wrench.  I force the bottom of the wrench up as the top is cutting.  I keep the speed around 1500.  I am using really cheap wrenches, and they have to be re-sharpened every 3 cuts or it will start to chatter badly.

[Dave H]

15 minutes ago, Mark J said:

Interesting idea.  Can you take a picture of the tool positioned for use (lathe off)?

Mark my digital camera's batteries are toast just haven't bought new ones. and I am still in the stone age with my flip phone (eye roll) so I'll just explain you want the wrench with the pointing up so the wood is spinning into sharpend the wrench tool scraper thingy or W.T.S.T lol the end of the wrench I was using has bulbous end on the open end of the wrench so the tool rest needs to set back so the handle shank of the wrench rides on the tool rest I hope that answers your question.

 

[Dave H]

Just Bob I knew it was too slick a trick for me to be the first one to come up with it!

[Coop]

9 hours ago, higtron said:

 I am still in the stone age with my flip phone (eye roll) 

 

 I have to be a decade older than you and if I can semi-manipulate a smart phone, anyone can. In addition to phone calls and camera, I just found out that there’s a lady included that can tell you how to get to where you want to go. I’ve had them tell me where to go but not how to get there

 

[Dave H]

10 hours ago, K Cooper said:

 I have to be a decade older than you and if I can semi-manipulate a smart phone, anyone can. In addition to phone calls and camera, 

 

 

Good one Coop, wow your 75? No I don't have a smart phone because I see people who stare at that damn phone instead of interacting with people, I've had lunch with friends and they won't even look up during a conversation (I just don't want to be that guy and, the sad truth is I probably would be). I'm always late to the party I'll probably cave at some point and, buy one when this flip phone is garbage.

I found this video this morning  I only sharpened one tang of mine the way I looked at it was the wrench would only cut one way so it seemed like a waste of time to cut both ends but maybe I'll give it a try.