Tips on cutting tenons on long stretchers??

[A_Vitale]

So I am in the process of building my outfeed table that will measure approximately 4' by 5'. There will be two stretchers per side. I am having a problem coming up with a good/fast/accurate way of cutting these bad boys. Traditionally I would prefer to cut them with my dado stack. Hhowever due to the lengths I am thinking id rather not fumble around with long pieces like this. These are also 8/4 maple so they are rather heavy, which adds to my reasons. I have a few ideas but how have you guys handled this problem??

[Dave H]

maybe cut the shoulders with a hand saw and cut the cheeks with the bandsaw or with a handsaw also. hope this helps.

[Bobby Slack]

Another traditional method would be to use a router plane.

Are you planning to make a lot of these?

So I am in the process of building my outfeed table that will measure approximately 4' by 5'. There will be two stretchers per side. I am having a problem coming up with a good/fast/accurate way of cutting these bad boys. Traditionally I would prefer to cut them with my dado stack. Hhowever due to the lengths I am thinking id rather not fumble around with long pieces like this. These are also 8/4 maple so they are rather heavy, which adds to my reasons. I have a few ideas but how have you guys handled this problem??

[A_Vitale]

maybe cut the shoulders with a hand saw and cut the cheeks with the bandsaw or with a handsaw also. hope this helps.

This is the way I would traditionally do them however I have four per side so a total of 16 of them. These are all in 8/4 maple so I guess I am looking for a "easier way" lol

[Beechwood Chip]

I think I'd try to set up some jigs so that I could use a circular saw. For the shoulder cuts it's easy, just cut the top face with a guide clamped to the stretcher. For the cheeks you'd need to hold the saw sideways, and I'd want a jig fitted over the end of the stretcher and created a little table for the saw plate to sit on, and also a guide to support the side (now bottom) of the saw plate.

[rmac]

Now don't you wish you'd kept your 1975 Craftsman radial arm saw?

Actually, this sounds like one of those "take the tool to the work" situations, and I'd say a router is the best candidate for the job. There's a Fine Woodworking video that shows how to make a jig that guides a router for cutting the wide tenon on the end of a breadboarded table top. You could either make a miniature version of that thing, or maybe clamp your boards together somehow and do them a few at a time, like this:

Here's the link to the Fine Woodworking video:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/26173/fast-fix-breadboard-ends-jig

-- Russ

[Beechwood Chip]

Actually, this sounds like one of those "take the tool to the work" situations, and I'd say a router is the best candidate for the job.

I like it! I was thinking of a router jig, but I couldn't figure out hot to cut the cheeks. But you could take that simple stop-guide and slide it down the stretcher until the tenon was the right length.

[Bobby Slack]

I did not think about this. I had to build some cabinets with rabbet construction and used my Festool MFT system with the TS 75 and my OF1400. The process could be very similar to route the tenons. Cut the piece and place the router horizontally and then route the tenon on the stretchers with your router. If you wanted also with the assistance of the guide rail, you could score the cut so you don't get any tear out.

What do you guys think about this? Hmmm May be I will use this method. The MFT system is becoming more and more interesting.

With this method once the piece is clamped and stable you don't have to worry about wobbling during the process of the cut.

Would love to hear what you think about it ... of course this means that you would have to have a Festool TS ... plus the MFT ... guide rails and a router. You could do this process with self made jigs also. Having the Festool system is just easier and you could use that same setup for other applications.

I like it! I was thinking of a router jig, but I couldn't figure out hot to cut the cheeks. But you could take that simple stop-guide and slide it down the stretcher until the tenon was the right length.

[Bobby Slack]

Hey ... just got this article on Wood Magazine's website. This probably will help without you investing in the Festool setup as I did. I hope this helps.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/routing/half-lap-joint-jig/?sssdmh=dm17.512222&esrc=nwwood031011&email=2284983566

[bois]

The router method (like you would use for half-lap joints) will work for hogging out the cheeks, but will not be effective for creating a really good crisp shoulder. If your miter saw has a depth stop and a good finish blade, I'd suggest using that (with a stop to set the tenon length) to set the tenon shoulders. I would then suggest you can actually use the band saw to cut the cheeks - this creates much less dust and noise and eliminates the risk of the router "dipping" into the tenon. Just use a roller stand to support the opposite end of the board, and then set the band saw fence to the depth of the amount you want to remove (make sure to INCLUDE the blade kerf in this measurement). I even use this method to cut tenons on shorter pieces since it's quite fast. A few passes with a shoulder plane get a nice smooth surface and fine tune the tenon. As a general rule, I prefer any method that cuts out a piece of waste rather than reducing it to chips or dust.

[dlamulle]

This is the way I would traditionally do them however I have four per side so a total of 16 of them. These are all in 8/4 maple so I guess I am looking for a "easier way" lol

The easy way is to get a Beadlock jig and use floating tenons. I built a gaming table that was 5' x 12' and I had full size 2" x 6" hard maple skirts and let me tell you I tried normal tenons and they almost killed me. Besides being so darned long they were heavy as all get go. I bought a Beadlock jig and doubled them up at each leg and I was done in an hour. The edges are crisp and square and they all fit perfectly the first time. This table has been in a move twice and I've had not one problem at a joint or anyplace else for that matter. If you don't want to buy a jig you can use your router and a homemade jig but that end grain in maple is a doozie on a router bit so take it slow. I would still suggest using 2 tenons per leg no matter which method you use. I hope this helps.

Dave

[Gregory Paolini]

When ever I have long components that need tennons on their ends, I turn to a router with a simple edge guide installed. The edge guide is placed against the end of the board, and a simple straigt bit makes quick work of defining the shoulder and removing material to create the cheek.

When it's time to cut the smaller shoulders, the boards are stood on end and clamped togeather, providing a wider surface for the router to sit on, and the fence to ride up against.

Doing it this way, it should take less time to cut the joints, than gather up and set the router to make the cut.

Atleast, that's how I would do it.

-gp

[Bobby Slack]

I like your "batch" process approach.

When ever I have long components that need tennons on their ends, I turn to a router with a simple edge guide installed. The edge guide is placed against the end of the board, and a simple straigt bit makes quick work of defining the shoulder and removing material to create the cheek.

When it's time to cut the smaller shoulders, the boards are stood on end and clamped togeather, providing a wider surface for the router to sit on, and the fence to ride up against.

Doing it this way, it should take less time to cut the joints, than gather up and set the router to make the cut.

Atleast, that's how I would do it.

-gp