Cutting Tenons in hardwood

How I cut a tenon

To ensure good, tight fitting joints, 3 things are required:

1) Accurate layout

2)Accurate cutting to the line

3)Sharp tools to achieve 1 & 2

First you mark out. A knifed line is better than a pencil. A pencil smudges. A knifed line is clear, and provides a reference for a chisel. In sawing to a line, a knifed line keeps the cut neat with no frayed, jagged fibres. Try it. you'll find your layout vastly improved. I'll buy you a pint if it doesn't.

A saw cut is then made at the shoulder to define the tenon length. Rip cuts are also made to demarcate the tenon width.

No need to saw to line, as fitting to mortise will determine the final dimension of tenon. Paring to line is important later, not now.

Here, the chips literally fly in squares as they are cleaved. Easy work. Chisel does not have to be very sharp at this point. Cleave nearly to line. Leave about 1/16 for your sharp paring chisel later during fitting to mortices.

How to hold a chisel like a pencil

Cutting tenons by hand.

A bunch of tenons for my workbench's stretchers

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It is said that ironically, you need a workbench to build another workbench. The small table I call my bench is stacked with 250 lbs of Kapur wood for the workbench I am building. I am working out of a small Ikea footstool with a 6" record woodworking vise bolted on, and will be doing a photo essay on the progress of the workbench I am building, sharing my thoughts on the fly. Stay tuned.

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