Help with tenon cut for trestle leg

[lwhughes149]

I am ready to cut the tenons for my trestle legs. If you remember I made these legs a short time ago. My cut wasn't exact when I finished and prepared it for glue up so I hope someone can help me learn a better technique this time. I used the dado blades in my tablesaw, the fence on the right and the crosscut guide to push the work through the blades. If I put my guide to the far left and make the first cut then I only have to move the wood to continue to clean up the excess. That first cut is the most important however there are four of those cuts. How can I assure myself of making sure they are all in the same position? Here is where the true woodworking comes into play. Help
Lorraine

[woodnick]

I'm think this is what you need. Make "Paper Clip" like the one pictured. Glue 2 pieces of plywood to a scrap piece of the rail then temperorily put another piece in the clip area and run it throught you table saw to make the 2 sides parallel. When finished clamp the "clip" over the rail and use your router to make the cut. You have to make the cut to the correct depth when starting because there will be no support once you start the cut. I hope this make sense!

[lwhughes149]

Nick, I am trying to see it. I see the three pieces put together but I can't see the additional piece. Help me. Lorraine

[woodnick]

It's a scrap piece that your need to hold the two legs when cutting the legs on the table saw. It keeps the legs stable when going throught the saw blade. Then it's removed and discarded.

[DaveO]

Lorraine, if you use a stop on your miter gage to set the location of the cheek cuts on your leg stock, they should all be in the same place. It's not a good idea to use both the miter gage and rip fence at the same time. That can cause the stock to twist and bind the blade causing a kick back. If you don't have a good way of attaching a stop to your miter gage, you can attach a short gage block to the rip fence, before the blade to set the location of the cheek cuts. Until I got a good miter gage, with a built in stop that is the way I did my tenons. After making the cheek cuts on all sides, you can slide the stock over and nibble away the rest of the waste. With a stop on your miter gage you can make all your cheek cuts, and then either flip the stop out of the way or remove it and nibble away the rest of the waste.
Stops are the key to repeatability

Dave

Is it "Miter Guage" or "Miter Gage" ???????????????

[sediener]

Originally Posted by DaveO

It's not a good idea to use both the miter gage and rip fence at the same time. That can cause the stock to twist and bind the blade causing a kick back.

I have to second that... I learned the hard way when I ended up with a dinner-plate size bruise on my stomach. Thank goodness I am short or there would have been no question as to a second child...

- Steve

[lwhughes149]

Nick, I am not sure you and I are on the same page. I have three pieces, the bottom is a leg with a mortise cut in the middle, the second section is solid 10" across that will have a cut in the middle of it for a rail end to extend through, this middle section has a tenon that extends into the mortise in the feet while the top section has a tenon cut to fit into a piece that will hold the tabletop in place. I am trying to cut the tenons that are on both ends of the middle section. Again, you maybe talking about the same thing, and I just don't understand.

[lwhughes149]

Dave, I think you and I are going in the same direction. I will let your idea sink in tomorrow morning, when the brain is at its best. Thanks to all, Lorraine

[woodnick]

If your cutting the SHORT pieces like legs, then the stops on the table saw is the thing to do. I was thinking of the LONG stretcher between the legs. On my table it is 8 FT long and was to hard to control on the table saw thats why I used the "paper clip"

[lwhughes149]

Nick, I thought you were doing something different from me. I made this cut with the tablesaw on my first table just wasn't what it should have been. It did the job but I want to make it better this go round. I think Dave and I are going in the same direction. As I said, my brain isn't fresh time time of night so I will come to terms with Dave's solution tomorrow morning. I can see where your idea came from. Thanks Lorraine

[lwhughes149]

My tenons were cut today and I must say they are better than the first set that were done for my son. I used the block Dave and it made the difference. I must post that idea somewhere so I will remember it later. Thanks guys. Lorraine