M/T joints with router

[weelis]

I want to start using the router to make my M/T joints. Are there any good tutorials/articles etc. to help me learn this technique? Thnx.

 

[Dave Richards]

I would highly recommend DVDs 1 and 2 from Workshop Essentials which has a number of router jigs including very good mortising and tenoning jigs. There's also PDF plans and video instructions for using them. FWIW, the entire set of DVDs is a good thing to have.

 

[Charles Lent]

Floating tenons are the easiest to do. You will need to build yourself a jig so you can position the router easily on your work. There are many jig plans available on the internet for making the jigs that you will need, but it can be as simple as just a slot cut into a piece of 1/4" plywood the width of your chosen router bushing that you attach with double sided tape or brad nails. The bushing needs to be larger than your chosen up cut spiral router bit and less than 1/4" long. The slot length will be the length of the mortise that you want to make plus the outside diameter of the bushing.

Then make the tenon stock by planing material to the thickness of the mortises and cut it to the width of your choice of mortise length. You don't need to round the edges to match the router mortise. Just make the tenons fit the flat sides of your mortise and leave the half round ends of the mortise to hold the excess glue. A slip fit with just a few thousandths play is the correct dry fit for the tenon to the mortise. If the tenons swell any before you use them a light sanding of the sides will get them right again. Cut the tenon stock to length as you need it and make it slightly shorter (about 1/8") than the total depth of the two mortises that it will be going into.

Of course, if you will be making a lot of mortises and tenons, an FMT jig from Leigh jigs may be a faster way to do them. It will do both the mortise and the tenons with the same setup and will make actual tenons. It will also do just mortises if you wish to make floating tenons, but it's $$$$.

Charley

 

[bluedawg76]

I want to start using the router to make my M/T joints. Are there any good tutorials/articles etc. to help me learn this technique? Thnx.

Carol Reed aka the Router Lady has some great books on router jigs and fixtures -including M/T. Personally, I find it easier to use the router for mortises and the TS for tenons (either a tenon jig or just a dado stack and cross-cut sled). Here's the router jig I built from one of Carol's books (I think). Works very well for repeated mortises for table legs and such and not hard to build

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[Jeff]

Lots of good information available online without spending a dollar.

I've used this homemade jig for about 8 years to make my mortises and I leave the mortise ends rounded. Why bother squaring them up with a chisel because there's no loss of structural strength.

http://thecraftsmanspath.com/2007/09/25/loose-tenon-joinery-budget-alternative-festool-domino/

Here's another alternative along the same lines.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/video/using-a-shopmade-mortising-jig.aspx

Tenons are cut slightly oversize on the table saw then filed/rasped to fit the mortise.

 

[junquecol]

Surprisingly, Harbor Freight sells a good set of HSS mortising bits. Usually around ten bucks, less the 20% off coupon. They sell a set of three (1/4, 3/8, 1/2,) and a pack of three or four 1/4" bits.

 

[Cato]

I want to start using the router to make my M/T joints. Are there any good tutorials/articles etc. to help me learn this technique? Thnx.

I make mine on the router table for both the mortise and the tenons. I don't do them often enough to build a jig. I watched some U tube vids which was a big help. I haven't tried floating tenons yet.

 

[chris_goris]

What sort of mortise and tenon joints do you want to do? Blind? through? haunched?

 

[CrealBilly]

I cut almost all tendons with my table saw and mortises with either a plunge router or mortising machine. Mortise machine is good for a large number of repeating cuts the router is better when you don't have so many to cut.

The internet is a black hole - nothing can escape it

 

[bob vaughan]

This wide dado bit from Infinity appears to be a game changer for making the tenon with a router table. I love how Andrew does the shoulder, a major pain when making tenons.

Check out the small video
link here

 

[Barry W]

This wide dado bit from Infinity appears to be a game changer for making the tenon with a router table. I love how Andrew does the shoulder, a major pain when making tenons.

Check out the small video
link here

Bob,

Have you used one of these wide bits? The video makes it look very easy.

-Barry

 

[bob vaughan]

No, I haven't used it, but Andrew Gibson at Infinity has. Maybe a call to him would answer some questions. He seems to know his stuff about woodworking both commercial and recreational. I spent some time with him last October and was impressed with his experience level.

I've got a single end tenoner for tenons so the router process wasn't all that interesting until I saw him do that shoulder. Can't do that on a tenoner so I have to set up the band saw and/or table saw. For just a few, a hand chisel can work as long as the shoulder isn't too deep.

 

[chris_goris]

No, I haven't used it, but Andrew Gibson at Infinity has. Maybe a call to him would answer some questions. He seems to know his stuff about woodworking both commercial and recreational. I spent some time with him last October and was impressed with his experience level.

I've got a single end tenoner for tenons so the router process wasn't all that interesting until I saw him do that shoulder. Can't do that on a tenoner so I have to set up the band saw and/or table saw. For just a few, a hand chisel can work as long as the shoulder isn't too deep.

Bob,
Dont you have a shaper? I have many large diameter straight cutters I use for cutting tenons on the shaper. They range from about 4" diameter to around 8". There isnt much better out there for this. I have tons of extras, if you want to give it a shot, give me a shout. Ill give you a couple to try.