Table of Contents
Should you cut the mortise or tenon first?
The mortise and tenon is probably the most used and trusted joint in traditional woodworking. For me, making the two parts of the joint always follows a specific order — the mortise comes first, followed by a tenon to fit.
What is a tenon cut?
The tenon is cut to fit the mortise hole exactly. It usually has shoulders that seat when the joint fully enters the mortise hole. The joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place. This joint is also used with other materials. For example, it is traditionally used by both stonemasons and blacksmiths.
What tools do I need to make a mortise and tenon joint?
If you’re doing woodworking on a shoestring budget, you’ll be happy to know that the only tools you need to cut tight-fitting mortise and tenon joints are a square, knife and marking gauge, a fine-toothed saw, and a couple of sharp chisels and mallet.
What kind of chisel is used for mortise?
A corner chisel is often used to make cabinets. These hand tools are used for cutting deep corners into mortises and cleaning out square corners. Each chisel face is sharpened using an oil stone.
What is the rule of thumb for the thickness of a tenon?
Tenon thickness: A tenon’s thickness should be one-third the thickness of the stock being mortised. So, if you are joining two pieces of 3/4″material, the tenon should be ¼” thick (1/3 of ¾). If you are joining a 7/8″-thick apron to a 1-1/2″-thick table leg, the tenon should be 1/2″ thick (1/3 of 1-1/2).
How does a tenon saw look like?
What Does a Tenon Saw Look Like and Made Of. A tenon saw has a reasonably large metal blade that is bigger than a coping saw, but smaller than a standard cross-cut saw. Its blade is usually rectangular in shape, with cutting teeth on one of the longer sides and a rib or spine on the other.
How do you trim a tenon?
How to Cut Tenons by Hand A step-by-step guide. Begin by marking the tenon shoulders. Use a cutting gauge for clean, deep lines. Pick up the mortise width. Mark the tenon thickness. Mark the haunch. Secret to a clean shoulder. Cut the shoulders using a backsaw with crosscut teeth. Cut the cheeks with a ripsaw.
Can you cut a tenon with a chisel?
Cut 1 — Start by standing behind the work. Position the chisel, flat side away from you, about 3/16″ from the far end of the mortise. Tap lightly to set the chisel, then hit it hard. If you hit as hard as I do, three blows will usually drive it as far as it will go.
What is the difference between a mortise chisel and a paring chisel?
Common Types and Sizes A common variant is the paring chisel, which has a longer, thinner blade. Mortising Chisel (at right): One variant is the firmer chisel, which has a thick blade – though not as thick as a mortising chisel – and is designed for heavier work.
What is a mortise chisel tool used for?
Mortise chisels are specialized chisels for chopping out a mortise. They are designed to withstand heavy blows with a mallet, and can be used for cutting directly across the grain, as well as for levering out waste material.
What is wooden mallet?
Wooden mallets are usually used in carpentry to knock wooden pieces together, or to drive dowels or chisels. A wooden mallet will not deform the striking end of a metal tool, as most metal hammers would. It is also used to reduce the force driving the cutting edge of a chisel, giving better control.
How deep should my mortise be?
The mortise depth should be roughly three times the thickness of the tenon. It can be cut in several ways, among them the traditional approach of using sturdy mortising chisels and a mallet to chisel out the hole by hand.
What size should a mortise be?
Mortise & Tenon Dimensions Thickness of Stock Mortise Width Tenon Length 1-3/4″ 3/4″ 2″ 2″ 7/8″ 2-1/2″ 2-1/4″ 7/8″ 2-3/4″.
How long should tenon be?
Tenon length: The general rule is that the minimum tenon length is five times its thickness. So a 1/4″-thick tenon should be 1-1/4″ long.
How do you make a mortise with a table saw?
To create the mortise, you make the leg out of two separate pieces. Then, instead of making the mortise after the leg is glued up, you cut dadoes on the inside face of both halves of the leg first (detail ‘a’). This way, you end up with perfectly sized mortises once the two parts are glued together.
What makes a good tenon saw?
The most vital part of a tenon saw is the teeth. The precision cross-ground teeth are very sharp and cut along and across the grain. They are not hardened enough for your ease to resharpen the tool. This tool is most appropriate for joint cutting and sawing small pieces of wood.
What are the disadvantages of a tenon saw?
Blade Damage Improper technique can cause your saw blade to jam and become bent. Inspect the wood being cut for nails, staples or screws as these can also jam a blade and ruin the blade teeth.
What is the difference between a tenon saw and a hand saw?
The most common TPI counts for a tenon saw blade are between 10-14, giving a slower but more controlled cut than coarser hand saws. Some tenon saws are designed to cut on the forward stroke only (a ‘push saw’, as opposed to a ‘pull saw’), although you should be aware that this isn’t always the case.
What is used to cut the cheek of the tenon?
Essentially, a wide, stack dado blade does the hard work of removing the waste from the tenon cheeks and shoulders.
What is the strongest wood joint?
Mortise and Tenon Woodworking Joints One of the strongest woodworking joints is the mortise and tenon joint. This joint is simple and strong. Woodworkers have used it for many years. Normally you use it to join two pieces of wood at 90-degrees.
