Reply by richgreer

I do virtually always use loose tenons. However, I use a jig called the Mortise Pal.

http://www.mortisepal.com/indexb.html

With this jig you are cutting the mortises with a router, but the jig gives you such great control that you get almost a perfect mortise every time. They are sold by Amazon for $199.

There are lots of ways to do joinery and several ways to do mortise and tenons. I’ve explored almost all of them and I think this is the best approach.

You can try to make your own jig but this is so much easier.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.