Fun with a Logman Tenon-maker !!

Hey Dick:
This is a great topic. Rustic work is really hot right now. I don’t have any of the tools to do it in a quick fashion, and I am confused by how many options there are. So, I haven’t purchased anything. I have seen this tenon maker you are using in the catalog I get, but I wasn’t sure if it was the best to use, or if I should get the type that you put in a drill that cuts like a big pencil sharpener. That style requires me to buy several of the cutter sizes, bringing the cost up pretty quickly.

I met a cool dude from Missouri several years back at a show who builds rustic furniture full time. He somehow copes the end of each joint so that none of the tenon shows. He said he learned the technique many years ago, I think he said at the Anderson Ranch in Colorado. Do you know how to do that technique Dick? I can’t figure it out.

Here is John Whitt’s website: http://www.grm.net/~jnwhitt/
You can see in his photos that he has each joint cope cut so that they are tight together, no sloped tenon end showing. How does he do that?

I have wondered about those HF Routers. I looked at them this week while in a store in Wichita. If they weren’t that orange color, it would be easier for me to consider them, ha!

How well does it work for you? Would it work for me to use a dedicated router for a Leigh Dovetail Jig? I don’t use the jig often, but when I do it would be nice to have everything all set up, just turn it on, and adjust the depth. I would need two routers like this to do through dovetails.

-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flint Hill's Artisan

Hi Dick;
I was reading on one of your projects some time ago about how you mentioned using a router or jig to make your tenons. At least I think it was you, ha, I read so much here. I have also payed special attention to your rustic furniture projects and the detail of your tenons and so it comes as no surprise to me that you use the Tenon Maker as I already figured that was what you were using.

Great tool the Tenon Maker is and I have one also that I use for many purposes. When I do shows that ask me to do some type of a demonstration and I can use power tools, then the Tenon Maker is always a favorite of mine. In these settings I show how to make rustic benches from green wood and when it comes to the tenon part of the demonstration, well all I can say is the folks enjoy that ‘giant pencil sharpener’ in action! Makes a lot of wood shavings also and when the day is over and after clean up, I have plenty of shavings to take home for ‘other uses’. Yes , there it is again, ”you just might be a lumberjock when you take your scrap wood shavings home for other uses.”

This is a great jig and when I connect it to my Freud 3-1/4 plunge router I have never had a problem. The simplicity, plus ease with which it is to set up and then there is the safety factor which makes it an all aroung good tool//jig.

I also make all my own mallets so when the tool is in use, I will make extra mallet handles as there is always a need for more, more and more. Rustic furniture and also riving with froes can be quite hard on mallets. Just can’t stop that tenon when its going through and then coming out the other side, so I find myself having fun making long tenons. This is quite good actually as it allows me to always adjust tenon length and then I can also work the shoulder of the tenon with a gouge to get a no-show if desired.

Good tool for ease of use, stands up good to wear and tear, safe to use if you understand routers and works very good with green wood and dry wood. I have nothing but praise for the Tenon Maker, however when I am making tenons for show pieces of high end wood art, I still make my tenons by hand and tweak the wood for a tight fit.

Great write up and good pictures also Dick!
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Hi Mark.
The only way I can figure the coping method would use a divider to scribe along the log, & the hand chisel the scribed mark. You’d have to add that amount of the cut out to the total length of the tenon first. You can also cut to the depth of tenon at the top of the taper. Then chisel the waste away.
About Harbor Freight routers, I found out that the bottom bearing retainer was bent, & the shaft had end play of almost 1/16”. I took it apart, & straightened it. Now it works fine. My warranty had expired already.

Like I mentioned, it’s handy to have a router mounted at all times, so you don’t have to go through the adjustments procedure. Also the more power the better.

I was looking at the O’malley 3hp plunge router. It looks like a better deal than HF. On one of the threads Jockmike2 mentioned buying one. Maybe he can give us a report on his router.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Hi Dick …I posted a log headboard project to go along with your forum. I’ve been happy with my log tenon maker. Enjoyed your posting!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Dick – I have read a couple of blogs about the O’Malley router, back in October i visited thier website got some ideas for a couple of Christmas presents. Emailed them because I was having trouble with thier website not putting a drill in the shopping cart. The emailed me back that it would not be available until after Christmas. As December rolled around i thought i would check thier site again. I had a lot of difficultiy, it would take me to a different site. Because i had emailed them before i had thier support email address. Below is the email i sent them after finding thier tools onsale by someone else on Ebay.

Are you only selling through the ebay store “Touched by a Rose”. When
> I type “O’Malley Tool” in the search box the only O’Malley tools that
> display are from “Touched by a Rose” a store from Canada. They are
> selling the router for $138.59 USD, and shipping of $18.00 compared to
> your original website of $79.99 and $5.00 shipping. If this is not the
> store you are selling them through, please send me the url so I can
> find your store. If you have your own store other than the one listed
> above, you may want to check into why it does not show under the
> search. Also when I type in “omalley tool” there are no items found.
> Many people looking for your tools may not put the apostrophe in the
> name. The blogs I have seen will have it both ways.
>
> Thanks,
> Joel Tille

Response by O’Malley:
_Hi,

Unfortunately we are not selling our tools online anymore. There are a few resellers on ebay, but they are not directly associated with us. We are transitioning to selling only other name brand tools on ebay.

James
O’Malley Tool Company_

I had also contacted the BBB of Texas, They did not have any record of this company.
Just thought I would relay the information I had.

-- Joel Tille

Thanks Joel.
I also had trouble finding anything while searching. I thought maybe they just went out of business, or they where a fly by night outfit

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Reply to Mark:
Depending on how wide a circumfrence you want, I use one of several sized plug/tenon cutters either in a brace or in an electric drill. The cutters I have will cut about a three inch tenon.
I also hand cut a lot of tenons. I measure how long I want the tenon and make a line around the log. Then I take my dove tail saw in cut around the log about an eight of an inch deep. Then I either use a chisel to make the tenon or a carving knife. I do this fairly often since I primarily make only rustic pieces. One of the benefits of doing it this way is that you can continually check for a nice snug fit as you go along.
Good luck!

-- Dennis, Tennessee

They now have a Video of the Logman Tenon Maker, so take a look.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

that really fits in with my “rustic” stuff.. hmmmm another investment waiting..

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Some of you have asked me about this tool.

So here it is.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1