# How to cut a 6"tenon in a 6' 2x4?



## MK19 (Apr 15, 2010)

OK, so I have a pair of old concrete bench sides that I had some cedar cut for to make the benches. There are 5 holes, each are 1.5" x 3.5" and I had my cedar cut to full 2"x4" with using tenons to go through the holes and securing them on on the outside with wedges. I was mulling over how I would cut the tenons, as the 2×4's are 6' long, so using dados on the table saw would prove difficult. I don't own a Radial Arm Saw (that would probably be my best bet) and I tried using a router with a straight bit, but there isn't enough surface area to keep the router flat while I remove material. So, how do I get this done? Do I need to approach doing this by hand? TIA.

Damon


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Cut out the waste with a router, leaving bands of material 
to support the router base. What's left can be removed 
with a chisel.


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## MisterBill (Mar 27, 2012)

Along the lines of what Loren suggested: make this jig and use your router to make the tenons.

http://www.woodworkingseminars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/WS97_SimpleTenonJig.pdf


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

you could cut them on a BS. also I you have a dewalt slider there is a tab on the right hand side with a stop for making shoulder cuts. if you put a 3" block against the fence then your cedar you can cut the shoulder one slice at a time.


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## MK19 (Apr 15, 2010)

Thanks Loren and MisterBill!!! The jig is going to work perfectly!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Just cut it on the table saw on a longer piece of 2×4 then cut it off after you have your tenons made. If all you have left is 6" material make a simple tenoning jig and cut the tenons on it.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/403/adjustabletenonjig.pdf

Or make a small table saw sled










Edit

Opps I read your measurements wrong I thought it said 6" material


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

It's called kerf cutting

Saw a series of saw cuts to define the tenon

A simple whack with a hammer to knock the leftovers loose

Nice wide chisel to clean it up. Rinse, repeat. Circular saw, or back saw, your choice. Be sure to set the depth of cut. The only cut that need to be perfect is at the tenons shoulder, the rest can be every which way. They will be waste, anyway. Set the depth just a hair shy of finished depth, that is for the chisel to finish up.

By the time you make a jig, and set up a power tool, you can already be paring away to final fit with this….


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