# Tenoning Jig - which to buy



## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

I'm very eager to buy a tenoning jig as it's impossible to get clean cuts from a stack dado. Most units appear to look the same at first glance. I know Delta made a killer one in the early 90's and it weighed quite a bit but you can't find them anymore. While I'm not a huge Griz fan in general, they appear to look similar to many of the others with basic features. I'd like one with a micro-adjust and I've only come across the jet that has this. Please offer some advice or user experiences. Does anyone have one they're looking to sell?? Thanks ~ Crickett


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

If I didn't have one of those old heavy Delta ones, I would
make one from the plan on Woodgears.

https://woodgears.ca/tenon/jig.html


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I used one of these for a few years. I'm not sure what
happened to it. Jig rides on the fence. I used it to cut
tenons and saddle joints.


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## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

I have the Jet model and really like the fine adjustment on it. Works very well.


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

I really want to stick to the cast iron ones for their shear mass and controllabilty. Even the most experienced of woodworkers get kickback back using wooden tenoning jigs. Just ask Paul Sellers…...


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

I built the woodgears tenon jig. There's really no way of getting kickback with it.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

I think this one is essentially a copy of the Delta, http://woodworker.com/tenoning-jig-mssu-116-738.asp?search=tenon jig&searchmode=2 I got it several years ago and have no complaints, it's wicked heavy and works well, you can register for a pro account and get it for a bit less & with the $5 shipping special it's a good deal for the $$$


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## Lsmart (Jan 1, 2012)

I just picked up a Delta off of craigslist this weekend for $50 in good condition. Shop around second hand world (kjiji, ebay?) you will find one eventually. (I had choice from 3)


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

Since my mortising machine is a Jet, maybe I should keep it in the family. Are there any other options with micro-adjust other than Jet. With the wooden jigs, you don't have the heft and can lead to lifting if you don't have a washer running inside the t-style miter track or kickback - plenty of vids online showing this and how scary it is. Anytime my blade is more than 2" above my table, I will take every precaution I can.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

If you keep your miter slots waxed, the jigs will not lift.

Also, if your slots have the t-style track, you probably won't be able to use the cast iron jigs anyway.


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

I didn't say "t-track," I said "t-style" as in the type of miter slots I have in my cabinet saw. See the slot pictured here. And keeping you slots waxed would lower the friction leading to easier lift. At any rate, we're getting off topic here. Does anyone have experience with different cast iron jigs than can lend some first hand experience?


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## GregD (Oct 24, 2009)

I have the tenoning jig that Rockler sells.

The challenge for tenons is getting the precise thickness that you need. The advantage of the woodgears jig is that it references 1 side of the work for both cheek cuts and so is not affected by the thickness of the work. I found that after only 1 week my thicknessed parts were no longer of precisely uniform thickness and I had to fine tune the thickness of each tenon individually. Granted that was framing lumber, but it had been sitting around for a while.

I made a jig for a dial indicator so I could set the tenoning jig to take off a specific amount of waste from the tenon.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

The Woodtek micro adjusts, looking at images of both, WoodTek,









Versus the Jet,









they appear to have the same control features but the clamping structure of the WoodTek has a much better design IMO


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

I'd say make your own. I made one with a few clamps some mdf and glue. Since you make the mortise first and only need to trim each side of the tenon till it fits, you just need an adjustment mechanism. I came up with one using a re-purposed clamp and a dial indicator and magnetic stop in a scrap of wood. I can easily adjust the fence by the thou.

You mentioned the dado blades not leaving a good cut. I bought an 8" blade that was 1/4" thick with a flat top so it gives me super smooth cuts. Love it. you could cut with just a plain blade though. Anyway here are some pic's and a link to the blade.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjHkqqeC

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2003715/284/Bessey-Single-Screw-Edge-Clamp.aspx

http://www.infinitytools.com/8-Flat-Top-Blade-24T-5_8-Arbor-250-Kerf/productinfo/080-250/


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

ChefHDAN - I'm not familiar with Woodtek but I'll say it looks like a sweet unit. For $100 seems like a no-brainer to me, and if it's equivalent to the Jet than I'm a happy camper. Thanks for the tip - much appreciated.


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## Sawdust4Blood (Feb 16, 2010)

I've had the Rockler tenoning jig for about 4 years now. It's always done right by me but it was also $40 cheaper back then. I've built fence riding jigs but the fine adjust screw on this jig allows tuning the tenon thickness much easier than tweaking the fence would ever be. Of course the other option would to keep making them with your stacked dado and get a good shoulder plane to tune them. I'm happy with the tenoning jig that I have but it's pretty much a one trick pony. Not sure I would make the same choice if I had to pay over $100 for it.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

The woodgears tenoning jig is much wider than all of the cast iron jigs. It will not lift out of the groove as you said. If you want a cast iron jig, fine as that is a personal choice. It's more accurate, cheaper, and just as unlikely to cause kickback as the jigs you are looking at. You are merely spreading misinformation on the forum about them when you don't have any firsthand experience.


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

Shop-made jigs are without question very cool and fun to make but the simple fact of the matter is that mass equals safety (not width of a jig) when it comes to jigs (especially ones that involve cutting end grain like tenons). Listen to the first 30 seconds of this review on youtube (I find this guy to be reputable, experienced, and knowledgable). I'm not here to sway anyone one way or the other - I'm just looking personally for a jig that gives me safety and efficiency in one package. Most people could probably go their entire life with a shop made jig and be fine, but I don't want to be the one person (experienced or not) who happens to have an accident.

Jet Review - thoughts on jigs


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

Mass is merely one part of the equation for how tippy a jig is. You can make an ultralight jig, but if it's low and wide, it will never tip. You can make a jig out of pure iron, but if it's tall and not very much surface on the table supporting it, you have a very dangerous jig. Safety depends on a number of factors. I would say the woodgears jig is at least as safe as the cast iron jigs.

It all depends on the design. I can tell your from personal experience, you will not be tipping the woodgears jig anytime soon. It has mass and lots of surface contact. There is a lot of wood and a lot of hardware on it.

Again, it comes down to personal preference on what everyone likes, but safety is not something that differs between the two enough to make one choice better than the other. A tall wooden jig that rides on the fence is likely going to be the least safe tenoning jig, for instance.

And I don't want you to think I'm attacking you or anything. Just providing an argument for the other jigs. Sometimes the internet doesn't convey intent very well.


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

Well I have a few things to add since you're fabricating what I'm saying. I never mentioned anything about a jib "tipping" - my original concern was kickback which remains a concern and a possibility with wooden jigs unless you add significant weight to it. I would never ever want a ultralight jig as you mentioned. The cast iron jigs have zero chance of tipping as they are low to the table and have a washer that runs on the steel runner inside the miter slot keeping it from raising up. Also, jigs that ride on the fence tend not to have great dial indicators and certainly not micro adjusters. I'm not offended, I just happen to disagree with what you're saying and fabricating my words. If you've made the other homemade jig, please take pictures on your phone and post them here (not pictures copied from the internet) - I would like to see exactly the points you're making.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I have had the Woodcraft iron tenon jig … been using it for 5 or 6 years. It has the same micro-adjust features that the Woodtek and Jet products above have.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

Here is what I'm talking about:










It's quite wide and has basically no chance of tipping. It doesn't raise up at all, either. There is no vertical force when you push it.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can pile weights on a shop made tenon jig if you 
want to. Use a rip blade because it's a rip cut.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/102508

The problem with commercial jigs is that they don't
lend themselves to precision tenon thicknessing. 
Maybe some have corrected this. The other issue
I've heard is sort of chintzy hardware and/or
machining. The old Delta corrects this by being
a beast and it doesn't do angles and it has no
sissy micro-adjusters. I guess you would make
a spacer. Flipping the part is a recipe for problems.

Tenons cut on the flat with a miter gauge have 
ridges that compress a bit and compensate for
thickness issues. This method is called "speed
tenons". When cut the other way, with a jig
or multi-router type thing, you need to get it 
to within a few thousands to get that piston fit.

Dovetails are easier to make well, honestly.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Mathias is a G. His jigs are awesome.


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## unbob (Mar 10, 2013)

I have the Delta branded newer version that looks like the Woodtek above, it came with a saw I bought used.
It had problems like Loren mentioned.
The base to table was not flat, it rocked, I filed it true.
The upper part that slides was poorly fitted, when clamped, it would tilt or go out of wack.
Those parts were a little harder to fix. There is a round bar that fits into two V slots to guide the upper casting when adjusting, I had to file the V slots and shim one end of the guide bar.
Now it works good, can be adjusted accurately using an indicator on a mag base.
I have experience only with the one I have, hopefully they are all not as bad.


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

Wow conversation took a tack I never imagined. I think jigs are a point of choice. Some folks just don't like making them and would prefer store bought and some would not have any other kind. I've done it both was, but in this case, I've never ever seen an issue as long as the jig is well designed.

As to kickback, I just don't see it. 90% of all tenon's I cut are small and to get the kickback would required the passing completely over and the wood pinching and with a well made jig like the ones pictured here and the piece well clamped, just don't see it happening. However proper stance (goes into design) is always a factor. Don't get me wrong, the big beasts are fine, but the shop made are plenty ok as well.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Check out this post by LJ ezekiel …


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## Woodbum (Jan 3, 2010)

Have the early 90's model Delta. It isn't going anywhere once you get it in the miter slot because that hunk of cast iron is REALLY heavy. The micro adjust is a little sloppy, but manageable. If I didn't have the Delta, I would get the Grizzly. I looked at one at their Spfd. MO showroom and it looks like a fine replacement for the Delta. I have used the old Delta a lot on an old Craftsman contractors saw and now on my Grizz cabinet saw and am very please with the performance. Woodtek makes a lot of really heavy tools sold by Woodworker's Supply, but I would be very surprised if they don't share some production design and/or facilities with Grizzly as they are both some form of Chinese produced.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I still don't know how you control a long table apron with a jig. I know that ya can't do one longer than ceiling height (Duh!), but won't a simple tenon saw do just as well?
Bill


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