# Can you make a tenon with a router?



## Peter5 (Sep 22, 2010)

I've been contemplating how to get my tenons better with large pieces of lumber. I can get them pretty crisp with smaller projects, but with large stock it's quite difficult to get the lumber to stay in place with the miter gauge. I was thinking of trying to make the tenon with a rabbit bit on a router, by just setting the proper depth and routing away a rabbit all around to reveal the tenon. It seems like this would give me much more control, not having to push a big piece of lumber through a saw. The only downside I can think of is that I could only make the tenon as long as the rabbit, but my 3/8 inch rabbit is fine for most of the jobs I have in mind. Am I failing to think of something here, or is this worth a try?


----------



## Camper (Jul 31, 2010)

Hey Peter, I am sort of in the same boat as i need to make tenons on an approximately 4'x2' table top for breadboard ends. I have seen/read people use a router to do these with a regular straight bit and a guide. I do not see why a router would not work. What I am concerned with is the removal of stock between the tenons. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.


----------



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

I bet you could come up with some sort of jig to guide it, kind of like a router planing jig… I am sure it's doable, but how hard do you want to work at it?


----------



## Peter5 (Sep 22, 2010)

Hi Camper, thanks for your thoughts. I'm not concerned about removing stock between tenons because these are hidden (not through) so I'm just making one big tenon and one big mortise. I think I'm going to just try it out today- I'll report back.


----------



## brunob (Dec 26, 2006)

Here's a site to find a jig: tenon jig


----------



## Peter5 (Sep 22, 2010)

dbhost, I was planning to use a rabbit bit with a bearing, so no jig necessary- I think.


----------



## Camper (Jul 31, 2010)

Peter, I am no expert but I think one of the things frequently pointed out regarding larger pieces of wood is wood movement due to change in humidity etc. I am not sure a single tenon (I am assuming glued) would accommodate this….I have seen in several places multiple tenons where the center one is glued and the other ones are not glued….again I hope someone with more experience can chime in…


----------



## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Why not if your unsure of this make mortices on both ends and fit floating tenons. They are much easier to make .Make this so you have two mortices (holes ) and one longer tenon (rod) to fit between both they glue up great a dry fit being the best way so that all fitting is spot on before gluing best of luck with your project look up floating tenons on the web browser,Alistair


----------



## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Pete-Check this out … http://woodgears.ca/pantorouter/index.html

-Gerry


----------



## live4ever (Feb 27, 2010)

You could put together a horizontal slot mortiser…a fairly easy project if you have some ply and mdf laying around. The hardware requirements are minimal.


----------



## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Your choice:

1) Long straight bit on router & use tennoning jig

2) Horizontal Router ( http://woodgears.ca/slot_mortiser/index.html )

3) Pantorouter ( http://woodgears.ca/pantorouter ) (new)


----------



## AaronK (Nov 30, 2008)

pat warner had a jig that did this - it looked like the popular designs for a loose tenon jig, but used a piloted rabbet bit to go around the end of the stock to shape the tenon. I think with a collet extension you could easily make longer tenons.

alternatively, you could always mill them out using a plunge router with the workpiece fixed and moving the router over multiple pieces for stability and accuracy.


----------



## tbone (Apr 24, 2008)

Here's a good explanation of what I think you are asking. I did a breadboard end for my dining table and have been pleased with the results.
http://www.eaglelakewoodworking.com/category/Fine-Woodworking.aspx


----------



## AaronK (Nov 30, 2008)

this is pat warner's jig

http://www.provenwoodworking.com/tenon-jig.html


----------



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Usually you cut the mortise first and you fine tune the size of the tenon to fit. A router with a rabbet bit will not let you easily vary the size of the tenon.

If your willing to spend some money, here is the perfect solution

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22431&filter=leigh

To be totally "up front" I considered this option but did not buy it. Instead I went with this option, which uses loose tenons, and I am very happy with it.

http://www.mortisepal.com/


----------



## thebigvise (Jun 17, 2010)

I made a walnut bed and chose to make mortises in the posts and tenons at the ends of the (8" by 7' by 1 1/2") side rails. I used a hand-held router with a straight bit and a fence. I agree with richgreer that the mortises should be cut first, then the tenons. I left the tenons about 1/32 oversized, then hand-sanded down to a snug fit.


----------



## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

As Rich said, mortises first. I have started cutting tenons with the band saw (now that I have a decent band saw). I leave them a little proud, then fine-tune them with a shoulder plane or block plane.

-Gerry


----------



## Gofor (Jan 12, 2008)

Like Tbone, I used a router for tenoning the end of my 40" wide dining table for bread-board ends. Tenon was 1" long and I used a 1/2" diameter bit. However, with a 1 1/4" thick black walnut top over 5' long, moving the top across a router table was not an option. I used a plunge router, straight bit and clamped a board to the table top as a guide. Start at the outer most end of the tenon and work back to the guide. That way you have better support for the router base. Flip and repeat.

This is the tenon. Reliefs were cut first but can be cut later. I final fit with the plane shown. As others, mortises were cut first.










Take light cuts when nearing the final depth to get a smooth surface.

Bottom line, yes, you can cut tenons with a router, altho I would use a hand saw for the ends. Very easy after you have cut the faces.as the shoulder acts as a saw guide. (I use a back saw and cut a little proud, trimming it to final with a paring chisel).

With large heavy items, it is always easier to bring the tool to the work rather than vice versa.

Go


----------



## DragonLady (Mar 2, 2010)

I made a tenon jig for the tenons on my gigantic bench legs


----------



## Peter5 (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks so much everyone for your input. I wish this forum had a "reply" feature so I could comment on each of the comments above, but since it doesn't I'll just say thank you to everyone at once. I checked out many of the jigs linked here and I'm seeing that there are a lot of great options out there. Well I took a shot at it today with my rabbiting bit and it did work but not nearly as smoothly as I had imagined (does it ever?). After 2 or 3 bad trial runs I realized (as some pointed out) that I had to hand saw the ends. Once I got a system down for doing that accurately the tenons flew pretty well. Now I need to figure out my mortising better, but that will be the topic for another post. Thanks again everyone.

Pete


----------

