kziggy

I'm building a set of Morris chairs. My table saw is an older model Craftsman and I am having a problem with it holding its blade setting with a datto blade. I've tried to tighten up the adjustment shaft but that didn't work. I may try using my band saw but I have no experience with cutting tenons that way and suspect building a jig to hold the work piece in place takes some talent in itself. I was thinking of using my router table as an alternative to the table saw but have some concern because of the quantity of tenons needed and weather I can expect the bit to hold up. I'm holding down the expense of the project because money is tight right now, so I'm using pine. That should also go a little easier on my blades and bits.

Any suggestions/recommendations on how to handle the problem? Do you think using the router for cutting the tenons is the way to go? Thanks.

Nate1778

If the saw will hold a setting with a normal blade, use a normal blade to cut the shoulders. Once you have that cut throw the dado on the saw and use it to remove waste. The shoulder cut is the most crucial here, all the rest is simply removing excess wood. Just a thought.........

ACP

Build a tenoning jig. They are easy to build, cheap, and effective. There are numerous plans on the internet and in books and magazines. You will end up with cleaner cuts. Or invest in a tenoning jig. Delta's is said to be the top of the line, but its somewhere around 130. Grizzly has one for 60.

kziggy

Thanks guys. I'll look into the tenon attachment. What I probably need is a new table saw but that won't happen right now because of costs. I'm trying to utilize what I have on hand so do you have any thoughts about using the router?

rrich

The big problem is going to be cutting the shoulders. Most of the Morris chair plans that I've seen, not all of the mortise and tenons are 90°. What you need to do is to cut a push block at the appropriate angle. Then with the push block against the fence and the stock against the push block make your angled tenon shoulder cut.

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Rich (Tilting right)
Huntington Beach, California
Remember that when we have the "BIG ONE" everything east of the Rockies falls into the ocean.