I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with a
shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the small
pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the strips
and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
What is your solution?
+++ Ollie
I found it was pretty easy on a table saw with this process:
1. Screw a large piece of wood to the miter gauge to anchor your wedge stock
to.
2. Use a comfortably sized piece of wood for the stock to cut the wedges
from, big enough to allow the next step.
3. Use a clamp (or 2) to attach the wedge stock to the miter gauge. Keep
the clamps away from the saw blade.
4. Keep your hands away from the wood you're cutting, just push the miter
gauge.
5. The wedges may be longer than you need, it's easy to trim them with a
hand saw.
6. Depending on the size of the pieces you're cutting, a zero-clearance
insert may be necessary.
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions...
Denny
"Ollie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
> purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
> with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with
a
> shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the
small
> pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
> the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
> slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
>
> I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the
strips
> and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
> those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
> then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
>
> What is your solution?
>
> +++ Ollie
>
>
On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 21:21:13 -0400, "Ollie"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
>purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
>with my table saw were quite dangerous.
How small? How dangerous?
I make toaster tongs as on of the gifts for friends and family. The
bit of wood holding the side arms is about 1/2" long, and angled at 2
degrees per side. To do that, I cut across the grain ofa fairly wide
piece to the 1/2" depth. Then I set the miter [with extension]at the
required 2 deg angle, and feed into the saw, turn over for the next
cut, turn over for the next .... letting the pieces fall away. The
secret is that I leave a good size piece as scrap, and don't try to
cut ALL of the pieces from that original. You should be able to do
something similar.
Bill.
Here's your chance to justify a bandsaw
You will find that cutting irregular shapes and other cuts with a bandsaw
are not nearly as scary as with other tools.
Many have found that once you have a bandsaw, you find it invaluable in
day-to-day usage.
Personally , I have had a sears 12" 3 wheel bandsaw for about 7 years now,
and will be getting a 14" bandsaw in September.
"Ollie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
> purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
> with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with
a
> shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the
small
> pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
> the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
> slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
>
> I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the
strips
> and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
> those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
> then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
>
> What is your solution?
>
> +++ Ollie
>
>
You will find that finger pressure on the outboard end of the stock is
enough. Remember, there is no kickback; you only have to remember not to
run your finger through the blade. As the stock gets smaller, you can use a
notched stick to keep the stock firmly in the wedge. Try it and you will
find out it really is simple and a safer way to do it.
I chose 6° for the wedge angle out of thin air. I also cut the slot in the
tenon at 6°. And, actually, these weren't exact, but fairly close. What I
wanted was the width of the wedge showing to be visually proportional to the
tenon. For my instance, 6° worked. I made the slot in the tenon the same
angle as the wedge because I was using a more brittle wood (mesquite and
bloodwood). If you are using a more bendable wood, you can make an angled
mortise and use the wedges to lock in the tenon.
Preston
"Ollie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What method you are using to keep stock safely in the plywood jig?
>
> My only reason to select 5° for the tenoning wedge was that it did look
> "right" for a 4° slot. If the wedge is 6°, what angle the slot should be?
>
> +++ Ollie
>
> "Preston Andreas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I had to cut a bunch out of ebony for wedged tenons. I set my bandsaw
> fence
> > about 4" from the blade and ran a piece of plywood through. I then cut
> out
> > the wedge shape in the edge of the plywood that I just cut. Make sure
the
> > wedge you cut out of the plywood, the width of the stock and the desired
> > length of the wedges are the same. Place the stock into the wedge and
run
> > the plywood against the fence and cut off the first wedge. Flip the
stock
> > over front to back and run again. This offsets the first angle cut into
> the
> > stock. Keep repeating for more wedges. It is an easy setup, fast and
> > plenty accurate for wedges. BTW, I cut mine at approx. 6°.
> >
> > Preston
>
>
>>I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
>>purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges.
<snip>
>>
>>What is your solution?
>>
This month's Woodworkers' Journal had an article with Ian Kirby building a
workbench, which uses wedged tenons. There is an excellent sidebar, with
pictures, on doing exactly this.
I would not presume to improve on his method.
Patriarch
I use the sliding compound mitre saw myself. Just throw the bit left over
away & move to the next when you feel the fingertips being buzzed by the
blade.
Jock
"Ollie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
| purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
| with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with
a
| shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the
small
| pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
| the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
| slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
|
| I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the
strips
| and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
| those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
| then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
|
| What is your solution?
|
| +++ Ollie
|
|
I had to cut a bunch out of ebony for wedged tenons. I set my bandsaw fence
about 4" from the blade and ran a piece of plywood through. I then cut out
the wedge shape in the edge of the plywood that I just cut. Make sure the
wedge you cut out of the plywood, the width of the stock and the desired
length of the wedges are the same. Place the stock into the wedge and run
the plywood against the fence and cut off the first wedge. Flip the stock
over front to back and run again. This offsets the first angle cut into the
stock. Keep repeating for more wedges. It is an easy setup, fast and
plenty accurate for wedges. BTW, I cut mine at approx. 6°.
Preston
"Ollie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
> purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
> with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with
a
> shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the
small
> pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
> the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
> slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
>
> I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the
strips
> and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
> those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
> then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
>
> What is your solution?
>
> +++ Ollie
>
>
On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 21:21:13 -0400, "Ollie"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
>purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
>with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with a
>shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the small
>pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
>the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
>slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
>
>I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the strips
>and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
>those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
>then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
>
>What is your solution?
>
>+++ Ollie
>
how about a sawtooth shaped sled to hold them (hot glue?) for a run
through the thickness sander?
Small hardwood wedges can be easily made using the bandsaw. If you
don't have a bandsaw, a dovetail saw will do. And yes, trying to cut
small parts on a tablesaw will lead to unpredictable projectiles !
However, the tablesaw blade can be lowered such that 1/16" thick wood
is left uncut, then break apart the pieces with a box cutter and hand
sand.
On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 21:21:13 -0400, "Ollie"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
>purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
>with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with a
>shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the small
>pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
>the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
>slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
>
>I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the strips
>and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
>those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
>then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
>
>What is your solution?
>
>+++ Ollie
>
On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 21:21:13 -0400, "Ollie"
<[email protected]> wrote:
very scarey on a table saw... I make mine on the cutoff saw with a
step stop for sizing.. works very well..
I guess that if I was doing them on a table saw, the miter fence and a
stop dowel might work...
>I am in process of making a series of wedged tenon joints and for that
>purpose I need to have quite a many small wedges. First tried to do that
>with my table saw were quite dangerous. I did try with the fence and with a
>shop made sliding table. In both cases I had difficulties to keep the small
>pieces in place. My third solution was to use the tenoning jig by tilting
>the blade by 5 degree to prepare the wood blank for the wedges and then
>slice the wood into strips of the same thickness as the tenon.
>
>I am convinced that there is a better way, where you first slice the strips
>and then make the wedges individually. The main problem is how to keep
>those small pieces securely in place. If you make the wide wedges first,
>then the difficulty is to slice the nonrectangular small pieces
>
>What is your solution?
>
>+++ Ollie
>
Mac
What method you are using to keep stock safely in the plywood jig?
My only reason to select 5° for the tenoning wedge was that it did look
"right" for a 4° slot. If the wedge is 6°, what angle the slot should be?
+++ Ollie
"Preston Andreas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I had to cut a bunch out of ebony for wedged tenons. I set my bandsaw
fence
> about 4" from the blade and ran a piece of plywood through. I then cut
out
> the wedge shape in the edge of the plywood that I just cut. Make sure the
> wedge you cut out of the plywood, the width of the stock and the desired
> length of the wedges are the same. Place the stock into the wedge and run
> the plywood against the fence and cut off the first wedge. Flip the stock
> over front to back and run again. This offsets the first angle cut into
the
> stock. Keep repeating for more wedges. It is an easy setup, fast and
> plenty accurate for wedges. BTW, I cut mine at approx. 6°.
>
> Preston