Mortise-and-tenon joinery is one of the most reliable we have, but if your tenons are not sized properly or they are inconsistent, it can be difficult to assemble your projects. Master woodworker George Vondriska reveals a shop trick that you can use to turn a perfect tenon for your woodworking projects.
You Might Also Enjoy
-
2:55Choosing a Brush for Your Top Coat
You’ve spent a lot of time on your project getting it ready to finish, so why not finish it right? If you’re going to apply four layers of stains or top coat with a brush, it’s important to use the proper brush for the job. A WoodWorkers Guild of America (WWGOA) original video.
Watch Now >> -
2:04Board Foot Measure
George Vondriska provides tips on how to formulate the board foot measure of hardwood so that you can better assess how much wood you’ll need for your woodworking project and better communicate with the salesman when you go to purchase your wood. A WoodWorkers Guild of America (WWGOA) original video.
Watch Now >> -
6:13Circle Jig on the Bandsaw
George Vondriska shows his shop-made circle jig solution for cutting a perfect circle on a band saw. A WoodWorkers Guild of America original video.
Watch Now >> -
8:41Cleaning a Rusty Table
George Vondriska demonstrates the best way to remove rust from a cast-iron tool table. A WoodWorkers Guild of America (WWGOA) original video.
Watch Now >>
What brand of face mask/dust shield do you use?
Hello Michele,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
You can find these here: http://amzn.to/2nOWcmG
Sincerely,
Paul
Wood Workers Guild of America Expert
We, in England (UK) use the correct size open mouth spanner to do these types of jobs they work exactly like your wooden template but with out the work of making a wooden test piece.
We check the exact size of the drill bit we would be using by placing it into the jars of the spanner that way we know the hole and tenon will fit exactly.
This way it’s less work and a lot faster.
Ps it is possible to use a adjustable spanner providing you can lock of the adjustable mechanism. By engineering a thumb screw.
The easiest way is to use duck tape.
Pps
The safest way is just to use a solid open mouth spanner.
Regards
Ian M Chadwick
IMHO, a digital caliper should work better (up to a diameter of about 3″). It would allow you to see how far you need to go and would check the diameter along the tenon’s entire length. A slightly tapered shape for the tenon might also work better when the hole isn’t perfect. And remember that you can’t fit a 1″ dowel into a 1″ hole – either the dowel needs to be slightly smaller or the hole slightly larger.
just a query on tool hieghts on the video
Hi John. Comfortable lathe height is subjective, depending both on operator preference and the type of work being done. That said, a good starting point is to position the lathe so that the centers are positioned approximately at the height of your elbow, or just an inch or two below. Just as a reference point, I’m primarily a bowl turner with an elbow height of 45″, and my lathe centers sit at 43″ which works well for me.