# Cutting tenons on long workpieces



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Consider, if you will, that you need to cut a quarter inch tenon on the end of a 4x52 3/4 plank. How would you go about doing such a thing? Im leaning towards a router and some sort of jig, but im curious to hear how everybody else goes about it


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

A router would certainly work alright. If you did this very often you might buy a tongue and groove router bit set. I have two routers permanently set up for this on a router table. It could also be done with a radial arm saw and a dado blade.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Cut a bunch last weekend with hickory. Sometimes i'll use the dado bladed and sometimes i'll use my flat tooth blade rip blade with miter and have at it. I think mine were 3/4x4x58...


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

I add a long wood bar to the miter head and use dado blades on the table saw. The wood bar should extend past the saw table so a block can be attached underneath to support the work piece. For extra long pieces, a support stand of some type is also used. The bar should also extend past the blade so a stop block can be attached to register the cut. Never ever use the miter head with the fence as a stop. It establishes all the necessary components for a severe kickback and is mentioned as a safety hazard in any woodworking text and owners manual I've seen.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Hammer1 said:


> Never ever use the miter head with the fence as a stop. It establishes all the necessary components for a severe kickback and is mentioned as a safety hazard in any woodworking text and owners manual I've seen.


Its not a through cut and shouldn't be a problem. But I understand if you unfamiliar and the extra support doesn't hurt....


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Rebelwork said:


> Cut a bunch last weekend with hickory. Sometimes i'll use the dado bladed and sometimes i'll use my flat tooth blade rip blade with miter and have at it. I think mine were 3/4x4x58...


 
+1 Dado blade on the table saw. 52" not long enough to be a problem.

George


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*bump cut tenons*



Rebelwork said:


> Its not a through cut and shouldn't be a problem. But I understand if you unfamiliar and the extra support doesn't hurt....


I have used this method on occasion. Use the fence as a stop 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ76wP1L4hI


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> I have used this method on occasion. Use the fence as a stop
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ76wP1L4hI


Love to see him do that with a 1x6 piece of maple with a 1/4" cut. There seems to be no limit of YouTube videos by folks that shouldn't be giving advice.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*You wouldn't cut 1/4" all at once*



Hammer1 said:


> Love to see him do that with a 1x6 piece of maple with a 1/4" cut. There seems to be no limit of YouTube videos by folks that shouldn't be giving advice.


I would have no problem cutting the tenon on one side using a blade height of 1/8" with a flat tooth rip blade.
The width is not really relevant in my opinion.

To your point about You Tubers giving advice, this individual is either an Editor or Contributor to Popular Woodworking Magazine, which takes him out of the "idiot" category of youtubers.

There is not a whole lot that can go wrong using that method to make a rabbet on the end of a board 1/4" X 1/4" .... I think I shall go make one myself. :smile:


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Hammer1 said:


> Love to see him do that with a 1x6 piece of maple with a 1/4" cut. There seems to be no limit of YouTube videos by folks that shouldn't be giving advice.


There should be several cross cuts before milling out the meat. If its not a hardwood you'll need less, if hardwood you'll crosscut more.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Exactly, that's how I did this one*



Rebelwork said:


> There should be several cross cuts before milling out the meat. If its not a hardwood you'll need less, if hardwood you'll crosscut more.


I used a roller support parallel with the blade to hold the far end of my plank. It was actually 4/4 thick, but I used a 3/8" X 1/4" rabbet. I cross cut the very end and then once in the middle and once with the plank fully against the fence, and bumped it along to remove the small amount of waste that remained. It was perfectly safe, no blade was exposed, no shaking, shimmering or wobbling.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I use a bump cut on smaller pieces, but ~6 feet long is a little out of my comfort zone when it comes to doing it that way. Good to know I'm not the only one who uses that method though


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*OK, then*



epicfail48 said:


> I use a bump cut on smaller pieces, but *~6 feet long* is a little out of my comfort zone when it comes to doing it that way. Good to know I'm not the only one who uses that method though


Your post stated :

_that you need to cut a quarter inch tenon on the end of a 4x52 3/4 plank.
_
52 inches is 4" more than 4 ft. 
Sure a 6 ft, piece may present some issues, but really, what can go wrong. I would use a fenced miter gauge to support the piece from "skewing" at an angle to the blade, but that's about all that would happen. I used the roller parallel to the blade because it supports the work at the correct height and it allows it to easliy slide along the very top of the roller at 90 degrees, an old trick I taught myself....

Some here might say it "shouldn't" be done, others might say it can't be done, I say "I think I can do it"....


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

woodnthings said:


> Some here might say it "shouldn't" be done, others might say it can't be done, I say "*I think I can do it*"....


Plenty of us CAN and DO that sort of stuff all the time without issue. 

:yes:


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

woodnthings said:


> Some here might say it "shouldn't" be done, others might say it can't be done, I say "I think I can do it"....


I say that if i have any misgivings about an operation, i find another way to make that operation. Helps keep all my fingers attached. My apologies though, i did make a mistake somewhere converting inches to feet. The longest actual work piece will be in the 5-6 foot range, im not sure where i got 52 inches. This is why i shouldnt be on the internet at 2 in the morning apparently.


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