Mortise & Tenon Joints: Three Ways To Cut Them

Saturday, February 11, 2017
Presented by: Bill James, Elmer Nahum, and Ken Bayer
6545 Hamilton Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Meeting Agenda

Meeting Date: February 11, 2017

Meeting Start Time: 10:00 AM

Elmer Nahum, one of our new Program Directors, has suggested a series of programs on basic skills that all woodworkers need and various ways to achieve them. We’re going to start this series with the mortise and tenon joint, a basic building block necessary for many woodworking projects. Through lecture and demonstration we will describe three ways to cut this classic joint in both the simple 90 degree version as well as angled mortise and tenon joints.

  • Elmer Nahum will show us the tools and techniques necessary for hand-cut integral tenons and mating mortises.
  • Ken Bayer will cover a table-sawn technique using a dado blade to cut integral tenons with the board laying flat against the saw’s table. Ken will also demonstrate how to make the mortise either by hand or with a mortising machine. Bill James will assist Ken with another tablesaw technique to cut the tenons with the board held vertically, using a standard blade.
  • Bill James will cover loose-tenon joints, using a Festool Domino joiner instead of a router to cut the mortises.

While there are many approaches to cutting mortise and tenon joints, you should be able to leave the meeting with an idea or two about how you might approach your next joinery project.

About the Presenters

Bill James

Elmer Nahum

Ken Bayer