There are many types of different connections that are widely used today in repairs. They are needed for assembling and repairing furniture, for connecting individual parts of some functional elements. But it is the tenon joint that has earned the greatest popularity among all types.
A tenon joint is a connection of wooden parts by tightly fitting the tenons into the holes (grooves).
The connection based on grooves and tenons is mostly used for wooden materials. It provides a fairly strong joining, while preventing the parts from deforming. This is especially good for furniture, when it is necessary to ensure maximum reliability of fasteners.
Anyone can make a tenon joint, but before serious assembly you need to practice properly if you do not have any carpentry skills. As a result, you can get a fairly high-quality fixation. And if you additionally fasten it with metal corners, then the strength of your furniture will be at a high level.
Manufacturing of dovetail tenon and mortise.
There are many ways in which a tenon joint can be made. But before considering the main most common ones, it is advisable to take into account some rules and subtleties that will definitely need to be followed while performing the work:
- If you have the opportunity, make the tenon using special precision equipment. This will ensure that the sizes of the tenons and grooves match each other as closely as possible. Such equipment is available in every carpentry shop or industrial labor training room.
- It happens that you are going to make furniture that does not require much precision. Then you can make the connections yourself. To do this, the tenons must be cut exclusively along the grain of the wood. In this case, the width should be approximately 17-20 times the thickness of the main part. This way you will be able to avoid chipping and cracking.
- Things are a little simpler when cutting tenons on plywood. In this case, the thickness of the spinal sinus can be absolutely any. The width of the main parts does not affect this. But the principle of matching in the direction of the fiber remains the same.
- After the tenons have been cut out and their size has been checked, the wood must be slightly dried. This refers to the usual keeping of the material indoors throughout the day. This way the wood will be able to take a permanent shape, which will help avoid bending of the joint in the future.
Preparation of the instrument and the first part of the measurements
Now let’s look at the main and most common option for how you can make a high-quality tenon joint with your own hands. It is based on the use of a regular file or a large saw (depending on the required dimensions).
So, the first thing you need to do is choose a tool. It is important to keep in mind that each file has its own cutting width. Therefore, in the end, part of the tenon will become slightly larger. And how much depends directly on this width. That is why, when measuring connection parameters, take into account the width of the cut.
Now start marking. For this you will need a pencil and a ruler. First, measure the parts that need to be connected to each other. After this, the width of the parts is applied at the site of the future cut. In this case, the depth of the cut itself will be exactly equal to the thickness of the main part.
Typically, many furniture designs may require multiple tenons or mortises on one piece. In this case, it is necessary to focus on how similar they will be. If they are identical, then it is enough to take one measurement. For different sizes, the required number of measurements is taken. Also remember the rule: it is advisable to make cuts a little smaller in thick parts, and deeper in thin ones.
Marking of the second part
After this, we move on to marking the second part of the connection. To do this, you need to take the two parts that are supposed to be connected and attach them tightly to each other. In this case, you need to ensure that it matches the lines of the cuts. When the parts are perfectly attached to each other, it is recommended to clamp them in a vice so that they do not move.
Now that the parts are properly fastened, you need to apply marks with a pencil on the second part that has not yet been marked, and then make the initial cuts with a file. These will not be solid lines, but just thin marks, similar to scratches. But it is still necessary to do them, since it will be easier to work later. Only when making marks, try to do it in such a way as to achieve perfect evenness and avoid bending.
After this, it is necessary to release the parts and move them further relative to each other. It is important to take this into account. If you move the parts just a little by the width of the file, the connection will turn out to be quite rigid. And if you make the shifts a little more, it will be freer.
However, it cannot be said that any of the options is bad. It all depends on the nature and size of the parts being connected. And also on the specific type of wood used. If you use plywood, then you can make shifts only along the width of the cut, since in any case it will not be subject to severe deformation.
Final formation of tenon joints
When all this is done, we move on to the thorough formation of the tenons and grooves. In order for everything to go correctly, you need to constantly take measurements during work in order to eliminate, if possible, the risk of error. Be especially careful about the straightness of the lines. For large parts, use a building level for control.
So, the main part of the work is finished: the tenon joints are formed. Now you need to finally measure everything to make sure it is correct, after which you can move on to the final design. To do this, you can use sandpaper or a hand jigsaw. It depends on how rough the surface is.
Connection will follow. It is important to consider the type of connection here. They are detachable and non-detachable. Permanent connections should be stronger and more thorough, and detachable connections should be such that they can be disassembled if the need arises. For permanent connections, glue is used, and for detachable connections, the corners must be slightly rounded.
The option of how you can make tenon joints with your own hands has been considered.
There are several more methods, but they are more complex and more suitable for professionals. But if you don’t rush anywhere, you can gradually acquire skills and perform subsequent work simply.
Knowing how to make a tenon and groove with a hand router, you can even at home make not only beautiful but also reliable furniture, but also various wood structures characterized by excellent load-bearing capacity. The tongue-and-groove system connects not only elements of various furniture (tables, chairs and shelves), but also frames low-rise buildings, experiencing significant loads during operation.
In order to make a tenon on a wooden beam using a hand router, several conditions must be met:
- securely fix the workpiece and correctly orient it in relation to the guide sole of the router;
- set the height of the working part of the cutter so that the tool removes a layer of material of the required thickness from the surface of the workpiece.
Even using the simplest tenoning device for a router when performing such processing, you can not only increase its productivity and quality of the result, but also make the technological process safer. It is especially important to use such a device, which can be made with your own hands, in cases where the furniture is produced not in single copies, but in series (in this case, the master has to perform a large number of similar operations both with the same type and with existing ones). various shapes and sizes of wooden parts).
Tools used
The creation of tenons and grooves, with the help of which the connection of two wooden blanks will be ensured, involves taking a sample of material on the side surface of a beam or board using a hand router. In this case, all geometric parameters of the elements of the future connection must be strictly maintained.
To perform this operation with a hand router, you can use tools with shanks with a diameter of both 8 and 12 mm. The most universal in this case is a groove cutter, the cutting part of which works as follows:
- the lateral surface forms the walls of the groove and the sides of the tenon;
- the end side processes the bottom of the groove and removes a layer of material of the required thickness from the base of the tenon.
Thus, using a tool of this type, it is possible to form both a tenon and a groove on the side surface of a beam or board. Moreover, their sizes can be adjusted within a fairly wide range.
In cases where higher demands are placed on the reliability of the connection of wooden parts, the grooves and tenons are made not of a rectangular shape, but of a shape called “dovetail”. Grooves and tenons of this configuration are created using dovetail cutters. It is also possible to perform the procedure for forming grooves and tenons of this shape with a manual milling cutter, but for these purposes you should use devices of a different design.
Dovetail sampling using a template
So that the question of how to make a groove in a board or beam or a tenon on their side surface does not cause any particular difficulties, it is better to use a power tool equipped with comfortable side handles, a wide guide sole and the option of protecting the spindle from turning during the process of replacing the cutter. In addition, it is desirable that such equipment have a side stopper, due to which the overhang of the cutter used with it will always remain constant.
How to make a tenon pick-up device
When forming tenons on wooden workpieces with a manual router, it is not fixed in any way in space and is brought to the workpiece manually. That is why it is very important that when using a power tool, the workpiece is in a device that can ensure not only its reliable fixation, but also the accuracy of the spikes formed on its surface.
The design of the simplest device that is able to cope with such tasks is:
- several fixed guides (lower, upper, side);
- movable bar, due to which you can adjust the sampling length.
Such a device is manufactured, the dimensions of the components are selected individually, in the following sequence:
- Along the edges of the plywood sheet, vertical side elements of equal height are fixed, with cutouts made in the central part.
- Guides are installed on the side elements along which the sole of the hand router will move.
- To limit the movement of a hand router along the upper guides, the side strips should be fixed to them.
- On a sheet of plywood, which plays the role of the base of the device, it is necessary to install a movable element, with the help of which the amount of overhang of the edge of the workpiece will be adjusted. For fixation, you can use a regular thumbscrew or any other suitable fastener.
When manufacturing a device of the proposed design, the following points must be taken into account:
- The height of the upper guides should correspond to the sum of the thickness of the workpiece and the small gap required to install the locking wedge.
- The cutouts in the side vertical elements are made of such a width that it takes into account the length of the tenon being formed.
You can work using the device of the proposed design with a hand-held milling cutter of almost any modern model, the options of which provide the ability to adjust the cutting speed, feed rate and overhang of the working part of the tool used.
To create a dovetail tenon on the side surface of a beam or board, a device is used that is manufactured as follows.
- A hole is made in a sheet of multi-layer plywood from which the cutting part of the dovetail cutter will protrude.
- From the bottom of the prepared plywood sheet is fixed manual frezer. To do this, you can use clamps, screws or any other fasteners.
- A 2.5 cm thick board is fixed to the surface of the plywood sheet on which the workpiece being processed will move. It will act as a guide element. This board is a consumable material and is used once with a cutter of a certain diameter.
Such a device can be installed between two chairs or a more convenient and reliable design can be used to place it.
Creating tenons on bars and boards
Using cutters for merging wood for a manual router and the device described above, processing is performed in the following sequence.
- The part to be processed is placed on the lower reference plane.
- The edge of the part on which the tenon will be formed is placed in the cutout of the upper guides and is advanced in it until it stops at the movable element of the device.
- The moving element is fixed in the required position.
- Using a wedge element, the upper plane of the part is pressed against the upper guides.
- A hand router is placed on the upper guides.
- Using a tool mounted on a router, the tree is first removed from one side of the tenon being formed.
- After processing one side, the workpiece is turned over and the second side of the tenon is formed.
Even such a device, which is simple in design, allows you to process tongue-and-groove joints using hand mills with high accuracy and productivity.
Before starting work, such a device must be configured. This can be done using the following algorithm.
- The tool installed in the hand router is lowered until it comes into contact with the surface of the base plywood.
- The thickness of the part is measured.
- The thickness of the workpiece is divided by 4. The result will be the distance by which it is necessary to raise the cutter above the base surface.
Using a dovetail template, grooves and tenons are created at half their thickness, which is explained by the peculiarities of this type of connection. To make a groove in timber and boards, as well as to form a dovetail tenon, the device also needs to be adjusted and its components fixed in the required position.
When making homemade wooden furniture The master is faced with the need to make high-quality tenon joints. The tenon connection of parts is the highest quality and most reliable. And although recently more and more furniture is made and assembled using metal corners, the spike does not lose its position. Not many people can simply make high-quality spikes. If a person can do them, we can say that he has already established himself as a carpenter.
In industry, studs are said to be “cut” using special precision equipment. At home, it is, of course, not available. Therefore, many craftsmen who make simple garden and country furniture sacrifice quality in favor of simplicity. Let me also remind you that tenons are cut in the vast majority of cases only along the wood fibers. If the tenon is made narrow and across the fibers, it will definitely chip. To prevent it from chipping, the width of the tenon should be at least 15-20 times the thickness of the part. This requirement does not apply to plywood. You can cut tenons of any width into plywood, but it is desirable that the outer layers are also oriented along the tenon.
Meanwhile, for a long time there has been a fairly simple method that allows even a novice carpenter to quickly and efficiently make tenon joints of wooden parts. This method was proposed by Yu.A. Egorov. The essence of the method is quite simple and understandable.
Let's say we need to make a finger joint between two parts. For convenience, in the drawings I colored them in different colors.
A prerequisite for quality tenon joint production is the fact that each saw has a specific cutting width. It is determined by the size of the tooth set. It can be measured by making several cuts in some piece of wood. Or you can directly use the saw to take measurements when making tenons.
On each part we apply a mark to the depth of the cut; it is equal to the thickness of the parts. If the parts are the same in thickness, then the depth of cut in each part will be the same. If the parts have different thicknesses, then the depths of the cuts will be different. In a thin part the cuts are deeper (equal to the thickness of the thick part), in a thick part they are shallower.
The parts are folded face to face so that the ends coincide, and relative to each other along the side edges they are shifted to the width of the cut of the saw that we will use to make tenons. (Not the thickness of the saw blade, but the width of the cut!). We secure the parts in a vice or workbench and make random cuts evenly across the entire width of the parts. If the parts are of different thicknesses, we make cuts to a depth equal to the thickness of the thin part. (We will finish the thin part separately later). We try to make the cuts as much as possible along the axis of the part, avoiding the taper of the tenons.
After this, we release the parts and again shift them relative to each other by the width of the cut, but only in the other direction. By the way, if we now make a shift by an amount slightly less than the width of the cut, then we will subsequently obtain a tight tenon joint, which is important for furniture. And if we move the parts a little more than the width of the cut, we will get a free tenon joint. The tenons of the parts will fit freely into the grooves of the other part. This circumstance is important in the manufacture of detachable connections (on a stud) or rotary connections.
Ignoring the old cuts, we make new ones, approximately in the middle of the existing tenons. We also observe the depth of the cuts and especially carefully their length.
After this, we release the parts and adjust the depth of the cuts to the required value (for a thin part, if the parts are of different thicknesses). Using a chisel, we carefully remove excess tenons (look carefully and do not remove the ones you need!), and clean the ends in the grooves.
After this, the parts can be joined.
Permanent connections are usually made with glue. For wooden parts, wood glue or PVA glue are perfect. They will maintain a reliable connection even if the parts get wet or the moisture content of the wood increases. If the parts will be used in a dry room, epoxy resins (adhesives) can also be used.
After the glue has hardened, the joint is cleaned, sanded and processed in the same way as the entire product.
If the connection is planned to be detachable or rotating (for example, you are making blinds or an accordion door from boards or panels), then before starting assembly, you need to round the ends of the tenons so that their corners do not rest against the grooves when turning. In non-rotating but detachable connections, this is, of course, not necessary.
Having connected the parts, all the tenons are simultaneously drilled with a long thin drill. Its diameter should be equal to the diameter of the pin (nail) that you will use as an axis or fastening.
Using this method of making tenon joints, you can quickly, easily and most importantly, make very high quality tenons on the parts of your garden furniture.
Once you've mastered carpentry skills, it's great to show off your homemade furniture to family and friends. What could be more pleasant than touching a razor-sharp blade, inhaling the smell of wood, feeling its texture, and then making a clean, fresh cut!
This article covers basic carpentry techniques. How to use carpentry tools to achieve different shapes, joints and textures in wood. If you're unsure of a technique or type of wood, it's worth experimenting with scrap wood. Put your workshop in order and maintain it. Some craftsmen sharpen hand tools, clean out their workshop, and clean all their tools and machines before starting a new project.
Wood preparation and marking
Once you've decided what you'll be doing, separate your carefully selected and planed lumber into groups. Mark each piece according to its future location in the product, marking the top, bottom, front surfaces and best edges. Using a pencil and tape measure, mark the sections of the required length, and use a square to mark the cut lines. Use a compass to draw arcs and circles. Using a dividing compass, transfer the dimensions from the drawing to the wood.
If you need to make the board narrower or mark a joint, set the thicknesser to the desired division and scratch the mark by moving the thicknesser along the edge of the workpiece. Use a small pencil to mark lines running at oblique angles. If you need paired parts, mark them at the same time and remember that one part must be mirror image second. Use a knife to mark connections.
Curved cuts
Can be done with an electric hacksaw, jigsaw or band saw. The hacksaw is good for large radius cuts and thick wood, when the cutting line goes away from the edges.
Hacksaws are equipped with rotating bases that change the cutting angle, and depending on the type and thickness of the material, different saw blades should be used. For curved cuts of small radius and with wood thickness less than 50 mm, use a jigsaw or jigsaw.
Install the new file and tighten it until it rings when you click it with your finger. If you need to cut an opening, you can do two things: either start cutting from the edge, or, if you do not need to touch the edge, first drill a hole in the part to be removed, then release one end of the file, pass it through the hole made and clamp and tighten again.
Use a drill press and Forstner bits to drill large holes accurately and accurately. Mark the center of the hole, attach the corresponding drill bit and set the depth stop. Then press the workpiece with clamps to the workbench (this will take some time, but it will be completely worth it). If the hole is deep, lift the drill bit several times as you work to remove waste and keep overheating to a minimum. If you have to drill a lot of holes in identical parts, it is useful to make a template from scraps of wood, which is attached with clamps to the work table of the machine.
To drill holes for screws and installation holes for nails, you should use a drill, and it is more convenient to use a cordless drill. If you need to screw in a lot of screws, install the screwdriver included with this tool into the drill chuck.
Planing by hand
Planing is a lot of fun when the blade is sharp and you have enough time. The jointer is ideal for planing along the grain. Don't forget to secure the workpiece on the workbench. Make a test pass, make sure the blade is set to the correct depth, and then get to work.
A face plane is good for finishing sharp edges and for cleaning up ends. Position the blade so that it cuts the finest chips. When processing the end sections, try not to stray to the side and avoid chipping.
Selecting grooves manually
Mark the groove using a pencil, ruler, square and possibly the point of a knife, transfer the workpiece to the workbench of the drill press and use a suitable size drill bit to drill out the main part of the unnecessary wood.
Remove the shavings, clamp the workpiece in a vice and remove the remaining unwanted wood with a chisel, holding the tool vertically. By the way, there is an excellent one.
The groove can be selected using a cutter, and the working technique depends on the size and location of the groove. The router can be held in your hands and moved along the workpiece; when selecting an open groove, attach it to the work table and move the workpiece. In this case, the accuracy of the work will depend on the position of the guide bar (stop) and the height of the cutter. Always make a test pass using scrap wood. It is best to select a groove in stages and make several passes. After each pass, remove sawdust to avoid overheating the cutter.
Carving a tenon by hand
Mark the shoulder lines (the length of the tenon) with a square and a knife, then use a thicknesser to mark the height and width of the tenon. Remove any unwanted wood with a tenon saw. First, make cuts along the grain to the shoulder line on all four sides of the tenon. Then trim the tenon along the shoulder line across the grain. Clean the tenon with a chisel.
If you have a lot of tenons to cut (or if you just like working with machines), a table router is the ideal tool. If the large size of the workpiece does not allow it to be placed on the milling table, it is better to press it with clamps to the workbench and process it while holding the router in your hands. Set the fence to the length of the tenon and the router to the desired height, then, holding the workpiece firmly against the fence, remove the excess wood in several passes. When the end of the tenon rests against the stop, turn the workpiece over and repeat the procedure on the other side. If you stop before the cutter reaches the shoulder line, trim the tenon with a chisel.
To select a groove 6 mm wide and 4 mm deep at a distance of 10 mm from the edge of the board, do this. Attach the router to your workbench and install a 6mm router bit. Set the guide bar to 10mm. Adjust the height of the cutter so that it is 2mm above the table. Make a pass along the guide to create a 2mm deep groove. Turn off the router, raise the cutter another 2 mm and repeat the pass. You will get a groove 4 mm deep.
To select a rebate with a width of 10 mm and a depth of 4 mm, proceed as follows. You will need a straight cutter that is smaller than the width of the rebate (for example, 5mm in diameter). Set the stop at a distance of 5 mm from the rear edge of the cutter, and the cutter at a height of 2 mm. Place the board against the stop and select a 5 mm wide fold. Repeat the pass, still resting the board against the stopper, to obtain a 10mm wide fold. Switch off the router, set the bit to a height of 4 mm and repeat the procedures to complete the fold.
Press the workpiece with clamps to the workbench. Select a cutter that matches the width of the groove or a smaller size and set the depth stop. Using clamps, press a wooden strip parallel to the groove onto the workpiece, which will serve as a guide. Lower the router, press its base against the guide, turn it on, wait until the router reaches full speed, and make a pass. If the cutter is narrower than the groove, move the guide and repeat the procedure until you get the required width and depth of the groove.
Milling shaped edges
Cutting shaped edges with a router is very simple. Attach the router to its table and insert the cutter of your choice - round, radius or shaped. Use a cutter with a support roller.
Move the stop so that it is not in the way. Press the workpiece against the table and make several passes with the cutter from left to right. Continue milling until the workpiece begins to press against the support roller - at this point the cutter stops cutting. If the shaped edge looks burnt, it means either the cutter is dull or you were pulling the workpiece too slowly.
Milling according to template
Use a template if you need to make several parts with the same edges. First, cut out the approximate shapes with a saw, leaving no more than 4-5 mm of excess wood on the edges to be milled. Install the guide roller on the base of the router. Cut a template from plywood with an allowance for the edges and nail it directly to the surface of the workpiece. Turn on the router and guide it along the edge of the template.
As a template, you can take an already made part and use a straight-cut cylindrical cutter with a support roller (it can be on top or bottom of the cutter).
This saw makes it easy to make cuts at any angle. Place the cutting blade on the frame at the required angle (90, 45, 36, 22.5 or 15°) and fix it. Set the depth gauge to the desired mark. Place the workpiece on the saw table, press it against the fence, and then make the cut using smooth back and forth movements.
Inspect the workpiece and decide where exactly you need to drive the nail. If this area is near the edge and there is a danger of splitting the wood, use an electric drill to first drill an installation hole using a drill bit whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the nail. Then use a suitable sized hammer to drive in the nail. If the nail is crooked, pull it out with a nail puller or pliers. If you are driving very small nails that are difficult to hold with your fingers, use pliers to hold them.
Driving screws
You have a choice of mild steel, stainless steel, brass or aluminum screws with straight or Phillips slots and countersunk or pan heads. Semicircular heads stand out clearly on the surface of the wood, countersunk heads are either flush with the surface, or edged with brass washers, or hidden by wooden plugs. The screws are screwed in with a hand screwdriver, a drill with an appropriate attachment, or a screwdriver.
When using a drill, install the locking mechanism so that the screw is screwed in to the required depth. If the wood is soft, the installation hole can be made with an awl; if it is hard, drill it with a drill of a smaller diameter.
To be able to hide the screws under the wooden plugs, you will have to drill a hole for the plug with a countersink drill and a corresponding cutter for the plug. Don't use steel screws on oak - they react with the wood and moisture and cause stains. Instead, choose plated steel, brass, or stainless steel screws.
If you want to make round parts (chair legs, bowls, plates), you cannot do without a lathe. Buy the most powerful and heaviest machine your budget can afford - with an adjustable chuck and faceplate set. Spindle-shaped and cylindrical parts are turned by securing the workpiece between the front and rear centers of the machine, bowls or plates - on the outside of the spindle.
The best lathes are equipped with a device that allows you to turn large workpieces on the outside of the spindle. You will need a variety of turning tools - a chisel, a cut-off cutter, an oblique chisel and a radius scraper.
To cut a door handle or latch, you won't need anything more than a good, sharp knife (not stainless steel). Hold the workpiece in one hand, the knife in the other and cut the wood, pressing on the back of the blade with your thumb. The rest is a matter of skill. To practice, first experiment with soft linden wood, for example.
Installing hinges
The two most common types of hinges are decorative brass overlay hinges (attached with countersunk screws that are screwed flush to the surface) and steel mortise hinges (attached into sockets with steel countersunk screws). In the latter case, outline the hinge flap with the point of a knife, cut the outline with a chisel, and then select the wood with a chisel to the desired depth. The sash should fit tightly in the socket. Always buy suitable screws along with the hinges.
Sanding wood
To obtain smooth surfaces, numerous types of sandpaper (sandpaper) are used. The skin can be used either on its own or wrapped around a block of wood. It is best to sand the wood several times - after sawing, after the glue has dried and after final finishing.
For the first sanding, use regular sandpaper, for finishing - fine sandpaper based on aluminum oxide (it is more expensive, but lasts much longer). For sanding large flat surfaces, use a cylindrical grinder. Work in a well-ventilated area and be sure to wear a dust mask.
Natural wood finish
Originally the term "natural finish" meant that the wood was sanded and left in its natural state, but now also includes oiling or waxing. Danish or teak oil is applied in a thin layer with a lint-free cotton cloth or brush.
Allow to dry and sand with the finest sandpaper to remove the “ridges” (the rough texture of raised wood fibers that occurs when the first coat of finish is absorbed), then apply a second thin coat. If you want to make the surface less hard, rub it with wax mastic.
When finishing items that will come into contact with food, use a vegetable oil, such as olive oil, instead of teak or Danish oil. Rub it in with a cloth.
You have a choice between mineral spirits oil paint and waterborne acrylic paint. Both types of paint are applied with a brush. The visual difference between surfaces painted with one paint or another is very small, however, after working with oil paint, brushes should be washed with white spirit, and after using acrylic paint, with running water.
Oil paint fumes can cause dizziness and nausea, while acrylic paint fumes can cause a dry throat. Regardless of the type of paint you use, wear a respirator and work outdoors if possible.
Special types of wood finishes
When working with American oak, you can get an interesting texture by wire brushing the wood. The texture is pleasant to the touch, and the resulting rough surface means you don't have to worry about damage from pets' claws.
The brush is moved along the fibers until there are no untreated areas left on the surface, after which it is rubbed with oil.
A candle flame finish helps hide the imperfections of low-quality wood. Oil varnish is applied to the painted surface with a brush. After a while it dries out and becomes sticky, and then a burning candle is passed under the surface. Be sure to wait until the surface becomes sticky (it should show fingerprints) and keep the can of polish and brush away from the candle. It is better to do this work together somewhere away from the workshop. Practice on scraps before you get started with any serious work.
When making furniture or any structure made of wood, sometimes it is necessary to connect parts with a tongue-and-groove connection. There are many ways to make this compound. I want to talk about one of the possible ways - making this connection on a milling table. I think that a table is not necessary, it’s enough to attach some kind of cunning board to the router, but your imagination is enough for that. But, we have at our disposal a table with a built-in router. True, it looks terrible, but it is quite functional.
So let's start with a more detailed review.
First, you need to determine the depth of the groove; accordingly, the projection of the tenon will be known from here. In our case - 20mm. To obtain the tenon overhang, set the milling table stop at a distance of 20 mm from the edge of the cutter opposite the stop. For your understanding, as shown in the photo:
The overhang of the cutter determines the thickness of the tenon. In our case, the thickness of the tenon should be 10mm, the workpiece has a thickness of 20mm. Accordingly, a layer of material equal to 5 mm needs to be removed from both sides. So the overhang of the cutter is determined.
For ease of handling the workpiece, a pusher is visible on the table - a rectangular piece of plywood. With its help, the workpiece is positioned and pressed during processing. This ensures more stable operation and speeds up the process. The photo below shows the process of obtaining a spike:
In the photo, blue arrows show the directions of pressing forces when processing the workpiece.
In several passes, the plane of the tenon is formed in a horizontal plane, then we turn the workpiece over and obtain the ends of the tenon in the same way.
In this way, we run through all the parts on which it is necessary to make a tenon.
The next stage is making a groove in the workpiece. In our case, the groove is the width of the cutter, that is, 10mm. depth - 20mm. To do this, we change the offset of the cutter to the required groove depth, but a little more than the calculated one by 2-3 mm, so the groove depth will be a little larger to ensure a tight connection of the parts. We install and fix the router limiter to this position.
On the table itself we apply risks - orientators. They determine the position of the extreme marking points relative to the cutter. To apply marks, stick masking tape on the table (I didn’t have tape, I used electrical tape). And we draw perpendiculars relative to the stop of the milling table and the diameter of the cutter, as shown in the figure:
Then we set the cutter overhang to a small overhang for the first pass, 5-7 millimeters...
And we place the workpiece in the center, between the marking marks. After cutting the cutter into the workpiece, we guide it, as shown in the photo below, until the marks on the workpiece and on the table (insulating tape) align - this will correspond to the position of the cutter at the extreme point of the groove. Then we take the workpiece to the opposite end and do the same until the marks are aligned. The first pass is ready.
Then we increase the overhang of the cutter, also by eye for the second pass and do the same. Third pass - set the maximum reach of the cutter, i.e. according to the previously set limiter on the router. The third pass is the final one, it forms the required groove depth and at the same time the groove width is finally calibrated. The photo below shows the final finishing of the groove.
For your own safety, the work progress is shown on a part that has already been processed and with the router stopped!
Then we prepare the tenon for connection. Because the shape of the grooves is formed by a milling cutter, respectively, the edges of the grooves are rounded. We carefully trim the rectangular ends of the tenons with a chisel. And here is the result - a test assembly of the unit...