A tenon is a protrusion cut onto a length of wood. When matched up with a properly cut mortise or slot in another board, the mortise and tenon joint can be one of the strongest in woodworking.
Facts
The tenon forms a strong joint because it offers a great deal of surface area for glue to bond. Since the tenon fits completely into a mortise, the joint is well concealed.
Features
The tenon consists of two shoulder cuts, which run parallel to the edges of the workpiece and two cheek cuts, which run parallel to the face of the workpiece.
Layout
The basic rule of thumb is that the width of a tenon should be two-thirds the width of the workpiece and the thickness of a tenon should be one-third the thickness of the workpiece.
Cutting tenons
Shoulder cuts for tenons can be made on a table saw. Cheek cuts can also be made on the table saw but for safety reasons, a special fixture called a tenoning jig provides added stability.
Warnings
The strength of a mortise and tenon joint depends on how well the tenon fits into the mortise. Too tight a fit could cause splitting, too loose a fit could result in poor glue adhesion.
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