Tenoning jig for an old Craftsman table saw

[Alan S]

The lack of a built in clamp might be a problem, but it's not really.  A fast action clamp works.  I have seen someone use such a jig with a cam and lever that fit into one of several holes in the back, so that a finger on the lever keeps to work tight to the side.  But it turns out that just holding the work with your hand can be accurate enough for many purposes. 

Incidentally, the width of the jig is not strictly needed, but it is handy, particularly for use with spacers.  A block of wood the thickness of your tenon plus saw kerf makes cutting both faces of the tenon simple, while referencing from one face and without changing the fence position.

It is a versatile jig.  As an experiment, I once dressed some 2x4s square, ripped strip ~1/2" wide, cut it into several pieces, then used these as shims in pairs to space out dado blade cuts to fit the shims, 3 cuts in the end of one 2x4 (using 1, 3, or 5 shims), and 4 cuts in the end of another (using 0, 2, 4 or 6 shims).  They fit nicely together as a finger joint.  The entire process took maybe 15 minutes.  When you are clamping several pieces like this, a clamp does become required.

[JSpill]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'l pick up one of those Craftsman jigs on ebay. There seems to be a wealth of plans available for making my own jig. I really don't want to buy a manufactured tenon jig and have to futz around with it to get it to work. I'll do a little more research  and then decide what to do.

[Pirate]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'l pick up one of those Craftsman jigs on ebay. There seems to be a wealth of plans available for making my own jig. I really don't want to buy a manufactured tenon jig and have to futz around with it to get it to work. I'll do a little more research  and then decide what to do.

Don't but the Craftsman tenon jig. It's a pos and a pia to use.
I had one that came with a saw I bought. Played with it and kept a few parts, before throwing it away.

A simple jig that rides on the fence is easy to use, and easy to make.

[Pirate]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'l pick up one of those Craftsman jigs on ebay. There seems to be a wealth of plans available for making my own jig. I really don't want to buy a manufactured tenon jig and have to futz around with it to get it to work. I'll do a little more research  and then decide what to do.

Don't buy the Craftsman tenon jig. It's a pos and a pia to use.
I had one that came with a saw I bought. Played with it and kept a few parts, before throwing it away.

A simple jig that rides on the fence is easy to use, and easy to make.

[Steve N]

Alan--that style of jig provides no means of holding the workpiece tightly against the jig, and so may create problems with accuracy.

Pieces up to the height of the frame are easily held with your hand. Taller pieces are easily held to the side wall. Only place they need to be held, as the backer board keeps it from moving backward, and it is into the blade so it isn't going anywhere forward. Use one of these other possibilities and you are held fast.

Destaco clamp on a wooden block, running in a T Track set 2/3 of the way up the side wall.














Are ya getting the idea????? I can tell you Glen isn't a girlie Man at all, and he would just grab onto an 8 foot tall piece and run it through

[JGrout]

Pieces up to the height of the frame are easily held with your hand. Taller pieces are easily held to the side wall. Only place they need to be held, as the backer board keeps it from moving backward, and it is into the blade so it isn't going anywhere forward. Use one of these other possibilities and you are held fast.

Destaco clamp on a wooden block, running in a T Track set 2/3 of the way up the side wall.














Are ya getting the idea????? I can tell you Glen isn't a girlie Man at all, and he would just grab onto an 8 foot tall piece and run it through

I think a lot of folks would've had more than a little to say if I had ever posted pictures of us standing on a TS with a dado blade at full height cutting a slot in the bottom of a 3'x8' entry door for an automatic bottom install 

clamps? who needed clamps....... we had two guy supporting the slab and one pushing it through 



 all against a 3" tall rip fence

[ez-duzit]

Here's the guy trying to hold the workpiece against the fence. No room for regular clamps.

[JGrout]

I see an entire face against the fence to mount a clamp to. 

[GeorgeV]

i have a tenoning jig that I bought for use on my Craftsman TS and never used. $50 and it's yours. Where are you located. I am in Maryland.

[ez-duzit]

There you go; heckuva deal.