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Tennon Cutter

alpha1

alpha1

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Mar 29, 2018
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Location
middlesbrough
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Dave
Whilst turning for kitless pens threading one of my biggest problems is cutting a perfectly sized tennon so I have bit the bullet and ordered from the States a pen blank tennon cutter. I did consider machining one one my self but then I thought why re invent the wheel I will let you know when it arrives and let you know how I get on with it.

How do you Guys cut your tennons acuratelly.
 
ValleyBoy

ValleyBoy

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Jul 9, 2019
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805
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Cardiff
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Ash
Callipers are really the only way. Get it turned down near to size and then sneak up on it one pass at a time, measuring after each pass. I use a metal lathe now but I used to make them all on the wood lathe. Once you do a few of them you build up a feel for when you’re close and so there’s less measuring than when you start. But I admit it’s fiddly.
 
21William

21William

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William
I’ve not heard of a Tenon cutter before so I did a google. I have a metal lathe but this actually looks quicker and easier to me?

 
R

Rich Aldrich

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Mar 26, 2023
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Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Richard
I have the Hinz tennon cutter. It works well. Prefer using calipers and sneak up on the diameter of the tenon. Similar to Ash. I think you can get a better fit and especially a better finish doing it manually.
 
alpha1

alpha1

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I used it to turn a 10mm tennon I set it up using the 10mm mandrel that comes with it the tennon after turning was 9.6mm so not good it will probably sit in a draw for the rest of its life.
Looks like calipers is the way to go.
 
21William

21William

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William
alpha1 said:
I used it to turn a 10mm tennon I set it up using the 10mm mandrel that comes with it the tennon after turning was 9.6mm so not good it will probably sit in a draw for the rest of its life.
Looks like calipers is the way to go.
Click to expand...

It may be that your tail stock is slightly misaligned with your head stock, a very common issue with woof turning lathes.
In theory this shouldn’t matter with the centre pin centralising the tool, but I wouldn’t mind betting it does.
You could still use the jig. Just make a new slightly larger diameter reference or use feeler gauges.
Any time spent experimenting in how best to use the jig may be more than offset in time making tenons?
 
d_bondi

d_bondi

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Joined
Jan 20, 2024
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10
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Utah, USA
First Name
David
I use a wood lathe and use this same Hinze tenon cutter. It works very well for me. I use it for 10mm section tenons as well as 13mm and 14mm barrel tenons.

I do know that my head stock and tailstock are very well aligned (checked with dead centers in both). If this isn't your issue, then adjust how tightly you have the cutter against the 10mm adjustment bushing, you don't want it digging in.

My only issue with it is that I do have to change the setup between the different tenon sizes. That isn't the tools fault.

I did just order a metal lathe, I will not be using the tenon cutter tool on the metal lathe. The metal lathe makes it simple to do it even more accurately.
 


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