Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

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shoedo
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Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2019 8:32 pm

Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by shoedo »

For those of you who have experienced with this jig, could you please tell me if you think it was a worthwhile purchase and how you use it in your operations. I am a novice! What are other options to achieve the same results? Thanks
DLB
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Location: Joshua Texas

Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by DLB »

I got one of these as part of a used SS purchase. It's the kind of thing I probably never would have bought, but found I love it. Though intended primarily for, you know, tenons, I find it to be extremely versatile. It makes a great base for many kinds of jigs, offering excellent control and safety when you need to work close to the blade, for example with small parts. The wooden trunnion comes off with a couple of wingnuts, and you have six holes so you can bolt up anything you can imagine. I prefer it with a sacrificial and larger surface than the trunnion offers, and rarely have use for the angles the trunnion provides, so I think it is important to look at the trunnion as one of many options.

There are at least two versions if you are considering buying used. I've only ever touched the newer one, so I don't know if they have the same capability. The newer one, differentiated by a visible cross slot under the knob, includes the capability to rotate the casting portion in 90 degree increments and the ability to slide the casting nearer or farther from the blade at all rotations. Someone with the old style can weigh in on whether it has the same capabilities. I think it must, but it is not obvious to me how the old style works.

I don't know that there is anything I can do with this jig that I can't do some other way, but for the safety aspect alone I think it is well worth it. Basically if I do anything with small parts I'm using it as a means of holding those parts securely while I am farther from the blade.

- David
shoedo
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Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by shoedo »

Thank you very much for such a concise and informative response. The one that I am considering to buy looks like the one on Shopsmith's site.
shoedo
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Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2019 8:32 pm

Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by shoedo »

David,

Would you provide me with a few examples of how you used the jig other for its intended purpose. thanks
DLB
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Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:24 am
Location: Joshua Texas

Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by DLB »

A small part sled example, which IIRC I modified from another jig by addition of the featherboard. I had made some corner pieces for a bird/squirrel feeder for my wife, more or less like outside corner molding. When I fit it I didn't like the look, wanted a somewhat deeper cut, but by now some of the pieces were small. You can see the cutoff (scrap) in the first pic for reference, the workpieces were around 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 2-1/2 long.
Sm part jig back
Sm part jig back
IMG_20200927_095224681.jpg (178.29 KiB) Viewed 3463 times
Sm part jig front
Sm part jig front
IMG_20200927_095236905_MP.jpg (1.71 MiB) Viewed 3463 times
It uses a sacrificial guide to push the part. I used the featherboard in a non-traditional role to hold the part in place against the table and jig, its fingers instead of mine for safety. Despite the size of the pieces I was working with I felt perfectly safe and comfortable for this operation because I had no contact with the workpiece.

- David
shoedo
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Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by shoedo »

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to my request.
Hobbyman2
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Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by Hobbyman2 »

practice on a scrap piece . I have used my'n and would give it a 10 out of 10 for what it is .
Hobbyman2 Favorite Quote: "If a man does his best, what else is there?"
- General George S. Patton (1885-1945)
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rjent
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Re: Shopsmith Master Tenon Jig

Post by rjent »

I agree with both of these guys. I acquired mine through a "package" purchase as well and would probably never have purchased it on my own, but am glad I have it. It is astoundingly precise (with good setup) for making tenons, but I also use it as a sled for making keys in the corners of mitered boxes using DLB's bolt on concept. I have some pictures of tenons here on the site, I will look for them. :)

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn26 ... 10b9d4.jpg

Here is the thread:
http://shopsmith.com/ss_forum/beginning ... 15732.html
Dick
1965 Mark VII S/N 407684
1951 10 ER S/N ER 44570 -- Reborn 9/16/14
1950 10 ER S/N ER 33479 Reborn July 2016
1950 10 ER S/N ER 39671
1951 jigsaw X 2
1951 !0 ER #3 in rebuild
500, Jointer, Bsaw, Bsander, Planer
2014 Mark 7 W/Lift assist - 14 4" Jointer - DC3300
And a plethora of small stuff .....

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