Tenon jig modification

Fla_Jim · Post by **Fla_Jim** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:36 pm

Due to space constraints in my shop, I've started using my old shopsmith again.
My all time favorite joint is a"'mortise, and tenon". I have a dedicated mortiser. I needed to modify my delta mortise jig to fit the Shop smith.
Of course the guide bar is too wide, and thick to fit the miter slots on the shopsmith. also the slots are closer to the blade than my previous "Jet contractors saw".
first task was to disassemble the jig. I milled the thickness of the guide bar down to fit the depth of the shopsmith miter slots. I used a Bridgeport mill.
Then I used my surface grinder, and ground the sides of the bar for a nice tight fit in the slots, and also ground the top to remove the tool marks from milling.
I had to drill two new holes in the base about .750" back so that the base would properly clear the blade, due to the narrower distance from the slots to the blade.
I cleaned and lubed, and waxed everything, and reassembled the jig.
I aligned everything, and made a "test tenon".
Here's some photos
The original jig.
Milling the guide bar.
Grind the bar on the surface grinder
Finished on the Shopsmith.
Note my home made zero clearance insert, made out of 1/4" UHMW poly.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:20 pm

Fla_Jim wrote:Due to space constraints in my shop, I've started using my old shopsmith again.
My all time favorite joint is a"'mortise, and tenon". I have a dedicated mortiser. I needed to modify my delta mortise jig to fit the Shop smith.
Of course the guide bar is too wide, and thick to fit the miter slots on the shopsmith. also the slots are closer to the blade than my previous "Jet contractors saw".
first task was to disassemble the jig. I milled the thickness of the guide bar down to fit the depth of the shopsmith miter slots. I used a Bridgeport mill.
Then I used my surface grinder, and ground the sides of the bar for a nice tight fit in the slots, and also ground the top to remove the tool marks from milling.
I had to drill two new holes in the base about .750" back so that the base would properly clear the blade, due to the narrower distance from the slots to the blade.
I cleaned and lubed, and waxed everything, and reassembled the jig.
I aligned everything, and made a "test tenon".
Here's some photos
The original jig.
Milling the guide bar.
Grind the bar on the surface grinder
Finished on the Shopsmith.
Note my home made zero clearance insert, made out of 1/4" UHMW poly.

Who Said Machinists Laugh At A Shopsmith?

Well at least one appreciates it for what it is!;)

Thanks for posting. Yer an individual that resonates with my synapses.

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:33 pm

Fla_Jim wrote:Due to space constraints in my shop, I've started using my old shopsmith again.
My all time favorite joint is a"'mortise, and tenon". I have a dedicated mortiser. I needed to modify my delta mortise jig to fit the Shop smith.
Of course the guide bar is too wide, and thick to fit the miter slots on the shopsmith. also the slots are closer to the blade than my previous "Jet contractors saw".
first task was to disassemble the jig. I milled the thickness of the guide bar down to fit the depth of the shopsmith miter slots. I used a Bridgeport mill.
Then I used my surface grinder, and ground the sides of the bar for a nice tight fit in the slots, and also ground the top to remove the tool marks from milling.
I had to drill two new holes in the base about .750" back so that the base would properly clear the blade, due to the narrower distance from the slots to the blade.
I cleaned and lubed, and waxed everything, and reassembled the jig.
I aligned everything, and made a "test tenon".
Here's some photos
The original jig.
Milling the guide bar.
Grind the bar on the surface grinder
Finished on the Shopsmith.
Note my home made zero clearance insert, made out of 1/4" UHMW poly.

flajim,

Nice job!! Did you put any glide strips on the bottom of the tenoning jig? Or is it just cast iron gliding on aluminum? I have one of these jigs also. If I ever downsize my Grizzly table saw then I would want to modify mine similarly to yours. Thanks.

anmius · Post by **anmius** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:05 pm

What a good way to recycle-reuse. But since I don't have Bridgeport Vertical mill or a surface grinder, I would just have purchased new miter bars from Shopsmith and attached them in the correct location.

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:29 pm

anmius wrote:What a good way to recycle-reuse. But since I don't have Bridgeport Vertical mill or a surface grinder, I would just have purchased new miter bars from Shopsmith and attached them in the correct location.

I am thinking conical sanding disc and a jig to hold the bar. Take it off nice and slow..... many, many, many passes.]

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:11 am

I may be missing the point here but if I'm not mistaken you could just make the new guide bar from UHMW in the first place... Of course if you have the toys, why not play with 'em?

Paul M

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:48 am

shipwright wrote:I may be missing the point here but if I'm not mistaken you could just make the new guide bar from UHMW in the first place... Of course if you have the toys, why not play with 'em?

Paul M

Yep.......]

Fla_Jim · Post by **Fla_Jim** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:27 am

shipwright wrote:I may be missing the point here but if I'm not mistaken you could just make the new guide bar from UHMW in the first place... Of course if you have the toys, why not play with 'em?

Paul M

Wow! I didn't even think of that.

I even have some 1/4" thick X about 7/8" wide strips of UHMW left over from making inserts.
I'd still use the mill to relocate the holes in the base of the jig. Also to drill and tap the UHMW.
A crosscut sled is on my to do list. I was planing to make the guide bars out of steel. But UHMW would be a good choice.