Lost Art Press

Cheap 5/8″ Tenons – the Movie

Posted on by Lost Art Press

Here’s a short movie that shows how to cut 5/8″ tenons with a deburring tool and a plug cutter. The tooling costs as little as $20 total. While this method is slower than using a dedicated tenon cutter, it is much easier to center the tenon on the stick.

— Christopher Schwarz

27 thoughts on “Cheap 5/8″ Tenons – the Movie”

  2. This is a must have, where can I by these? I am a beginning chair maker,…using scrap wood. Been following Mr. CS since I seen him on the Wood Wrights shop. The stick chair book was awesome!!!

    1. You can get the chamfer/deburring tool from many places, including Amazon.

      CZS HSS Deburring External Chamfer Tool High Speed Steel Hex Shank Remove Burr Tools for Drill Bit Fits for Bolts 2 Pack Black
      by EBigDeals
      Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S1G5WH4/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_71R598BPGPBEQFK8ZP3S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

      The plug/tenon cutter can also be purchased from Amazon. Mine is from Lee Valley.

      https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/dowel-and-tenon-cutters/42292-carbide-tipped-dowel-plug-and-tenon-cutters

      1. Thanks!, I just got my fix, for my tool addiction. Cant wait to try it.

  3. Thanks Chris, I always pick up a little tip or two from you short videos, and appreciate the time it takes to make and share them!!

  5. There any dimensions on that stepped stop on the low bench there? I have a feeling there must be a trial and error place where the depth of those steps landed as being the most useful. I don’t recall seeing that described in Ingenious Mechanicks or anywhere else…maybe I missed it.

  6. Hi Chris
    In looking at this video and your previous one about the tenon cutter and the difficulty of getting it centered with the tenon cutter, would using the chamfering/debuting bit help to center the tenon cutter? Have you ever tried it?
    Thanks in advance

  7. Thanks for posting these videos Chris, I learn something every-time. Real nice of you.

  8. I had planned on spending the money on the Veritas tenon cutters. But it looks like I would have to wait until the end of September to get it, so maybe this is a cheap AND obtainable solution. Thanks!

    1. I’m sure they work well. I’ve never tried them because I have never seen them in stock.

      My only baseline concern is they cut tenons “up to 1 3/8″ long.” That’s not long enough for all instances, especially for through-tenons on the stretchers and through the seat.

  10. It’s crazy that every form of quality cutter is out of stock. I purchased a cheap one on Amazon and if that doesn’t work out I’m guessing its lathe time. 🙂

  11. I bet you could score the shoulder at, say 2″ long with a marking gauge, and then when you ran the tenon cutter in it wouldn’t blow out the grain.

  12. Hi Chris,
    Nice repurpose of readily available and less expensive tools.
    Can you do an updated video on your styling saw bench?
    Thank you

  13. The reality of it all is that the lathe IS the way to go. No tenon cutters back in the day. Turning tenons on a lathe is not rocket science. I made my first stick chair at Country Workshops with Drew many years ago and have never looked back and we turned all our tenons on a lathe. Even making them with the stock clamped in a vice with spokeshave is not that difficult, really. As I state in my classes to students: There is a reason they call it practice, what have you ever done right the first time. Nothing! So go for it and not over think it.

    1. I guess it depends on how you define “back in the day,” but hollow augers, spoke pointers and wooden bodied tenon cutters have been around for a couple centuries.

  14. Sorry my knowledge of such things in chairmaking history is not as deep as yours. I had a feeling I was going to get hit on that one. Still feel though that making tenons on a lathe is not that difficult or with spokeshave, drawknife too. The thought I have is that most stick chairs were a utilitarian and all the fancy stuff we have now is because our skills are lacking and as I have stated before retailers and boutique tool makes have to make money too. Most of us here are not pro doing this for a living but more for the joy. What better reason do we have then to do our making with the smallest toolkit available or what we have on hand in our shops.

  15. Hello, Chris
    Thanks for all the great blog content. It’s always very informative.
    What is that fiddle tune at the end of your video, and who is the fiddler?
    Thanks so much

    1. “Brushy Fork of John’s Creek.” It’s from the soundtrack to “The Mountain Minor.” I do not know who the fiddle player is. Sorry.

      1. Thanks a bunch. I hadn’t heard of that film. Looking forward to checking it out. I checked out the soundtrack. That’s Dan Gellert playing that tune. So good.

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