Tenons on 12" sliding miter saw

rusty

New User
Rusty
Looking at dewalt 12" sliding miter saw, for cutting tenons on long aprons etc., like oak and SYP.
Usually done on TS with/without dado blades. These long boards can be heavy and dangerous.
Any thoughts on this, Miter saw looks sooo much easier, but $$$$.
 

jamie

jamie
Senior User
Alternatively you could use a router, circular saw, or a bandsaw. Router or circular saw would enable you to keep the wood steady so probably a little safer.

With either the circular saw or router you'd probably want some level of sacrificial lumber on either side for support (and obviously a square/jig)...
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
How long of an apron?

I used my 1172 delta tenoning jig on 1 1/2” and 2” rails for full size doors and a bunk bed without issue.

Edit: my DW708 sliding miter saw has a stop to maintain a consistent depth of cut for what you’re proposing (although I’ve never used it). I assume other sliders have a similar feature.

Another cheaper option would be a radial arm saw with a dado setup. RAS can be had for under $200 and work well for straight cuts.
 
Last edited:

JohnnyR

John
Corporate Member
I would avoid a sliding miter saw for tenons. Typically theirs always a little play in the cut which inhibits getting perfectly square cuts. I've had good luck on a table saw with 80" bed rails clamped down on a table saw sled with support for the end.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Cutting tenons on a long apron is safer on a table saw if the piece is properly supported or clamped. It's easy to build a a support extension for the left side of the saw to support X feet hanging off of the edge on the left.
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
What about sawing the cheeks, then using a wide chisel to pop off the waste.
Angle the sawcut about 3 degrees to leave a sharp cheek profile.
This type of saw is made for that...
1591278143196.png
 

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top