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Tennon Machine

Started by Deadwood, June 19, 2006, 09:17:27 PM

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Deadwood

Are any of you familiar with a Tennon Machine of years past? I have a chance to buy one for 100 bucks. I like to redo old woodworking machinery, but I really have no interest in rebuilding something if it is something I am never going to use.

If I could use the tennoning machine afterwards for say, making tennons for Timber Framed buildings, well then I would have a use for something like this. I know 100 bucks is pretty small potatoes, heck the scrap iron price alone is probably worth more, but I really can't see putting a lot of time and even more money into a machine of this type, and then just have it sit for another few decades.

(This is NOT the machine, but it is very, very close...no real picture available)

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Don P

I've worked with a few of those old single end tennoners, that one's in pretty good shape  :D.

The sliding table assembly is on the right with the top and bottom cutterheads to the left. Some have vertical cope cutters behind that. If I could get one for $100 I'd probably come home to a gentle lecture, hanging my head ... to hide the grin  ;D.

It's not a timberframing tool as I see it. You'd have to rework it so that a large timber could rest on a very much longer, stouter and better aligned sliding table. Once up on the table the piece would probably then need to be shimmed into final alignment, clamped, then a quick pass through. At a certain point it becomes easier to take the tool to the wood rather than taking the wood to the tool. There is every step in between, but I don't think this would be my choice for tennoning timbers. If you have some cabinet buddies that do mortise and tennon, these machines work great.

Deadwood

Don,

I wish I knew more about this type of machine. I love to get old stuff running again, this machine has a lot more moving parts, is in pretty bad shape, and was line-shaft driven meaning it has some age to it. Everything is seized up...how bad must be determined by the buyer after restoration begins.

My question is this, since I really have no use for a tennon cutter, is this a great machine to try to restore or is it an old relic that should be left to rust in the weeds?

I realize it made tennons, but could someone explain in better detail what a tennon cutter was used for?

If I do purchase this machine, does someone on here have knowledge of these machines. Its going to arrive in 4 to 5 pieces?

100 bucks is not a whole lot of money, but there are other things I could do with it. If this was your money, and your opportunity, would you purchase this machine, or let someone else purchase it without feeling like an opportunity was missed?

Thanks for your help guys. I do not mean to bug you guys on here with endless questions, but I really do value your opinion a lot more than you realize.

Jim_Rogers

I worked in a lumber yard one winter in the early 80's. Where I ran a double end tenoner machine.
It was used to cut tenons on the ends of styles and rails for cabinet shop parts.
Basically any square or rectangular plained stock could have a tenon cut onto one end by running it through a machine such as this, as it cuts a little of both sides of the stock to create a small tenon on the end.
This type of machine may have limits as to how thick a piece of lumber could be run through it, so it may not work for timber frames as most timbers may exceed this limit.
Being only a one ended machine does mean you can run any long length piece of lumber through it, once properly supported.
That's about all I can say about that.....

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Raphael

When I took cabinet making at Heartwood the instructor took us on a tour of his shop.  He had a similiar old tennon machine in working order, also an old monster that cut the matching slot motices.
Very cool to watch but definately not the size needed for timber framing with the possible exception of knee braces but you would wind up making multiple passes to get your tennon 4" long with an 1.5" shoulder.  It might work well for ~1/4 scale frames, perhaps for demo models and/or doll houses.  I could have used a model every time someone thought timber frame meant log home.


  Is it worth $100?
I've got a house to finish, 2 barns, 2 sheds and a solar kiln to design and build also 2 old trucks to restore; I'd take it. :D
It's worth $100 even if you just protect it and use it as a conversation piece before passing it on to someone else who will restore it.  Of course I might change my mind on that if I saw it in person.
... he was middle aged,
and the truth hit him like a man with no parachute.
--Godley & Creme

Stihl 066, MS 362 C-M & 24+ feet of Logosol M7 mill

Deadwood

Thanks for everyones input.

Surprisingly this is a tough decision for me. Part of me really wants to buy this machine because I love restoring old woodworking machines, but if this machine would have difficulty in cutting timber frame tennons, then I doubt I would ever use it. At the same time I would hate to see it be shipped off to a scrap yard when it could be saved for the modest price of 100 bucks.

A few weeks ago I was lucky to find this gem, also for 100 bucks at an antique dealer. Its a Witherby/ Ruggs/ Richardson 18 inch jointer built between 1861 and 1885. I know this machine has the capacity to work up timber frame beams!!! I doubt this machine would tip over  ;D The restoration is coming along nicely, now I just need 220 volt in my shop and a 5 hp motor! But now that its restoration is almost complete, I could use a new project  :-\


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Don P

The large pulley at the bottom spins the bottom front pulley attached to the bottom cutterhead, then around an idler and up to the top pulley and it's cutterhead. The bearings are all babbit and probably need restoring. The height of the shafts is changed by the hand wheels on the top left. There are locknuts to the square open frame that the mandrels are mounted on, loosen these first. Each mandrels mounting plate also allows it to track in and out to align the heads over each other. It takes awhile and a bit of trial and error to get it set up. It's a pretty basic machine, just look for locknuts before honking on any hand wheels.

To the right of the cutterheads is/was a sliding table that runs on a machined way, I would look to see that these ways are in good or restorable condition. The 1x2 or whatever is clamped to the table against a fence that is toward the operator. Off the left end of the sliding table is a stop rail made of aluminum the passes between the cutters in the tenon area, it is your end stop for the stock assuring all tenons are the same length regardless of stock length. You can adjust tenon length with the adjustments on the mandrels.
I used my right hip to nudge the table into forward motion, it rolls forward carrying your stock through the cutters much like a miter guide on a table saw, you just have blades above and below the table. Both cutters are spinning at you, neither self feeds the stock. Clamp the stock firmly to the table, we usually made a leather wrapped paper cutter type of bar that you could hold down on while pushing forward. Air cylinders would work if you don't tree frog your fingers.

The correct cutterheads have scoring knives attached to the inboard side. They do the same thing as a utility knife pre scoring the edge ahead of the cutter.  One of those I used had 7-1/4" saw blades bolted to craftsman molding heads and machined to fit the machine. I don't think it had cost the shop much more than yours. It put out hundreds of sets of custom cabinets.

Hope I didn't just make mud of all that  :D I'll plead the 5th on whether it would already be in the back of my truck.

I'd put a round cutterhead in the jointer if at all possible, the square heads were notorious hand eaters.


carvinmark

Quote from: Deadwood on June 20, 2006, 06:59:14 PM
Thanks for everyones input.

Surprisingly this is a tough decision for me. Part of me really wants to buy this machine because I love restoring old woodworking machines, but if this machine would have difficulty in cutting timber frame tennons, then I doubt I would ever use it. At the same time I would hate to see it be shipped off to a scrap yard when it could be saved for the modest price of 100 bucks.

A few weeks ago I was lucky to find this gem, also for 100 bucks at an antique dealer. Its a Witherby/ Ruggs/ Richardson 18 inch jointer built between 1861 and 1885. I know this machine has the capacity to work up timber frame beams!!! I doubt this machine would tip over  ;D The restoration is coming along nicely, now I just need 220 volt in my shop and a 5 hp motor! But now that its restoration is almost complete, I could use a new project  :-\


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Sweet jointer!!! I have an 8" delta that I put a 220/5 hp on,Iwould think that yours being 18" may require more power. It does look good.
PRO-CUT CSM, 084, 056, MS200(rear handle), 025, 017, 395XP, 257, 316, 2094 Jonsered, CS346 Echo,Some macs and homelites and a pile of parts saws.

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