New toy! We got a new toy!
We recently acquired a new Tenoning Machine to accompany the range of heavy machinery we house at our workshop. This investment allows us to further improve our machinery techniques while further improving our products.
The mortise and tenon joint has been utilized by Woodworkers for thousands of years. It’s a joint most are exposed to but may not know the name of.
So what is a mortise and tenon joint? It comprises of two components: the mortise hole and the tenon tongue. The tenon is inserted into a square or rectangular hole cut into the corresponding member to create a joint that is both simple and strong. The tenon is cut to fit the mortise hole exactly and usually has shoulders that seat when the joint fully enters the mortise hole. Then finally the joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place.
With that in mind it’s necessary to cut and create a mortise and tenon to precise measurements. That’s where a Tenoning Machine comes into play. This machine uses cutter heads and/or saw blades to form projections (tenons) on pieces of wood. Sounds simple enough however these measurements and cuts need to be exact. A tenoning machine fashions any kind of tenon from straight-sided to dovetail. With our new machine we’re able to cut to the millimeter making these joints stronger than ever. Have a look for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wwxW7TP-k8
The mortise and tenon is an ancient joint dating back 7,000 years. We hope to keep using this joint for many more years to come. Our new machine will enable us to do just that.