Steve, floating tenon joinery works well. The Beadlock design allows for more glue surfaces than a plain tenon, so it should be stronger in theory. I am too cheap to spend the money for a set up like this. If I was building a project that required floating tenons I would make my own. Rout out the mortise with a plunge bit, then cut a tenon to fit it using a round over or bull nose bit to shape the ends into an oval. It doesn't get much easier than that. A production shop using many of these connections would profit from having the Beadlock items, home use it seems too expensive to me.

 

Well, I used to make floating tenons and they worked well. But this machine at 120.00 isn't real bad in price. I wonder if it is made in the USA?

Steve Bolton

 

Hi Steve

If you buy one of the jigs you can save tons of money by making your own tenons with this type of router bit..

I make some now and then but I use the plunge router to put in the pocket for them...

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-pc-1-2-Shank-...emZ130229548276QQihZ003QQcategoryZ50386QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262


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Bob, do you have that Beadlock Pro? I thought you had a horizonatal router table, which would seem to be perfect for making floating tenon joints.

That Domino sure is expensive and I question how great those joints would be. People love the Domino tools and I hope I don't get hate mail for the comment I just made.

SB

 

Hi Steve

Nope I don't have the Beadlock Pro but I do use the Horz.router table to make the tenons


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Hi Steve, that jig sounds expensive to me plus you would probably have to buy the tennons because I don't think the cutter shown by Bj. is suitable, I think you would end up with separate dowel rods, just re-view the photo and think about it. I do however an exact cutter which I have used to great effect on the outside of boxes. Plain old standard floating tennons still produce strong joints.

Here are a couple of examples showing what that cutter can be used for.

 

HI Harry and Steve

Here's a snapshot or two I took today just for kicks,,,,

They are very easy to make, I was in a bit of a rush ,but Harry likes pictures made with scrap Oak stock...( pallets stock ) sometimes you can find it in 3/8" thick boards, saves time from running them in the planner...the bead bit will do the clean up job...

But I don't used them all the time I like to use the standard floating type..
I did drill some holes in by free hand just to show how they just slide in easy.
You will also see some shots of Aspen knobs I'm making again just for kicks..
Just a new and easy way to make them...but I'm still playing with them...
The guy next door took a Aspen tree down and what I saw was not fire wood but knob stock..

Now Harry you can see they can be made with the bead bit,,easy stuff..

=====

 

You should write a book. Talent going to waste.

Steve Bolton

 

Thanks Steve

..


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Hi,

I understand the "theory" behind these but, this is overkill. A simple "floating tenon" can't be beat. It doesn't require extra tooling nor the time required to get the setup done.

Just my $0.02 worth.

If I stepped on any toes here, I apologize.

 

Hi Ken

I think they are made for the guy that only has a drill...in his tool belt
But wants to put in a good strong wood joint now and then..

Plus he doesn't know that he can buy a router combo kit for just a little bit less than the jig.... and a small add on base plate and then he has a real tool...plus some

Jig = 120.oo dollars
http://www.rockler.com/search_results.cfm?filter=Beadlock+Pro&submit.x=0&submit.y=0
http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=18092&TabSelect=Details

add on plate 20.oo dollars for the router..
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17847&filter=Router base Plate

========

=======

Hi,

I understand the "theory" behind these but, this is overkill. A simple "floating tenon" can't be beat. It doesn't require extra tooling nor the time required to get the setup done.

Just my $0.02 worth.

If I stepped on any toes here, I apologize.

 

I think that would be the appeal of the device. Make a good joint with a drill. It looks well made.

SB

 

Bj., as I have confessed on many occasions, at times I can be a slow learner so please be patient with me. I do not understand how the multi dowel shown in shot 0210 was made with the cutter shown in shot 0213. Could you please be patient with me and take some shots holding the bead against the cutter as it would have been set-up for each of the cuts. Thanks Bj.

 

Hi Harry

Here's a snapshot or two that shows how to make them with one bit..
once the bit is set it should not need to be readjusted to make all the passes...the key is to use the right bit and the right size of stock, in this case it's 1 1/8"

They can be made in 3/16" diam. to 3/4" diam. in the same way...

You know I'm not a big fan of the wooden dowel pins but this way they are locked in place, unlike the standard dowel pin that acts like a pivot joint.
If I want something to turn I would use a round pin but thie best dowel pin by far is the square one...it's a locking wedge pin and it will not let the stock turn on the pin...or pivot on it..


They can be made on a standard router table but I like to use the Horz. router table anytime I need to run stock by the bit on it's edge,on the standard router table, it's just alot safer and quicker than setting the jig on the other router table...

Edge Beading Bit
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Edge-Beading-Bit-Style-3-1-2-Shank-13-16-Dia-/C1374


============

Bj., as I have confessed on many occasions, at times I can be a slow learner so please be patient with me. I do not understand how the multi dowel shown in shot 0210 was made with the cutter shown in shot 0213. Could you please be patient with me and take some shots holding the bead against the cutter as it would have been set-up for each of the cuts. Thanks Bj.

 

I appreciate the time you spent on this demonstrate Bj. All became immediately obvious with the new clear shots of the cutter. Early on in your post, when you mentioned square dowels, I thought "gee whiz, Bj. has found the secret of putting square pegs in round holes" but I continued looking at the photos. and saw that you do in fact make square holes.
I have been thinking (as one does), if three holes have to be drilled, why not simply use three common or garden standard splined dowels which cost next to nothing and will in fact slightly increase the gluing area. Just a thought!

 

Hi Harry

You'er Welcome


It's just a new gimick that some one came up with I think, they know that wood workers will buy anything that's new...

And I think you are right 3 holes a some normal dowel rods would do the same job..
The jig just makes it easyer to drill the 3 holes right on...

===========

 

I appreciate the time you spent on this demonstration Bj. All became immediately obvious with the new clear shots of the cutter. Early on in your post, when you mentioned square dowels, I thought "gee whiz, Bj. has found the secret of putting square pegs in round holes" but I continued looking at the photos. and saw that you do in fact make square holes.
I have been thinking (as one does), if three holes have to be drilled, why not simply use three common or garden standard splined dowels which cost next to nothing and will in fact slightly increase the gluing area. Just a thought!

 

Just a new way to make Knobs..quick and easy with Craftsman Router Lathe..

http://www.routerforums.com/73654-post8.html

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Thanks for the knob demo BJ....excellent....I'll follow your example and try this when I am able.

Just a quick question....why couldn't you just cut each knob off once you had the long grooves in the wood. I'm just wondering the purpose of the short grooves between each knob.

Thanks BJ.

Ed......

 

BJ, I would be interested in some detail on your Router rail system. Did you make that or was it something you bought.
Rolf

 

HI Rolf


They make high end ones that sale for 2,000.oo but the one I use is just a cheap Craftsman model, that I got off eBay for 50.oo bucks..but it will do many jobs like the high end one..

Below you will see a Manual in the PDF format that's neat to read...it will show some of what the machine can do..

===============

BJ, I would be interested in some detail on your Router rail system. Did you make that or was it something you bought.
Rolf

 

Hi Ed

It's a lathe but not like a norm lathe,,, once the long grooves are in the wood then you need to round them over ,top and bottom of the knob, so I used a double round over bit so to speak that can plunge in and do the top and the bottom of each knob at the same time plus put a small stand off on the bottom so I could have something to hold on to to drill the hole in the center of the knobs...for the tee-nut and center hole...

I didn't want to clamp the knob because it's done once it's out of the lathe I think I would put in hvy. vise marks in the wood...plus it has the small stand off on the bottom side of the knob to keep your knuckles from hitting when you crank it down when you use them.....


===========

Thanks for the knob demo BJ....excellent....I'll follow your example and try this when I am able.

Just a quick question....why couldn't you just cut each knob off once you had the long grooves in the wood. I'm just wondering the purpose of the short grooves between each knob.

Thanks BJ.

Ed......

 

Hi Ed

It's a lathe but not like a norm lathe,,, once the long grooves are in the wood then you need to round them over ,top and bottom of the knob, so I used a double round over bit so to speak that can plunge in and do the top and the bottom of each knob at the same time plus put a small stand off on the bottom so I could have something to hold on to to drill the hole in the center of the knobs...for the tee-nut and center hole...

I didn't want to clamp the knob because it's done once it's out of the lathe I think I would put in hvy. vise marks in the wood...plus it has the small stand off on the bottom side of the knob to keep your knuckles from hitting when you crank it down when you use them.....


===========

Thanks BJ.

Have you tried doing twists that have a hollow center yet?

Ed......

 

Hi Ed

In one of the snapshots you will see one I made,,,it's not a big one...
( 1 1/4" OD x 12" long)

Along time ago I had the same tool and made many rope items,lamps,candle stands,etc. and the router lathe can do that job very well...

But I got bored with the lathe and sold it off then I saw one on eBay so I got one more, I must have gotten smarter since then,,,, from along time ago because I can see many new ways to use the machine now..



====

Thanks BJ.

Have you tried doing twists that have a hollow center yet?

Ed......

 

Hi Ed

In one of the snapshots you will see one I made,,,it's not a big one...
( 1 1/4" OD x 12" long)

Along time ago I had the same tool and made many rope items,lamps,candle stands,etc. and the router lathe can do that job very well...

But I got bored with the lathe and sold it off then I saw one on eBay so I got one more, I must have gotten smarter since then,,,, from along time ago because I can see many new ways to use the machine now..



====

I see you have a board guiding the router and a about a 2 inch square running along that board. I thought that part was on the router crafter so I'm wondering why you are using that setup. I'm pretty new still a wood working so I hope I'm not trying your patience and I do appreciate your answers very much.

Thanks BJ,

Ed......