Nine Secrets to Perfect Fitting Tenon Shoulders

[@youtbez44]

Rob, you continue to inspire! In your Purple Heart Project class in 2017, your kindness and dedication made a significant improvement in my furniture making and my relaxation from stress. You are a gift. Bill (Doc) Bailey.

[@lor191ric]

If there is one tip that I have taken away from all your videos is to take my time, a few seconds or minutes longer makes a world of difference and makes the experience more relaxing and therefore more enjoyable. Thanks Rob,Jake and Luthor

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I could not have said it better

[@kiki231000]

A recurring theme in your instruction and method- constantly seek perfection regardless of the time and effort needed to attain it. -- a lesson for us all

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I could not have said it better

[@anastasnedev7377]

The bad thing about Rob's videos is that when you start watching them most of the other woodworkers you watched before him start to look clumsy and not that good as you thought they were before. The good thing is that you are more calm because you now know that perfection is achievable.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks do much. What video should we film next

[@pz5341]

If you are making tenons independently at both ends of a top rail that will have a twin/matching bottom rail , how do you ensure that the distance between shoulders of each of these rails is the same?

[@0ddSavant]

You’re delightful. I don’t want to take up too much of your time, it’s appreciated how you always put out concise, well organized, material. There’s a minimum of fluff and tangents, and you usually have a dedicated video on the sub-topics to rabbit-hole into for those of us who do.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thank you so much 😊 what should be our next video subject

[@0ddSavant]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking I’d like to see something approaching a skills assessment or fundamentals top ten. Something like, “Once you’ve practiced and become competent with these 10 basic skills, you’re ready to tackle projects in the basic to intermediate-level difficulty.” Then have a list of core competencies which have the widest utility. Ideally it would be everything needed from stock selection to just before final surface prep - as finishing is a whole other kettle of fish, and would be a rough map to help identify deficiencies *Before* someone ignorantly takes on a Herculean project and becomes frustrated and either wastes a bunch or money or abandons the craft. Here’s an example list, although I’m sure you’d know better than I what would be better suited to the final list: 1. Safety. It’s always first. And never optional. 2. Sawing straight and true with hand-Saw 3. Striking guidelines accurately 4. Basic woodworking joints pros & cons 5. Intermediate joints pros & cons 6. Squaring/Milling lumber with hand tools 7. Squaring/milling with power tools 8. Time management and realistically estimating man-hours to complete a project 9. Perfection versus completion: how to stop getting in your own way & get a project out the door. 10. Common over-reaching mistakes made by mid-level woodworking [This could also be called “Why you might be 1 Slab of Koa away from needing a marriage counselor”] ETC. Give examples of embellishments and detail work more advanced woodworkers could add to further challenge themselves, with emphasis on modular improvements applicable to wide range of projects. iIt would be great if the gist of the class was on advancing functional techniques beyond what’s needed for simple jewelry boxes and end-grain cutting boards and towards being able to conceptualize and build to completion an original project with the tools learned in the previous steps. [Nothing against boxes & boards, but they are both over-represented on KZbin] Please let me know if you think there’s a good or usable idea in there somewhere. Even if there’s not, I’ll keep watching what you do. Thank you for the excellent content!

[@donesry2902]

Thank you for another great video. I think tip about cutting the lines rather than marking with a pencil is huge. Thank you for taking us to the next level.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

If you want precise fitting joints you must work to a knife line

[@Greebstreebling]

Great professional tips, thank you for sharing. Your high standard reminds me very much of my school woodwork teacher Jeff Davies in Cardiff U.K. 1964. That's where I learned about mortice & Tenon joints. :)

[@nore8141]

Mr Blackmor in my first year of high school explained things just like you. We’re talking about 1973. Thanks for the advice ❤❤

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Must've been before I started woodworking, watched several older ones and here's your comment good sir

[@tommcnally3646]

Great , 👍well thought out, your attention to details is beyond impressive, so obvious that you are a master

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Wow thanks. Thank you for watching and commenting

[@dennisbeaver5958]

Excellent presentation!

[@hacc220able]

Appreciate your attention to details - thanks.

[@vh9040]

Love the close-up camera work! Thanks for another great video!

[@sivisbellum1480]

Great info and great timing for me. Thank you!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I knew you wanted this video , so I made it

[@Keth.S]

Must say, Rob has taught me a thing or 2 over the past few years. Being only 14 when I started woodworking and watching Rob, I always thought, ' He takes things too serious and everything has to be perfect' . Now being 17, maturing and practising for 3 years makes you realise why Rob is so good at his job, and his methods of teaching are to a higher degree than most others out there. So, thank you for sharing your knowledge with me and others, it has made my woodworking journey a pleasurable hobby, not a job oriented hobby. 👍🏻🙏🏼

[@steveparkes1266]

Absolutely brilliant demonstration video, thanks for sharing 👍

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Glad you enjoyed it. What video should I do next?

[@colmhain]

Sharpening is probably the MOST important skill a woodworker should learn.

[@davidcampbell2845]

Brilliant and consistent knowledge exchange. Excellent stuff.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks gor watching what video should we do next

[@billqqq]

It's all about tight joints. Nice job, Rob.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Got to love a tight joint

[@mikemaltais4678]

Always enjoy your videos you are a great teacher!!🙂

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks so much! And thanks for watching and commenting

[@frankhill9527]

Great insight. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Learned a lot. I will now practice your technique.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Take your time and use these techniques and you will get those perfect tenons

[@arthurmccutchan7000]

Thanks for another good video

[@wrodrigues08]

Make it look so easy....enjoyable video to watch!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@64DCPG]

Thank you so much for your expert tips and motivation.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You are so welcome! Thank you for watching and commenting

[@lewisway6811]

Precision, and meticulous attention to detail.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks

Very nice 😊

[@jeffbourne6015]

Extremely useful series of tips showing us how to perfect the shoulders on our mortise and tenon joints. Wonderful close up camera work too detailing the use of a very sharp chisel to attain complete accuracy. Thank you Team Cosman - always highly informative and a joy to watch and be inspired from!!!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thank you for watching. What video should we do next

[@jeffbourne6015]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Would like to see how to set out splayed dovetails which sometimes appear on boxes with inclined /splayed sides. Boxes having sides with differing thicknesses adds a degree of complexity too when marking out.Love the new look workshop particularly ALL your vintage GENERAL wood machines. As you rightly say, they were built to last - sadly modern ‘equivalents’ are just not. Why can’t these old machines be replicated nowadays ?? Many thanks to the Team - compulsive viewing and we always learn so much!!!

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

Thanks for sharing those tips and the make!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

what video should I make next?

[@TrevorDennis100]

Another really helpful video.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for commenting

[@paultay23]

Great video Rob...so many great tips...Well at least 9 😉😉

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for watching. What video should we do next?

[@markmurdocca2456]

Excellent video, as always. I really admire the patience you demonstrate to make perfect joints. WHERE did you get those cool shop-grade magnifier glasses? I don't recall seeing them in your other videos and I can sure use 'em with my aging eyes!

[@whittysworkshop982]

For a pure hand tool worker there is no need to square the ends of a tenon, the only important part is the shoulder to shoulder dimension, thats the reference surface. Time can be saved by not squaring the end, you only need a square end if youre cuttin tenons on a tablesaw :) Cut your stretchers/rails slightly oversized and square around for your shoulders on one end and cut it (leave the tenon long) mark your shoulder to shoulder dimension and cut the other side too, then use that as your master part to accurately mark all your other stretchers/rails from :) It saves more time again to gang cut the rest after the master part is made........ this is where the "Sash saw" originated.... like a carcass saw but longer to gang cut parts like this. A lot of hand tool work is about working efficiently and cutting out steps that are not needed or creating "shortcuts" to get it done using less energy :) Cut the tenons to length after the shoulders are cut, ya never want it to bottom out in the mortise. A chisel is always way better to trim the shoulders if needed, a plane covers the work and you cant always see whats happenin, see how much visibility Rob has when paring the shoulders :)

[@pedroclaudio3401]

Thanks Shaun : video shortcuts with handtools. kzbin.infoICwLtekvQwg?feature=share

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

Thanks!!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thank you gor watching

[@What_Other_Hobbies]

Thank you for the great tips.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

thank you for watching and commenting. What video should we do next?

[@What_Other_Hobbies]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking personally, show us your takes and tips on some joineries other than tenon and dovetail.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

We have starting doing that, just did Dados... Will do some other ones

[@What_Other_Hobbies]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking thank you in advance Mr Cosman.

[@michaelnelson5872]

Always awesome!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks, what should we shoot next?

[@delgoldthorpe4005]

nicely done Rob :) ty.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

thanks...what video should we do next?

[@delgoldthorpe4005]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking hey Rob...how about a video about book matching grain and any pitfalls or tips, best regards , Del.

[@brianmiller6304]

WOW, really great stuff. Details matter. Always, always learn from your videos. I did go back and watch your other recent mortise and tenon video too, excellent. I'm afraid I have to order your mortise gauge set up and another Cosman marking gauge. Even if it smarts a little, it's worth it. How's that small dove tail saw coming along? Maybe get on it as soon as the Shawn gauge comes to market...PLEASE. I know there's a lot going on but that would be so sweet. Thanks for this, I'll be reviewing it I'm sure.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Having production problems with the Shawn Shim, looking for a new CNC shop,probably 2-3 months away. Small dovetail saw is not even off the drawing board. At least a year away.

[@vbhillu]

Great tips. Are you using a 25 degree chisel? Lower ? @13:26. I’d love to see how you would recommend I use a honing guide. I’ve watched the free hand, 32 seconds vid. Got the shapton stones. But I have botched my chisels free hand, so....

[@Exodus5K]

Rob, what would you change about this approach if you were using a tablesaw to cut the tenon?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

After the cuts, all the clean-up , getting junk out of the corners is the same

[@TigerCarpenter]

nice! I'm honestly waiting for Rob's video response to the "kid" Matt Estlea setting up the new dovetail speed record

[@redgti81]

Rob has a video where he cuts dovetails with a hacksaw and a sharpened screw driver and gets a good tight fit. More impressive than doing it quickly IMO.

[@wjjpearson]

Yes!! Come on Rob!! Though I'd love to see Jake try it!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Patience, we are planning our response now

[@MRBOBDUDESIR]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking This will be so much fun to watch, Like watching two car racers nose to nose, right down to the last second and how cool it would be to get your on saw back with a knife hahaha. on a serious note, your video on the shoulder of the tenon are very helpful :) Cheers

[@carlhobbs1015]

Well put together tutorial Rob, brilliant as ever

[@1deerndingo]

Are you going to do the mortise tips next?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Its on the to do list

[@bijan4727]

Hi Rob. Would you please mention the name and specifications of your tools. Thank you

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Most everything I use we make and sell on our site. How I got into this business, folks always asking for tools like mine. RobCosman.com

[@redgti81]

Do you ever cut tenons on the table saw? I've cut them by hand and by table saw and I've had very good results with a tenoning jig on the table saw.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes, of course I cut them on the table saw. We will do a video on that sometime. But I always clean up the joint with hand tools

[@jimbo2629]

My weakness and maybe that of others is making a plumb cut by eye, even after decades of woodworking. I would therefore use a mitre block or better still a quality hand mitre saw. If you use a stop then the cutting gauge stage can be eliminated. That way it will be square and continuous all round at the correct depth.

[@NealDurando]

90ID!

[@emanuelito84]

Beautiful video, very well explained!

[@TheTranq]

Nice stuff Rob. Do you have an email? I was going to send you the dovetails I cut yesterday using your method. I’ve been practicing for a while and these ones came out great

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

please send them to [e-mail]

[@101411726]

Credit where it’s due, that “chiseling to make a trough” - trick, is the Paul Sellers knife wall method sir! He’s been using this method longer than you’ve been breathing!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

“It’s 20 or so years old now, not much more” To quote the very same man back in 2017. I’m 60 at the end of July if you’d like to send a birthday present. 😉

[@101411726]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking your quote is out of context and only refers to the actual name of “knifewall” he’s given the technique. This doesn’t change the fact that he’s been doing it since you were eye high to a camels knee.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

@@101411726 Charles Hayward used a similar technique, and he was using it before Paul was a twinkle in his mother’s eye, shouldn’t I be giving credit to him instead?

[@101411726]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking absolutely, but most of your viewers will likely know it as the Paul Sellers knife wall method

[@mikestewart505]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Someone, somewhere, invented the mortise and tenon. I very much admire you and Paul Sellers, and Roy Underhill. None of you are exactly the same, but you all do nice work. My goal is to do nice work. I'm glad to learn from anyone with something to teach, but in the end, however nice it is or isn't, my work is my work. (I've been reading Christopher Schwartz, which has me real eager to read Charles Hayward ).

[@darrylbrook5968]

@Matt Estlea.... next job

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Working on a response video now

[@joejanzen5511]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking awesome! Looking forward to it!

[@wickedwoodgaming1486]

This is perfect for me. I'm doing my first nightstand completely from hand tools. With a hidden drop down drawer.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Awesome. When you are done send us a pic at [e-mail] and we will post it in our customer gallery

[@thewoodlesworkshop.157]

Super...! :)

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@thewoodlesworkshop.157]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Dear Rob. Yesterday I didn't have the strength to write a long comment - I'm making my workshop from scratch and I'm very tired ... I want to say that I don't miss a single of your videos and I never cease to be amazed at your phenomenal technique ... I hope one day I will reach your level of skill, anyway I am trying very hard. Take care of yourself there. And thanks for your master classes. Sincerely.

[@HarrisInteractiveWeb]

Rob, which chisels are you using in this video? I’m looking to buy my first “good” set of chisels and I watched one of your chisel review videos recently. I’m leaning towards Wood River, but I’m not sure which ones to get.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I use IBC chisels. They are the premium chisels that we sell. The WoodRiver are a good value brand. I dont particularly like the handles being made from bubinga wood but they are a value price so They have to cut corners someplace

[@dougprentice1363]

It would be great if Rob did power tool videos on mortis and tennis.

[@SkylersRants]

Somehow I think that "everything I know about it" from Rob Cosman can't possibly be contained in a 16:55 long video.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

OK then...how about "A lot of what I know about it?"

[@setdown2]

Truly custom work...

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks for watching

[@АлександрЧумак-м2о]

👍👍👍

[@danielgeng2306]

Hey Boss, that young upstart Matt Estlea claims to have beat your dovetail record, with your Cosman dovetail saw ! (All in good fun) how about sending him a PHP tee shirt ? He’s got a big head right now so I’m thinking extra large ! Lol I’m sure he’d wear it on his channel or at least give you a nod :) check out the video, you would’ve thought he was getting ready for the olympics ! lol good kid and great woodworker!

[@wickedwoodgaming1486]

I watched that. Pretty dam impressive. Mine still are timed by using the day count. Lmao

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Great idea....I think we will do that

[@danielgeng2306]

@@wickedwoodgaming1486 ha yes, I time mine with a calendar! Lol

[@ChefKevinRiese]

Why not just buy a multi router from Woodpeckers and save all that time?

[@robertbamford8266]

Meticulous. Key tip? Inspect the clamped joint. Skimping on this is my favorite way to make any measuring and careful work irrelevant. Thanks for the reminder and the video.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Yes the jobs not done until its clamped up properly

[@wickedwoodgaming1486]

So when you gonna re get that dovetail youtube record back? Lol

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Working on a response video, but its not going to be just a faster dovetail...stay tuned.

[@rwe2156]

Not a realistic presentation if what actually happens. For one, he omits fitting the tenon. The secret isn’t sawing like a robot, it’s learning how to fit a tenon!

[@coloraxis]

one drawer per year ZZZZzzzzZZZzzz

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You have to crank it up