
Austin Community College
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, Texas 78752-4390
512.223.4ACC (4222)
WDWK 1413 Cabinet Making I photos - building a router table
Tools used in Cabinet Making I class Building a base cabinet
Students learn how and why to use mortise and tenon fittings by building a router table.
Mortise and tenon joinery is used when a smooth finish (no nails or nail  holes) is desired

Example mortise
Example tenon - fits in the mortise
Step one is choosing the wood
All the legs are planed to the same size...
...and cut to the desired length.
Students secure the leg in a jig and use a plunge router  to cut the mortises 
All of the legs have 2 mortises for the tenons on the connecting boards
Before the tenons can be cut, the router must be set to exactly the correct height or they won't fit

How to fit a square tenon in a rounded mortise? Round the corners with a chisel!
Students apply glue to the tenons and mortises...
...and assemble and clamp them together while the glue dries
Students learn how to make a dovetail cut to add the middle stretcher bar...

...using a special dovetail router bit.

Dovetail cuts
Then the removable table top is added (the small rectangular blocks fit inside the top frame to  keep the top in place)...
...and the router table is finished!


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