Tenon Shaping - Newb Question...

[frazzled]

Do most of you round the end of the tenon or square off the end of the pocket ie. with a chisel?

I'd guess that most round off the end of the neck because your router already makes a rounded pocket.

In that case, what is the most accurate way of doing it? I've just been using a rasp etc. and am having trouble making an exact fit. Is there some way to do some kind of reverse template from the pocket or??

Thanks!

[mattharris75]

I've done just the opposite. I square the neck pocket because it is simple to use a chizel to take out those corners, rather than trying to round the neck corners to get an exact match. It's the less fussy method in my opinion, but others may have a better system for doing it and a different opinion on what is easiest.

[Setch]

I round the corners, but I don't loose sleep if they don't match perfectly. They do nothing for the strength of the joint, and every Les Paul out there with a long tenon has gaps at the corners of the mortise. Sure, it's nice if they fit close, but it isn't worth fussing over.

I have no idea why, but I think squared corners look wrong.

[frazzled]

I know Setch, check out the 6:07 mark here http://youtube.com/watch?v=JkPJ579M_gU.

I dunno though, if I'm paying that much, I'd like and expect a tighter fit, voodoo or not