FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Framing

Guide Home
  • Introduction to Framing
  • Framing Tools, Techniques, and Materials
  • Framing Floors
  • Framing Walls
  • Framing Stairs
  • Framing Roofs
  • Efficient Framing Methods
  • Timber Framing
How-To

Master Carpenter Video: How to Cut a Tenon for a Timber-Frame

Will Beemer shows how to cut the first half of a mortise-and-tenon joint—the quintessential timber-frame connection.

By Will Beemer
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Background
      Window
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      TRANSCRIPT

      Timber-framer Will Beemer: In the previous video, we measured and marked the tenon. Now we’re going to cut the shoulder of the tenon by carefully cutting along our shoulder line. This is the most important line in our joint because it controls the dimensions of the building.

      We’re going to be using power and hand tools. A lot of what we’re doing can be carried across all other aspects of woodworking.

      For this particular tenon, I need to go down two inches. I’ll actually cut a little bit shorter than that and then pare down to the line with my chisel. Occasionally you will hear some timber-framers say to stay 1/16-in. away and then pare down to the line, but on end grain like this, that’s very difficult to do. It saves you a lot of work to learn to cut very accurately and cut right to the line the first time.

      So now I’m going to remove these blocks of wood with a chisel. I’m going to start at the corner and take chips out to see if the grain is diving or rising. Whenever we’re removing gross material we want to have the bevel down on the chisel.

      You’ll notice that I’m holding the chisel by the socket. In beating on the chisel with my hammer, the handle could loosen up and the chisel could drop off; by holding at the socket, I have a firm grip on it and it won’t drop away.

      You can see how the grain is rising up here, so I should be safe beating on this material. I’ve gone a little bit below my line at the end, but the tenon will be tapered at the end so I’m OK.

      Now we’re going to pare down to our line. I want to work in from my line on each side so I don’t blow out the far side and lose my line. Then I’ll have a little bevel around the perimeter that will be my gauge.

      When I’m paring with the chisel, my forward hand is acting as a fence or guide. It’s gripping the chisel and acting as a pivot or a fulcrum. My aft hand is doing the pushing and steering of the chisel.

      This surface of the tenon is laid out two inches down from my reference face. With the two-inch-wide leg of my framing square resting on the tenon, I can feel a little bit of the square still sticking up above the reference face, so I know go down. Sometimes it’s helpful to put a little lead on one edge of your square. And when you draw it back and forth, it will indicate where your high spots are. You can also use a combination square in conjunction with the framing square to locate high spots.

      Now it’s time to move to the other side of the tenon. The first side was laid out from the reference face; the other side of the tenon is referenced off of the side we just cut.

      All Videos in This Series
      Introduction

      How to lay out a timber and and mark a tenon

      How to cut a tenon

      How to mark and cut a mortise

      How to drill a peg hole and assemble a mortise-and-tenon joint

      Previous: Mark a Timber for Cutting a Mortise-and-Tenon Joint Next: Master Carpenter Video: How To Mark and Cut a Mortise for a Timber Frame

      Guide

      Framing

      Chapter

      Timber Framing

      Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

      Signing you up...

      This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
      See all newsletters
      See all newsletters

      Log in or create an account to post a comment.

      Sign up Log in

      Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

      Framing

      Framing

      Trusted, in-depth guidance from the pros for framing a durable, code-compliant house

      View Project Guide

      View All Project Guides »

      Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Framing Project Guide.

      Start Free Trial

      Introduction to Framing
      • House Framing Concepts, Tips, and More
      Framing Tools, Techniques, and Materials
      • Tools
      • Techniques
      • Framing Lumber
      • Steel
      Framing Floors
      • Floor Framing
      • Engineered Floors
      • Floor Sheathing
      Framing Walls
      • Wall Framing Basics
      • Layout
      • Wall Assembly
      • Raising and Straightening Walls
      • Framing Rough Openings
      • Blocking
      Framing Stairs
      • Stair Layout
      • Building Stairs
      Framing Roofs
      • Roof-Framing Basics
      • Roof Design
      • Laying Out and Cutting Rafters
      • Framing Valleys
      • Working with Trusses
      • Dormers
      • Special Situations
      Efficient Framing Methods
      • Advanced Framing
      • Double-Stud Walls
      Timber Framing
      • Timber-Frame Construction
      • Timber-Frame Design

      Fine Home Building

      Newsletter Sign-up

      • Fine Homebuilding

        Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

      • Green Building Advisor

        Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

      • Old House Journal

        Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

      Signing you up...

      This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
      See all newsletters

      Follow

      • Fine Homebuilding

        Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

        Start Free Trial Now
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • X
        • LinkedIn
      • GBA Prime

        Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

        Start Free Trial Now
        • Facebook
        • YouTube
      • Old House Journal

        Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

        Subscribe Now
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • X
      • Fine Homebuilding

        Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

        Start Free Trial Now
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • X
        • LinkedIn
      • GBA Prime

        Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

        Start Free Trial Now
        • Facebook
        • YouTube
      • Old House Journal

        Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

        Subscribe Now
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • X

      Membership & Magazine

      • Online Archive
      • Start Free Trial
      • Magazine Subscription
      • Magazine Renewal
      • Gift a Subscription
      • Customer Support
      • Privacy Preferences
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Careers
      • Terms of Use
      • Site Map
      • Do not sell or share my information
      • Privacy Policy
      • Accessibility
      • California Privacy Rights

      © 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

      Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

      • Home Group
      • Antique Trader
      • Arts & Crafts Homes
      • Bank Note Reporter
      • Cabin Life
      • Cuisine at Home
      • Fine Gardening
      • Fine Woodworking
      • Green Building Advisor
      • Garden Gate
      • Horticulture
      • Keep Craft Alive
      • Log Home Living
      • Military Trader/Vehicles
      • Numismatic News
      • Numismaster
      • Old Cars Weekly
      • Old House Journal
      • Period Homes
      • Popular Woodworking
      • Script
      • ShopNotes
      • Sports Collectors Digest
      • Threads
      • Timber Home Living
      • Traditional Building
      • Woodsmith
      • World Coin News
      • Writer's Digest
      Active Interest Media logo
      X
      X
      This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

      Main Menu

      • How-To
      • Design
      • Tools & Materials
      • Video
      • Blogs
      • Forum
      • Project Guides
      • Reader Projects
      • Magazine
      • Members
      • FHB House

      Podcasts

      • FHB Podcast
      • ProTalk

      Webinars

      • Upcoming and On-Demand

      Podcasts

      • FHB Podcast
      • ProTalk

      Webinars

      • Upcoming and On-Demand

      Popular Topics

      • Kitchens
      • Business
      • Bedrooms
      • Roofs
      • Architecture and Design
      • Green Building
      • Decks
      • Framing
      • Safety
      • Remodeling
      • Bathrooms
      • Windows
      • Tilework
      • Ceilings
      • HVAC

      Magazine

      • Current Issue
      • Past Issues
      • Magazine Index
      • Subscribe
      • Online Archive
      • Author Guidelines

      All Access

      • Member Home
      • Start Free Trial
      • Gift Membership

      Online Learning

      • Courses
      • Project Guides
      • Reader Projects
      • Podcast

      More

      • FHB Ambassadors
      • FHB House
      • Customer Support

      Account

      • Log In
      • Join

      Newsletter

      Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

      Signing you up...

      This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
      See all newsletters
      See all newsletters

      Follow

      • X
      • YouTube
      • instagram
      • facebook
      • pinterest
      • Tiktok

      Join All Access

      Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

      Start Your Free Trial

      Subscribe

      FHB Magazine

      Start your subscription today and save up to 81%

      Subscribe

      We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

      Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

      Start your FREE trial

      Already a member? Log in

      Privacy Policy Update

      We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

      Cookies

      Analytics

      These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

      Advertising/Social Media

      These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

      Essential

      These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

      Delete My Data

      Delete all cookies and associated data