Crosscut Sled Mod
When cutting the angled tenons for the rails and stretchers on the Counter-height Stools, I used two jigs. The key to both jigs is a 6° wedge. You only need to make one, as a little double-sided tape will let you stick it wherever it’s needed. The first jig is a sled, which I used to establish the shoulders. Stick the wedge to the fence and, using a dado blade, cut all the shoulders that can be cut with the wedge on that side. Flip the wedge to the other side to finish the cuts.
Before starting, I recommend labelling all of your pieces and marking layout lines where each cut will be made.
Rip Fence Tenoning Jig
Once the shoulders have been established with the sled jig, it’s time to cut the cheeks. The second jig holds the piece vertically, using the same 6° wedge to hold the workpiece at the proper angle for cutting the cheeks and finishing the tenon.
Before making this cut, switch the dado blade out for one that’ll leave you with a flat shoulder. If the shoulder isn’t flat, you’ll find a slight gap in the joint. Most rip blades are good choices, as they’re usually flat-topped. The cheeks can be cut in one pass each. When setting up the cut, keep the blade on the outside of the layout line. Taking the time to work down in size is far preferable to having a loose joint.
