If you cut mortise-and-tenon joinery often, a good jig changes everything. It makes the work safer, more repeatable, and far less fussy—especially when you are batching parts or tuning a fit for furniture-grade work. The free tenon jig plans below cover several smart approaches, from simple table saw builds to refined carriage-style jigs and fast, no-nonsense shop fixtures, so you can choose the version that best fits your saw, your space, and the way you like to work.

How To Make A Tenon Jig

Overview: John Heisz’s version is a clean, shop-built table saw tenon jig sized directly to your rip fence, which makes it especially appealing for woodworkers who want a custom fit instead of forcing a generic design onto their saw. The project is practical, compact, and backed up by a free plan, so it gives you both an instructional walkthrough and a solid shop reference.

Why it is great: It is a straightforward, proven fence-riding jig with the kind of sensible design that works in real shops.

Link to original plans: https://ibuildit.ca/projects/table-saw-tenon-jig/

DIY Table Saw Tenoning Jig

Overview: Rockler’s plan takes a more refined approach with a sliding upper carriage, beveled guides, a toggle clamp, and fine adjustment at the back. It is built for woodworkers who want cleaner repeatability and easier tuning when moving between stock sizes, and the replaceable sacrificial backer is a thoughtful detail for long-term use.

Why it is great: The adjustable carriage gives this jig a polished, precise feel without making the build overly intimidating.

Link to original plans: https://www.rockler.com/learn/diy-table-saw-tenoning-jig

Table Saw Tenon Jig

Overview: Bob Lang’s jig is refreshingly simple: an upside-down U-shaped body that rides over the fence with just enough clearance to slide easily without slop. It is the kind of design that experienced woodworkers appreciate because it uses a few parts, comes together quickly, and still solves the core problem of holding stock vertically and safely for cheek cuts.

Why it is great: This is one of the best low-drama builds on the list for getting to a usable jig fast.

Link to original plans: https://readwatchdo.com/table-saw-tenon-jig/

Tenon cutting jig

Overview: Matthias Wandel’s write-up shows the beauty of a no-nonsense jig that is more about clever function than furniture-grade finish. It is compact, direct, and rooted in practical workshop problem-solving, which makes it a strong fit for readers who like to build jigs from scrap and refine them over time instead of chasing a “perfect” version right away.

Why it is great: Few plans communicate the spirit of efficient, shop-made jig building better than this one.

Link to original plans: https://woodgears.ca/table_saw/tenon_jig.html

Tablesaw Tenon Jig

Overview: Highland Woodworking offers a classic fence-riding tenon jig with a dimensioned drawing and practical build notes. The plan is aimed at a plain, unencumbered rip fence and is designed to handle centered or offset tenons, plus lap and bridle joints, which gives it more versatility than many basic one-purpose jigs.

Why it is great: The illustrated plan makes this a particularly approachable build for woodworkers who like working from drawings.

Link to original plans: https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/tablesawtenonjig.aspx

Tenoning jig

Overview: This Canadian Woodworking plan is built around a beam-style rip fence and is notable for its flexibility: the design can be made for straight tenons or adapted to cut angled tenons at 45 degrees. It also handles half laps and bridle joints, so it earns valuable space in the shop by doing more than one job well.

Why it is great: Its ability to branch into angled work makes it one of the most versatile builds in the roundup.

Link to original plans: https://canadianwoodworking.com/project/tenoning-jig/

How To Make a Tenon Jig for a Router Table

Overview: Not every shop prefers cutting tenons at the table saw, and this router-table sled is a great reminder that a router table can be just as effective with the right fixture. Lukas walks through the build, materials, and use in a clear, project-friendly format, and the jig includes hold-downs and guide features that make it especially appealing for smaller or more delicate workpieces.

Why it is great: It offers a genuinely useful alternative for woodworkers who are more comfortable tuning joinery at the router table.

Link to original plans: https://allflavorworkshop.com/tenon-jig-for-a-router-table/

Wooden DIY loose tenon jig

Overview: This build shifts from traditional integral tenons to loose-tenon joinery and does it with a shop-made wooden jig rather than an expensive dedicated machine. Way of Wood presents it as an accessible way to get fast, repeatable loose-tenon results, with a simple version first and then more advanced adjustments layered in for better control.

Why it is great: It is a compelling budget-friendly answer for anyone attracted to Domino-style joinery without the Domino price.

Link to original plans: https://wayofwood.com/wooden-diy-loose-tenon-jig/

LOOSE-TENON JOINERY WITHOUT A FESTOOL DOMINO

Overview: James Hamilton’s approach is wonderfully pragmatic: build a custom mortising jig from scrap plywood sized to your router bushing, then cut matching mortises and connect them with loose tenons. It is more technique-driven than furniture-polished, but that is exactly why it is so useful—it teaches a method you can adapt quickly for doors, frames, and one-off joinery jobs.

Why it is great: This is the kind of quick custom jig that pays off immediately in a real working shop.

Link to original plans: https://www.stumpynubs.com/shop-vlog/loose-tenon-joinery

AW Extra 5/29/14 – Foolproof Tenons

Overview: This Popular Woodworking article is centered on a heavy-duty shop-made tenoning jig paired with a repeatable cutting method designed to take the guesswork out of fitting tenons. The jig offers broad support and emphasizes safe handling and consistent results, which is exactly what many furniture builders want when they move from occasional mortise-and-tenon work to regular use.

Why it is great: It is a strong pick for readers who want a more robust jig and a fuller system for producing dependable tenons.

Link to original plans: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/aw-extra-52914-foolproof-tenons/

The best tenon jig is the one that matches how you actually work. If your shop leans table saw, a fence-riding jig from IBUILDIT, Rockler, Canadian Woodworking, or Highland Woodworking will feel right at home. If you prefer a simpler setup, the Read Watch Do and Woodgears options keep the build lean and practical. And if your work drifts toward router-based joinery, the AllFlavor Workshop, Way of Wood, and Stumpy Nubs approaches open up accurate alternatives without demanding premium tooling. However you get there, adding one well-built tenon jig to your shop is one of those upgrades that keeps paying you back—cut after cut, project after project.

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