Aldar Stool

So I discovered I bought too small a tenon cutter for doing the legs.  I purchased a 1/2 inch cutter when I really needed a 1 inch.  I even tried to make my own but I goofed it up.  And both tear the material something fierce.  I may be better off doing them by hand on the disk/belt sander.  That is why you always practice on a scrap piece first when using a new tool.

Scrap blank

Purchased cutter

It's too small and tears the wood.

Here are the pics of the one I tried to make myself.  I didn't get pics of the mess it made of the tennon.

I can do better with the sander if I just figure out how to do the shoulder and get the size right.

Thank goodness I decided to try it out on a scrap piece first.

I am not overly surprised that it tore the wood as it is going cross grain by it's very design.  I will keep trying.