Tenon Sizing Tool

This Tenon Sizing Tool resulted from a big dream, and a desire to create a lifetime tool with absolute precision and predictability.  The result is a magnificent stainless-steel masterpiece directly from our shop in Wilmington, NC. Size your flute tenons and soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass saxophone tenons with ease.  

Tenons must be sized when tenons or receivers are replaced, have been damaged, or a player has acquired a new neck.  The tenon sizing tool comes with 3 holes and a huge variety of collets in .5mm increments that are available individually.  Each collet contains a notch to lock into the tool so that when you move the neck, the collet will not spin.  

The Cam:

The offset cam allows a tremendous amount of pressure to be applied to the workpiece via a cam lever while saving the operator from fatigue. The cam rides on a lasting sleeve bearing that is the only wear point and is easily replaced. Having the cam drive this tool allows the operator to pull a lever and apply pressure. The feeling of the lever is even and consistent unlike the screw tighten method where the resistance varies depending on the workpiece. Basically, you pull the lever the same way every time, within it fail, without overdoing it. 

The Adjusting wheel: 

The adjusting wheel, used in conjunction with the cam lever, make the Tenon sizing tool nearly fool-proof. The cam lever applies pressure and the adjusting wheel sets the final size of the workpiece. To use these is simpler to do than to explain. Simply, set the wheel to the desired location and pull the lever. Remove the workpiece and try it out. If it needs to reduce further, turn the wheel, which is still set exactly where to left it, a click to reduce the workpiece further. The wheel allows you to set and retain your desired size rather than guess each time how much you crushed last. 

Mounting the tool: 

There are 2 holes in the bottom of the body of the tool which is the same thread sizes as our dent rods, so the tool can be securely mounted directly on a dent rod. You can also mount the tool directly into your vise. 

Choose the smallest collet that fits around the tenon, loosen the adjuster, and lock the collet into the collet fitting.  Click the wheel until it begins to put pressure on the collet. Put the workpiece in place, pull the cam lever, and check it on the instrument.  If it needs further reduction, click the wheel once and repeat the process.  No guessing, no worry, and no going too far.  Once you are close, leave the wheel in place, pull the handle, turn the neck 90 degrees, pull the handle, turn the neck 90 degrees.  This will keep the slot from the collet from forming a groove on the neck. 

Collets sold separately here: Tenon Shrinking Collets