I have a drill press attachment for my mortising machine.  

I recently had to create a thru mortise on a 2-5/8" think piece (the feet on the bench I am creating.

Once bored and my tenons fit I noticed the tenon was too thick given the mortise.

I had ridges in the mortise so I took my knife and cut them away but I guess I was cutting not straight.

So now the tenon once sanded equally on both side would start in the mortise but then after an inch in it wold drop to the bottom.

 

I am planning on doing the following.  I will from the back side of the thru mortise fill the gap with shims then glue them in after the tenon is installed and glued in place.

Some of my mortise width is also wider than desired again on the back side only so again insert the tenon glue it in then pack the sides with shims 

Then glue them in and trim them off then sand smooth.

Please note if the tenons were too thin I would of course glue back on the cut offs and recut then them.  But in this case I found the mortise to be tapered.

Is my proposal sound? 

Edited September 15, 20232 yr by Michael Thuman
Updating content.

Your proposal will work well. Just be careful that the shims don't shift the tenon off center. It might have been easier to adjust the tenon to fit the mortise, but there's no loss of strength doing tit the way you suggest.

19 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Your proposal will work well. Just be careful that the shims don't shift the tenon off center. It might have been easier to adjust the tenon to fit the mortise, but there's no loss of strength doing tit the way you suggest.

Thanks fred that is why i was going to glue in the tenon first to secure it in place then pack it off with only hand force no hammers to break the glue joint in the first inch or so.

Thanks again for the quick reply.

I only get an hour or so a day to work on my new classic bench but so far I am progressing pretty well.

I plan on posting pictures of the repair when done so all can see.

Edited September 15, 20232 yr by Michael Thuman
Correcting content

Sounds like a new joint to me .  I've heard of and done a few wedged through tenons.  Side wedged through tenons might be something you should get a trademark for.    

4D