Mortise and Tenon Joinery
Long legs mean leverage that can challenge your best joints. Twin tenons trip-up twist.
No matter your tools, you can successfully cut and fit this time-tested joint.
Recently, I had to cut 1⁄2
"-thick, 21⁄2
"-long tenons in 3⁄4
" oak for a project. Each time, the results were a disaster.
The latest thing on my bench is a chair with a few loose legs and stretchers. One stretcher even pulls right out of its socket. How do I tighten the joints?
Is there a handheld method to make tenons in large stock?
The chisels on my hollow-chisel mortiser have dulled. Because the bevel is on the inside, I’m not sure how to sharpen them. Can you offer advice?
I learned my lesson the hard way: Mortises first, tenons second. But now that the mistake has been made, how can I salvage tenons that fit too loosely in a mortise?
Tip of the Day
Prevent petrified wood putty
To avoid throwing away half-full containers of hardened, water-based putty, attach a 11⁄2 ×11⁄2... read more