Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 3Making a Mortise and Tenon
Pic 10A-Begin by laying out the tenon. For 3/4" thick wood a tenon about 1" to 2" wide usually works well. Make the tenon longer than you think you will need as sometimes it is best to have it protrude longer to get good design proportions.
B- Cut the tenon.
C- Use the cut tenon to layout the mortise and then use a square to transfer the layout to the other side. Drill the largest size hole that will fit within the layout. Don't drill all the way through as it will splinter out the back side. Drill over half way and then flip the board and drill from the other side.
D-Outline the mortise by angling a chisel on the pencil lines and give a single whack with hammer or mallet. This will keep the edges from splintering out as you chisel out the mortise.
Pic 11E-Hammer and chisel the hole square. A faster and easier way is to drill the hole and then use an power jig saw. The battery powered ones work quite well for this. If you want precision (what serious woodworker wouldnt want precision?) then cut shy of the line and use a chisel to get you right at the line for a tight and lasting joint.
F-Adjust the mortise until the tenon fits through snugly and then pencil mark the edge of the upright onto the tenon.
G-Drill an angled hole the size of your dowel (1/4"to 3/8").
H-Use a chisel to pare a dowel into a wedge. Leave the dowel extra long until you have a good fit that will wedge the tenon tight to the mortise and then cut the dowel wedge to lenth.
pic 12-Shows the finished tenon
See also Pic 14
Doweled Tenon (Pic 13)
An even easier way is to use a dowel 5/8" to 1" in diameter as the tenon. The tenon is locked to the board it protrudes from with a 1/4" lock dowel that intersects it. You can then drill a hole the same size as the tenon dowel for the mortise. Such a joint will tend to rotate. So it is usually a good idea to also dado the seat board or shelf to prevent this.
B- Cut the tenon.
C- Use the cut tenon to layout the mortise and then use a square to transfer the layout to the other side. Drill the largest size hole that will fit within the layout. Don't drill all the way through as it will splinter out the back side. Drill over half way and then flip the board and drill from the other side.
D-Outline the mortise by angling a chisel on the pencil lines and give a single whack with hammer or mallet. This will keep the edges from splintering out as you chisel out the mortise.
Pic 11E-Hammer and chisel the hole square. A faster and easier way is to drill the hole and then use an power jig saw. The battery powered ones work quite well for this. If you want precision (what serious woodworker wouldnt want precision?) then cut shy of the line and use a chisel to get you right at the line for a tight and lasting joint.
F-Adjust the mortise until the tenon fits through snugly and then pencil mark the edge of the upright onto the tenon.
G-Drill an angled hole the size of your dowel (1/4"to 3/8").
H-Use a chisel to pare a dowel into a wedge. Leave the dowel extra long until you have a good fit that will wedge the tenon tight to the mortise and then cut the dowel wedge to lenth.
pic 12-Shows the finished tenon
See also Pic 14
Doweled Tenon (Pic 13)
An even easier way is to use a dowel 5/8" to 1" in diameter as the tenon. The tenon is locked to the board it protrudes from with a 1/4" lock dowel that intersects it. You can then drill a hole the same size as the tenon dowel for the mortise. Such a joint will tend to rotate. So it is usually a good idea to also dado the seat board or shelf to prevent this.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
