Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Building the 2x Side Table: Joinery Part 3

Furniture with exposed joinery is not only an expression of craftsmanship but of honesty.   Joinery as a design element should be used with restraint.  Modern furniture has sometimes rejected the importance of joinery in search of sleek lines.  I believe there is a balance and its success is marked by using joinery for strength without overwhelming the simplicity of the piece.


Lay out the center-line of the dado for the shelf, by ganging both legs together with a clamp.

Note: I use only a centerline as this eliminates the mistake of being on the wrong side of the line.





The dado jig I am using, wonderfully explained by the Wood Whisperer:

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/exact-width-dado-jig/

is clamped in place with a plunge router/ bushing setup.


Putting the boards back together, to double check that the dado lines up, here is the result:

With the dado cut, we can layout the mortises for the through tenons.










Score the outline of the mortise with a marking knife, to fight chipout.

Next up, how do you cut those mortises?

4 comments:

  1. Cool, Nabil. I didn't realize the shelf itself would be mortised into place. That should create a great deal of strength in the piece.

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  2. I agree w/ Vic. Not only that, but from that last picture, it looks like those thru tenons will add a nice visual aesthetic to the outside of the piece.

    Do you plan to stain the thru tenons a different color?

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  3. Hi Dave,
    I finished the table all the same in shellac and nitro lacquer; but, since the tenons are endgrain they tend to take on a deeper color if sanded the same as the rest of the grain. In this case the contrast of the endgrain next to the face grain of the legs is welcomed.

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  4. Nabil, it's looking great... I can't wait for the next installment.

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