An aid to fitting mortise and tenon

Re: An aid to fitting mortise and tenon

GolfSteve in Calgary

I have that same depth gauge. I bought it at a street market in Australia circa 1998. I don't know how old it is, but I guess the 1950's.

It is one of my most useful and used tools, and I agree it is wonderful for checking mortises.

Gluing it up

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.



The mortises must have been spot on for it came up perfectly square without need for coaxing. Remains to add the top and a partial rail around the back half, then paint flat black.

3 in 1 mortise and tenon gage.

Virgil Johnson

Nice setup you have. I bought this handy Starrett mortise and tenon gage back in 1982. "A" Is used to measure the width of the mortise. "B" Is used to measure the width of the tenon cheeks. "C" Has two uses! Measures the depth of the mortise and can be used to measure the tenon length also....:-) .

Re: Gluing it up

Brian Holcombe

Bill, not sure what you’re making but I find draw boring to be really helpful in these large type frames. It’s demountable and easy to assemble tight. I used to glue yo big frames but found it easier to draw bore them more recently.

why I like clamps

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

"Bill, not sure what you’re making ".....stated in first sentence, a cello podium.

Woodworking involves solving problems. Over time one uses what is available to solve them, in my case clamps when it comes to assembly. I have no doubt about the efficacy of drawn joints in experienced hands. My problem with drawn joints is I would have to learn to use them. I have not discovered a problem they solve that I have been unable to solve otherwise so my learning motivation is not great. There isn't much learning curve for clamps.

Problem 1 pulling joints together. Nothing beats a clamp for a bindy joint or one that does not fully seat. Uncured glue has little shear strength and the steady shear applied by a clamp will snug any joint that can be.

Problem 2 assembly doesn't square. By positioning clamps it is usually possible to tug an assembly this way or that to square it when needed.

Problem 3 In the assembly at hand one of the rails was twisted 3/4" out of plane. I thought this podium would be a good place to be rid of this otherwise nice piece of lumber. The clamps subdued the piece and over time the stress will relax and all will be fine. I'll allow a 24 hour glue cure to be sure it reaches near max strength before the clamps come off and joints stay in place.

Solving a problem that doesn't exist....

Barry Irby

for me.

You are correct about clamps verses a draw bored joint. I know from long experience I can pull joints together with clamps. I have accumulated lots of various types of clamps for various applications, because they have been successful. So I don't have to figure out how to close a joint. Using a draw bore technique would be strange unproven technology for me. Hmmm, maybe I will try it, but not today.

handy gadget

Jack Guzman from Maine

I have two of those I use every time I drill mortises in chair parts.

Re: Solving a problem that doesn't exist....

Brian Holcombe

A problem that doesn’t exist?

-clamps have a limitation in length

-clamps require parallelism in assemblies

I had a project last year too big for my workshop, I setup to glue and clamp in the client’s space. It was a few hours of setup, glue then return to retrieve my clamps a day later.

More recently I had a similar big project. Arrive, fit joints. Knock pegs in, done. Not a second’s worth of stress, don’t need to drive twice.

Each time I’m moving light pieces of sub assemblies but the second time was just super sweet. That won me over on draw bores with big items.

Joints pulled together super tight.

Re: 3 in 1 mortise and tenon gage.

Tony-Memphis

I use mine every time I am in the shop. I play an engineer by day (ME), so that/those are just standard second nature kind of tools. And no batteries please!

You have created a problem for me....

Barry Irby

At least now I know how to solve it, when it comes up.

I know about draw bored joints, and how to do them, but never have. Perhaps I should practice a few before trying them on something important.