We live in a 100-year-old house here in Maine. Some months ago one of the recessed-panel doors got broken (don’t ask) so I took it down and replaced it, and put the old one out back. Well, my wife has been after me to get rid of it, so today I thought I’d bust it up and make it kindling. Coupla whacks with a sledge hammer, the 16 coats of paint began flaking off, and I realized it was an antique, mortise-and tenoned together. I felt even worse about its getting broken and decided to take it apart gingerly to see how it was constructed.

Holy moley. The tenons are through-tenons, pegged and wedged into place without a drop of glue. I had to bore out the pegs, chop out the wedges, and beat on the thing with a rubber mallet to get it to come apart! Took me 45 minutes, now my tongue’s hanging out and I can barely lift my arms to type.

I’m going to take some measurements and look for an excuse to build one for somebody. I used to visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and look at their Colonial furniture exhibit, pieces that have stayed together for 200 years, pegged together without glue or fasteners as this door was (though I think it’s of more recent vintage).

No real point here, I guess, just wanted to share this with people who’d “get it”. Thanks!