I am building an office chair from a picture I saw in a catalog. The chair has (5) 1/1/2″ square horizontal stretchers that attach to each side of the legs with mortise and tenon joints. In between these stretchers are 1 1/2″ vertical “spacers” that connect the stretchers to each other. Think japanese shoji door.
I’m thinking the best way to connect the vertical “spacers” to the horizontal stretchers is a dowel/s. Is this right or is there a better way?
How best can I make sure the dowel holes are positioned exactly in the connecting stretchers? If I’m off just a little bit – then the mortise and tenon joints won’t fit in the legs.
How should I attempt glue-up? Do I glue all the stretchers together with the vertical spacers – then glue to legs – in the same session? Or do I glue up the stretchers and spacers in one session – then glue the “grid” to the legs in another?
Replies
You can position the holes exactly by setting up a drill press with a fence and stops, drilling both the upper and lower rails at the same settings.
Nothing would be gained by trying to do the glue up all at once, doing the rails and spacers first and letting the glue set on them would be the easiest way to go. Once the rail and spacer assembly is made up then do the mortises in the legs to match the actual dimensions of the grid assembly.
John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
Of course! working from the inside of the grid outwards. I wish I asked BEFORE I cut the mortise and tenons for the legs.
Thanks.
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