Replies

1. 
   eddiefromAustralia | Aug 02, 2003 12:37am | #1

   Stan,

   Your message came us as a pile of gibberish on my computer.  I may have a problem at my end (am I the only one who can't read the post?)

   Could you repost please.

   Ta,

   eddie

   edit:  I cut and pasted into word and the gibberish retranslated into:

   I have conflicting guidance on the thickness of tenons.  One reference

   says 1/3 the workpiece thickness, the other says 1/2.  Frid's Joinery 

   is silent on tenon dimensions.  Guessing it depends on the application. 

   So I am asking - what would knotheads do?

   I am building frame and panel hope chest with the legs being the 

   stiles. The legs are 3.5" x 2.5", and the rails are 1" x 2.5".  Rails will be

   flush to leg.   I am leaning to 0.5 inch tenon, for strength under

   vertical load (also already have a 0.5 inch router bit), but that seems

   to leave a very thin face on the mortised leg.  Any thoughts and

   explanations are welcome.

   Thanks

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/1/2003 5:43:54 PM ET by eddie (aust)

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/1/2003 6:01:24 PM ET by eddie (aust)

1. 
   eddiefromAustralia | Aug 02, 2003 01:06am | #2

   Stan, now to answer your question, I'd cut in a barefaced tenon, half thickness.

   (I'm assuming that the 2 1/2" is the show face and that the final tenon will end up 1/2" thick, leaving 1/2" meat left on the outside of the leg/stile)

   Cheers,  eddie

1. 
   stancalow | Aug 02, 2003 05:27am | #3

   Eddie

   Thanks, Eddie.  I had originally sent the message to my home computer as a Word document so perhaps it had something to do with the font.  I understand your suggestion.   I had always thought a barefaced tenon was wrong in all circumstances, but see how it would work in this case since inward stress would be minimal.  Have a stubbie on me and regards to my cousins in Melbourne. 

   Stan

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Aug 03, 2003 07:05am | #4

   There is no hard and fast rule. For strength, making a tenon about 1/3rd the thickness of the piece being tenoned makes sence. But, if there is reason to do something else, use common sence.

   Also, there is no reason to have a tenon be centered on the piece being tenoned. I frequently ofset tenons for various reasons. In a recent job I cut a 1/8" deep shoulder on one side and 1/4" tenon leaving a 3/8" deep shoulder on the other.