Replies

1. 
   Danford_C_ | Jun 27, 2002 07:10pm | #1

   My suggestion is to not use "sloppy" joints.  A "proper" mortise and tenon joint should require firm pressure to close it and a few "raps" of the mallet to open it.  Given that you are using quarter sawn White Oak for the entire piece [an "honest" reproduction ;-)] movement issues will be minimal.  FWIW.

   Dano

   "Form and Function are One" - Frank L. Wright
1. 
   badoyn | Jun 27, 2002 07:20pm | #3

   Wouldn't you take into account the humidity of summer when building these?

   Michael

1. 
   Danford_C_ | Jun 28, 2002 12:17am | #7

   Michael,

   In a word, nope.  If that were the case then you would have to make the joint tighter yet to "allow" for shrinkage in the winter.  Since I live in an area where the average RH is around 60% (three days ago it was 27%), I don't worry much about my joinery; haven't had a joint fail yet.

   Recalling from memory; I believe White Oak has a tangential shrinkage of around 5/16" per foot, quarter sawn would be far less than that.  Point being, as I indicated previously, wood movement shouldn't be a major concern in this case.  FWIW.

   Dano"Form and Function are One" - Frank L. Wright

1. 
   badoyn | Jun 28, 2002 12:20am | #8

   Duh, you're right. I was thinking about humidity the other way around. I live in the midwest where the humidity can get real high in the summer.

   Thanks for the info.

   Michael

2. 
   alexlisa | Jun 27, 2002 09:08pm | #4

   Sounds like good advice, Dan. My natural inclination is to agonize over through tenons to get as close to a perfect fit as possible. I drew up a set of plans based on a photo of a tile-top endtable from "The Furniture of Gustav Stickley". I had to guess a little on exact dimensions and joinery.

2. 
   Elcoholic | Jun 27, 2002 07:20pm | #2

   That was an unfortunate choice of words to call a Stickley design "dishonest".  A&C furniture was all about honesty.  Gustav Stickley was particularly commited to the movement, so much so that he published (read: gave away) many of his designs in "The Craftsman" so the average schmo woodworker with a basic tools set (no machines) could build and have nice things he couldn't afford to buy.  That said, follow the Stickley design faithfully, they're always functional and usually bullet-proof.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

1. 
   alexlisa | Jun 27, 2002 09:15pm | #5

   ELCOHOLIC

   I beg to differ. "Knockdown" keyed tenons on a table that, by it's structural assembly, could never be disassembled short of destruction, renders the keys a purely decorative device. This is one of the few instances of superfluous joinery as decoration I have seen in Stickley's work, with which I am extremely familiar. Take a look at "The Furniture of Gustav Stickley" by Mossman & Bavaro". In the "gallery" section, it's the only tiled table in the book. You will see what I'm referring to immediately.

   Edited 6/27/2002 2:27:35 PM ET by q-sawn

1. 
   Elcoholic | Jun 28, 2002 12:12am | #6

   Good point and as long as your definition of the tusk tenon limits it to only knock-down applications.  In some case, and not necessarily this one, it is used so the joint can be tighted after the inevitable loosening from seasonal movement.  Maybe the joint wasn't supposed to be glued to allow movement the other direction.  I could see a case for that in the dictionary stand in Jewitt's current article.  Or could it be G.S. had a lapse and used it just 'cause it needed something and he thought it looked bitchen?  If so G.S. gets a clay toe, but not the whole foot :).John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne