Hi: I just finished building a slide assembly for my Shopsmith that allows me to easily make "loose" mortises. One question remains...
Should the "loose" tenons be the same material, or would a more stable material such as tempered fiberboard be the prudent choice. The fiberboard is precisely 1/4", does not swell and is very strong. Not to mention, easy to "store" in the shop.
Does anyone have first hand knowledge with loose mortise and tenon construction.
John Eppley
No experience with loose tenons, but I'm thinking the tempered fiberboard wouldn't take glue very well.
Even if it did take glue well, with no grain to span the joint, I doubt you'd ever gain much strength. If I were going to use anything but wood for the tenons. it'd probably be scuffed-up lexan or sandblasted aluminum, though I don't ever see myself trying that. Actually, I have a Beadlock unit for just such situations and it performs very well.
I am sure it takes glue very well. I built a shelving unit that spent many years in unheated cellars, garages and storage sheds. Did I mention I built the unit in 1961 ??
John
Try a strength test between the fiberboard and some other candidates...sugar maple, ash, white oak, etc.
Chris
John,
I'm no expert, but can relate my experience using loose tenons on a large rolling wood rack. It was made of milled 2x4 and 2x6 rails with
28 loose tenon joints. I did the traditional approach of making them close to right, then used a hand plane to fine tune the thickness of each tenon so that each had an ever-so-slight drag in a piston fit that could be moved with hand pressure. After applying glue, I had to assemble quickly because the wood swelled and "locked" in place. My impression was that I had some tolerance in fit because the swelling wood "self adjusted" to a tight fit. the precise thickness, no swell character of the fiber board may work against you because it requires such a precise fit to be effective in the joint - too tight and there's no room for glue - too loose and the glue won't fill the gap.Bob
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