I'm using 8/4 reclaimed cherry for my new bench. Will dominos be of suffic ient strength for the M/T joints connecting the rails and stringers to the legs? For the rails, it will be easy to add bolts and the dominos would ju st serve as alignment guides. Not quite so easy for the stringers as the l egs will be 5+ inches wide.
Larry
icient strength for the M/T joints connecting the rails and stringers to th e legs? For the rails, it will be easy to add bolts and the dominos would just serve as alignment guides. Not quite so easy for the stringers as the legs will be 5+ inches wide.
A floating tennon is likely 95% as strong as a typical tennon. Only issue w ould be on pull-out if you didn't pin both sides and I don't think a table has much\any pull-out tension at all.
I might be concerned with racking pulling them out, especially if you will be doing any hand planing. I would probably go with a totally through the leg tenon. Glue 2 halves together to form the legs. Before gluing, cut dados on both inner sides so that when you glue the halves together you form the through mortise.
This is an instance where the larger new Domino joiner would be better suited.
If you think it might have racking pressure then you could pin them on both sides, although I don't fully understand the geometry and if this is always possible with this design.
Leon ...
That's a great idea for creating a through-tenon. I don't envision a lot of hand planing, so I'm leaning toward using the Domino. I assume I ought to use the 10mm tenons, oui? (another trip to Woodcraft for cutter and tenons)
Larry
sides, although I don't fully understand the geometry and if this is always possible with this design.
Well pinning would help but the Small Domino joiner can only accommodate a mortise about 25mm deep. The longest tenons are 50mm. so I doubt that pinning would help much as the leg would likely split out at the pin. IIRC the newer larger Domino will cut 4" deep.
hand planing, so I'm leaning toward using the Domino. I assume I ought to use the 10mm tenons, oui? (another trip to Woodcraft for cutter and tenons)
I would try for 4 tenons in each joint.
And concerning the through tenon method, if you ever use it, be sure to remember to place a test block the size of the mortise,"WRAPPED IN WAXED PAPER" in that mortise when you glue it up. It helps align the halves and helps to keep excess glue out of the joint.
AND YOU WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOU CAN REMOVE IT BEFORE THE GLUE SETS!
And one more suggestion, should the joint ever loosen you could drill a
3/4" through hole in the apron/stretcher near the joint and glue a 3/4" dowel in that hole. Send a lag screw through the leg into the end of the apron/stretcher and into the dowel. Predrill of course.
sufficient strength for the M/T joints connecting the rails and stringers to the legs? For the rails, it will be easy to add bolts and the dominos would just serve as alignment guides. Not quite so easy for the stringers as the legs will be 5+ inches wide.
My bench is a slightly modified version of one the benches in Scott Landis' book: The Workbench Book. Unfortunately, my copy has wandered off somewhere but it's still listed on Amazon. It features 4x4 legs and
2x4 stringers. Joinery is through tenons, wedged plus glue. The top is 2x4s glued together in the 4" side. Threaded rods (4) through the top complete the ensemble.This jewel adds new meaning to the word "sturdy". I have set a small block Chevvy on it for some assembly prior to the engine stand. How about 3 guys assembling 4" by 5' HVAC tubing (took a lot of grunting and many bad words). Anyway you get the idea. It's getting along in years and if I was still doing lots of wooddorking, I would remove the top (bolted to two stringers between the legs) and take it somewhere that had a large planer or drum sander and get it evened out. The way it is, I have a couple of pieces of 1/8" hardboard that I lay on top of the bench.
Anyway have fun with your project. Build it to last a thousand years. mahalo, jo4hn
Thanks, Jo4hn. I'm building this for me, my son, my granddaughter (now 4) and those that come after her.
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