Has anyone tried putting the tendon into hot sand for about 10minutes. Then inserting it into the mortise? This is a very old chair makers trick. I used it many times and had very few failures. I make the mortise 1/16 - 1/8" smaller that the tendon.
Evon
Evon, just a note. A tendon is a hunk of flesh. Specifically it is something that attaches the muscle to a bone. It is connective tissue.
I think that you are referring to a tenon.
The only reason I mention this is the horrible visual I got from you placing a screaming person or his severed limb into hot sand.
I'm not hungry any more.
LOL! Better than removing waist with a chisel.
Yes, I've done this with round tenons on Windsor chairs. Seemed to work pretty well.
As I understand, it works even better if a spoon bit was used, and the mortice slightly undercut by wobbling at the end. Reduce the diameter at the shoulder of the tenon and get a bit of ball-in-socket effect.
These were blind tenons where the rails went into the legs. As there was no chance of wedging them and the timber was all equally dry, a blast of extra drying on the tenons seemed like a good idea.
Where the legs went into the seat, they were drilled with a tapered spoon bit and wedged right across.
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