"Swingman" wrote in message
...
For those of you who don't get abpw:

Rough sketch of chair leg and rail (legs angled 7 degrees from vertical)

I know what I _think_, but which "floating tenon" joint to YOU _know_ to
be
stronger and why?

http://www.e-woodshop.net/images/TenonTrial.JPG

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www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/6/06

My credentials: degree in mechanical engineering with a specialization in
strength of materials. Formerly a licensed professional engineer in the
state of Illinois. Based on the rough drawing, if you made 10 of these
joints each way and tested them to failure, I'm not sure you could measure a
statiscally-meaningful difference between the two. Now, I haven't spent all
night thinking about it, so if someone can make a persuasive argument to the
contrary, I'm open. So with that said, offhand I'd go with the one you find
easier to machine.

todd