On Jun 18, 2:04 pm, " wrote:
On Jun 18, 12:07 pm, Andy wrote:

through the bandsaw at all those odd angles, we remarked on all the
screws he used putting those things together and some of those were
into end grain and then plugged.

Huh - I though I was kidding. IMO, wood screws can certainly have a
place in fine furniture, but I just assumed Mr. Maloof wouldn't share
my opinions on that. Interesting.
Andy

I keep thinking that someday I'll check out that video again. It was a
few years ago and I've formed a few opinions of my own. :-)

The thing I remember most clearly was him talking about how he was
self-taught, which was why he used the bandsaw in a manner that would
give just about any shop teacher nightmares. He didn't know he wasn't
supposed to take a three-inch slab, put it on end, angle it a bit, and
sail it through a huge bandsaw, on a curve, to form the chair seat, so
he did. And lost part of a finger or two. He didn't know he wasn't
supposed to use screws, so he did.

I'd be really surprised if he's using screws on the end grain of a
crest rail.

Consider this link:

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/articles/37-1.jpg

That is a wedged through tenon. I suspect he's wedging a non-through
tenon. Instead of square wedges, he's using round. Of course this is
pure speculation on my part.

The benefit of this method is a second chance. Normally, when you
wedge a non-through tenon, the wedge goes into the mortise along with
the tenon. As you push the tenon home, the wedge pushes the spit and
flays the tenon tight. The problem is you better have it right because
if it doesn't fit, it doesn't matter. The tenon's not coming out.

If Maloof is wedging with wedged dowel pins, then he could always pull
them out if the wedge doesn't fit quite right.

Jeff