Swingman, thanks for the primer on the M&T's!

even though my rail/stile router bits are for 3/4" material only, I'm
getting interested in doing 1" thick r/s because I like the look of that
thickness (I am sitting at my pc desk, which has 1" thick sides made up
of r/s / panels.) Since I can't run a proper profile on the R/S with my
router bits, I was thinking of just grooving them and using some other
bit for the edge treatment around the panel sides of the r/s. As a
matter of fact, on the desk I'm sitting at, they didn't run any edge
detail around the panel. That's a bit plain, though, for my taste.

The depth of the mortise in 1" would be around 13/16", right? and then
make the tenons 1/16" to 1/8" shallower? Like I mentioned earlier, I've
got the DP mortiser kit, BUT I don't have any mortising chisels. Isn't
it imperative that I clean up the mortises with those types of chisels?
I'm not Neander equipped yet. I've got one simple 3/4" wide chisel.


Did I miss where you remarked on how MANY of these M&T's I should use
along approximately 20" of joint length?

I'm always open to suggestions, and Leon has given me some food for
thought on this project. I'll have to consider my ability to accomplish
a particular joinery method before I decide to go for it. Maybe it's
time to pick up some decent (not TOO expensive, and something with large
handles) chisels...

dave



Swingman wrote:

"Bay Area Dave" wrote in message

Excellent! I like all your ideas; esp make the stiles the legs.


That'll work! For approximately 20" of length, how much of that should
be M & T? Two or three each 3" long tenons?
Or could they be shorter?
Are tenons 1/2 or 1/3 the thickness of board?


For planning purposes, and if you like this concept, I would think of the
back and side panel assemblies as a 'frame and panel door', with the stiles
extending down and acting as legs.

Any techniques that can be used to capture a panel between frames will work.
Just damn near every ww mag on the stands will have a project with frame and
panels of some type. Simply extend the stiles to floor and you have legs.

Also, thinking this way may make your planing the postion of the mortises
and panel capturing grooves a bit easier. You will benefit by drawing it out
first ... DAMHIKT.

IME, it is best to always plan, layout and cut your motises first, then cut
your tenons to fit the mortises.

Base the M&T joints (in this particular case, what is known as a
"Grooved-Frame Mortise and Tenon Joint) on the dimension AND postion of the
aprons or rails on the leg, on the dimension of your stock for both legs
(stiles) and rails, as well as on the dado/groove your're going to need to
capture the side and back panels.

With regard to M&T dimensions: My personal preference is try to keep single,
non through tenons narrower than roughly 4" in width and generally about
13/16" in length, for a 1" deep mortise ... anything over that width and you
may face dimensional stability problems unless you "double" them.

On wide tenons, I often cut the haunch (NOT THE SHOULDERS) short to give a
bit of room for expansion. You will want to leave some glue room with regard
to depth, thus the shorter length of the tenon for the deeper mortise.

Match your tenon thickness to your mortises. In thicker leg stock you may
want a 3/8" wide mortise ... although I often use 1/4" on smaller tables.
Either works well with 3/4" apron/rail stock IME.

For the racking forces involved in moving a desk around, 3/8" would allow
you to err on the cautious side.


Thank you, thank you...I am not worthy...(bowing down).


LOL ... I am sure that many others will come up with equal or better
options, so keep 'em open for now.