A nut and bolt is significantly better than any lag screw. However, a
pinned tennon will also outlast your desire to own the bench.

Dave



"AAvK" wrote in message
news:AbCMd.24575$mt.10477@fed1read03...

Calling all bench builders,

I have been cutting and planing all the legs, braces and
stretchers for a very basic trestle made of douglas fir 4x4
& 4x6, I have most of the maple for the top, still need a
bit more.

There will be top side braces that support the maple top,
and lower side braces of 4x4, above the lower braces will
be front and rear stretchers of 4x6 going side to side. All
tenons will be haunched.
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tenon side view |
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I thought and thought and thought about how to join them
to the legs and had decided for double wedged tenons, then
discovered the DF is too chippy and weak as a 1" wide
tenon, so I decided to go with blind M&T sunk into 50%
the thickness of the leg using bench bolts instead.

I like the idea but, would it be worse or merely not as good,
if I went with straight-in hex-head lag bolts instead of the
bench bolts? Does one have a serious advantage over the
other or would it be an equal call? I really want the better
of the two ideas, please. TIA!

--
Alex
cravdraa_at-yahoo_dot-com
http://www.e-sword.net/