Question regarding joints in general

[Alfred Hoffmann]

I just repaired a very old table. A couple of joints let loose. I was surprised to find the joints were floating tenons. That made the repair very easy. But that made me also wonder as to what makes one select one type of joint vs another? Is this preference, skills, visuals, performance, application, tools available or all of the above? I have mostly looked first at the application (requirement) and then selected what method to use. Any comments?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

As to floating or regular tenons I'd say it's some where between preference and what equipment you have.

Many industrial apps use many many dowels and the data shows 'em to be bloody strong: as strong or more so than any other joinery.

But they don't use just one or two dowels. They use a whole bank of 6 or more per joint.

[Lee Schierer]

I just repaired a very old table. A couple of joints let loose. I was surprised to find the joints were floating tenons. That made the repair very easy. But that made me also wonder as to what makes one select one type of joint vs another? Is this preference, skills, visuals, performance, application, tools available or all of the above? I have mostly looked first at the application (requirement) and then selected what method to use. Any comments?
All of those things go into joint selection. Much of the decision comes from what skills and tools are available and asthetics. You also have to consider stregth if the joint is load bearing.

For example making a raised panel door you have rails and stiles (horizontals and verticals). Many people will use a router set to make a cope and stick joint. However, if you don't have a router and set of router bits you could also make the door with lap joints, mitered corners, butt joints, mortice & tenon, floating tenon, and probably a half dozen other joint types.

[John Harden]

I agree with your thinking to apply the best joint for the application. Recently, I took a chair making class and the instructor opted for traditional M&T joints where the stretchers meet the legs. In my opinion this is not a good choice for this chair as it is wider in the front giving the angled tenon on the stretcher a lot of short grain.

I plan on building a full set of these chairs for my dining room and will be using floating tenons to avoid the short grain situation. Hard to explain but very easy to see when you're holding the stretcher in your hand looking at the weak tenon.

Regards,

John

[Robert Reece]

If you use a loose tenon that is angled to the stretcher, haven't you just transferred the problem to the stretcher? You will have short grain there too, ready to split off because you weakened it with a deep mortise.

Maybe I am not seeing the problem right.