prefinishing mortise and tennon

[keith micinski]

I just watched the wordsmith show and they pre-finished a mortise and tendon joint. He only covered up the actual tendon and the mortise pocket. I have always assumed the shoulders of the tenon should be glued to the face around the mortise. Is this not accurate? I know it is end grain but it still seems like it is worth having that extra surface glued together to help the joint stay strong.

[Mike Henderson]

No, gluing the shoulders to the wood around the mortise is not going to add any real amount of strength and by putting glue there, you risk getting glue squeeze-out.

Mike

[Bruce Page]

I agree, you gain little strength gluing the end grain. I’m not smart enough to remember to pre-finish :o but I only glue the mortise and tenon.

[keith micinski]

Well heck this whole time I have been wasting time then. that is going to make glue ups and clean up a lot easier.

[Michael Heffernan]

I always bevel the edge of the mortise with a chisel to prevent squeeze out. Drive the joint 3/4s of the way in and use a stiff small glue brush to remove any glue squeezing out before driving it all the way home.

[keith micinski]

I like that idea to.

[Sam Murdoch]

I glue the shoulders as well. I don't mind the clean up. Maybe over the years I've learned how much glue is just right - and I have never compromised a finish (well not in 20+ years). I disagree that adding glue to the shoulders does not increase the strength of the joint.

[Jim Rimmer]

I don't glue the end grain. And a tip on masking the mortise and tenon if you prefinish - when using a spray finish, I take small pieces of wax paper and wad them up and plug the mortise with it. I keep a roll of CutRite wax paper in the shop and use it for a lot of things.

[keith micinski]

I saw them use some foam in the mortise which seems a like a good idea.