Japanese joinery question

[Dan Racette]

I was wondering if anyone has experience in cutting the "gooseneck" joint. I was thinking if I had the steps that I would like to "mess around" and see if I could do it. Does anyone have any links, or descriptions of the steps involved. I am sure I could chop away, but I am more curious about how a craftsman would be trained to cut this traditionally.

sorry that i don't have a link to a picture or description but I can't find one.

Dan

[Dan Moening]

Dan (R),

I confess I don't know which joint you are talking about. I do know that the Japanese cabinetmakers, like many other cultures as well, handed down their knowledge father to son for generations. Many of the joints were created within families even. Due to this *secrecy* the how-tos are not easily found.

A couple of good books exist, but the only on-line source I've found is :

http://www.nt.sakura.ne.jp/~garakuta/wood/english/tsugi/joinery.htm (http://www.nt.sakura.ne.jp/%7Egarakuta/wood/english/tsugi/joinery.htm)

I responded to a similiar question on another forum yesterday and below are some other sites that have related information you may find useful:

http://www.iot.ac.jp/building/wbt_daiku/d0101/d0101.htm

http://www.aisf.or.jp/%7Ejaanus/

http://www.tsuyama.com/eg/edo/sashimono.html

http://www.jgc.co.jp/waza/b7_edosashi/edosashi02a.htm

http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/t/tsugite.htm (http://www.aisf.or.jp/%7Ejaanus/deta/t/tsugite.htm)

http://dougukan.jp/eng/bunka-e/B12e.html


Good Luck!

[Pam Niedermayer]

That JAANUS site is terrific, isn't it, I've been stumbling around in there for a couple or three weeks now. Anyhow, go to http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/k/kamatsugi.htm and follow the links to see the gooseneck detailed, as well as its antecedents, etc. I've attached a gif here so everyone will know what it looks like.

As to how to cut it, remember that this is largely a timber framing joint, so the pieces will the huge. Also, it's used to join two short timbers at their end grain, usually to produce long purlins (the pieces that keep rafters connected at the appropriate distances and help hold up the roof).

So, the way to cut them? I'm not an expert, have never done one, but I'd cut the tenon first (you'll get a lot of chiselling practice, some sawing), then use that to lay out the mortise (more chiselling and sawing).

Pam

[Alan Turner]

Pam,
Wow, what a site. I thought I could could a joint by hand, but that is a lifetime of study from what I briefly saw. I will go back when I have more time. Thanks.

[Takeshi Uchida]

Thank you for introducing my website Dan.
#2902 and #2905 on the following page are typical gooseneck joint (We call Kamatsugi)
http://www.nt.sakura.ne.jp/%7Egarakuta/wood/english/tsugi/kado/i3.htm

As further detail, the tenon is slightly tapered. (approx. 10% of tenon depth)
Sorry, I've never done it, but if I make it, I'll make tenon first as Pam said.