Joint Suggestion

[Samuel Brooks]

I am building a cross for my brother-in-law to take with him to Medjugorje to leave on the hill their. I was able to purchase a piece of Red Cedar from my local wood supplier so I have something that will hold for years to the weather but I am not trying to decide on a good simple joint to connect the cross sections together. Since he will be traveling with it, I want to make it so that he can assemble it at the final destination so that it does not take up to much room in his luggage.

Options that I am considering
A) Half Lap with dovetail edges to hold it together then use a piece of wood like a key to keep the dovetail from sliding back out.
B) Tapered Sliding Dovetail with only one key to keep the dovetail together.

Concerns, If I pin this will it just crack the wood due to expansion since this will be outdoors for years.

I am looking for ideas. Thanks in advance.

Sam

[Jamie Buxton]

How 'bout the joint in the pictures below? One drawing shows the assembled cross. The other shows the components. The post has a through-mortise, and the top and bottom are parallel. The arm slides through the mortise, and drops down because of the notch. The two wedges are inserted through the remainder of the mortise and driven together to secure the joint.

If you want to get tricky, you can make the top wall of the mortise slanted at the angle of the wedge, and eliminate one of the wedges.

[Samuel Brooks]

I will give it a try and post a picture when I am done.

Sam