Lynn Kasdorf
03-10-2003, 4:05 PM
Recently I built a massive stand for an equally massive sandblast cabinet. I constructed it from old recycled pine 4x4's, milled down of course.
I wanted this to be very strong, and i wanted to practice my skills at constructing large M&T joints. The legs ended up being about 3 1/4 square. The stretchers were about 2" x 3".
I created stretchers between the legs on all 4 sides. I wanted the stretchers all on the same level so I could put in a low shelf.
I wanted the tenons to be as long as possible for strength, but the problem is that if they are longer than about 1 1/2", they would hit each other.
Rather than make them short, I decided to let the tenons intersect. I cut the mortises and tenons for the end legs (the close together ones) about 2 1/2" deep. I used a 3" long 1/2" dia router bit with a template. I assembled the end leg assemblies.
Then, I cut mortises for the long stretchers to the same depth. These deep mortises intesected the tenons from the other stretches.
I think this was a good approach. In fact, the tenons on the long stretchers are interlocked into the short stretchers, which shoudl theretically add strength (?).
Was I gilding the lily by making the tenons that long? I think it is kind of a cool approach, but maybe I shoudl have just made them only 1" deep and been done with it.
I don't recall ever reading about how people solve the issue of intersecting tenons.
Ideas, comments?
I wanted this to be very strong, and i wanted to practice my skills at constructing large M&T joints. The legs ended up being about 3 1/4 square. The stretchers were about 2" x 3".
I created stretchers between the legs on all 4 sides. I wanted the stretchers all on the same level so I could put in a low shelf.
I wanted the tenons to be as long as possible for strength, but the problem is that if they are longer than about 1 1/2", they would hit each other.
Rather than make them short, I decided to let the tenons intersect. I cut the mortises and tenons for the end legs (the close together ones) about 2 1/2" deep. I used a 3" long 1/2" dia router bit with a template. I assembled the end leg assemblies.
Then, I cut mortises for the long stretchers to the same depth. These deep mortises intesected the tenons from the other stretches.
I think this was a good approach. In fact, the tenons on the long stretchers are interlocked into the short stretchers, which shoudl theretically add strength (?).
Was I gilding the lily by making the tenons that long? I think it is kind of a cool approach, but maybe I shoudl have just made them only 1" deep and been done with it.
I don't recall ever reading about how people solve the issue of intersecting tenons.
Ideas, comments?