Tenons--appearance

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

I thought I would check with the group, we are not counting what the sides of a tenon looks like, correct? So long as it is snug in the mortise and there is no visible gap where the shoulders meet the mortise piece that is all that counts? I mean if the tenons I have been trying to get to fit look like they were cut by a deranged leprechaun with a dull ax, I am okay?

[Richard Coers]

I prefer full contact to get the proper glue bond. If you don't have much contact area, I suggest you pin it along with glue.

[Jim Becker]

They should not be loose/sloppy...but the surface doesn't have to be pristine. In fact, there may be some glue advantages to that. You also don't want them too tight, either. Snug is fine, but there has to be room for glue and to be able to put things together without major hassles...glue sets up relatively quickly.

[Dave Mills]

I didn't know there was "counting" going on!

Someone send me the rule book please!

[Andrew Hughes]

There’s is one exception if your planning on using a Drawbore joint to hold the parts together instead of glue.

[Mel Fulks]

I think wood pegs are always a good idea ,except for high-style formal stuff.

[Bill Dufour]

I think wood pegs are always a good idea ,except for high-style formal stuff.

I think the flush ebony plugs, round or square, look classy on high end furniture. Might look good or too flashy if made form purple heart, zebra wood, etc. I have used oak plugs in oak. But I fumed the plugs to almost black before installing them. The contrasting color also allowed me to make them the easy way with the grain along the long dimension. No need to match grain pattern or direction. If they were matching grain it might look like I made a mistake and got the color wrong.
Bill D

[Jim Dwight]

I think it was Mattias Wandel that may have tested this but a quick search did not find it. These tests are not directly applicable but imply a rough surface may actually be stronger since he got stronger joints with a small gap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Mkc63EpMQ. Others have tested pegged joints and they are weaker - unless the glue fails. To get a good joint you need a reasonable, not overly tight fit and good glue coverage. Appearance doesn't count. I like the smooth joints my domino makes, however. Routers are the same. My hollow chisel mortiser is rougher. But I like the domino better due to ease and speed, not because I think it makes stronger joints.

[Steve Hubbard]

Epoxy - it fills the gaps, but not as easy to repair in the future.