Mortise and Tenon joint
This article will cover what are mortise and tenon joints, required equipment, and one way of making them.
What is a Mortise and Tenon joint?
A mortise and tenon joint is a very strong joint often used in the construction of chairs and tables. It consists of an elongated hole (mortise) and a plug (tenon) on the end of a piece of wood that is accurately sized to fit in the mortise.
This joint has a very high mechanical strength and is often found used in high stress applications where it resists twisting and rocking motions. A blind mortise and tenon is unseen but the more decorative version, a through mortise and tenon, is visible and can be wedged with contrasting timbers as a focal point.
What do I need to make it?
There are a few machines you can use to make a mortise and tenon and in the link below you'll find a video on how to cut one by hand (he makes it look far easier than it is). We would recommend using a combination of a router, router table, drill press and table saw.
What steps do I take?
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