Joinery - The Complete Guide to Woodworking Joinery

124 Pages·2014·68.68 MB·English

THE BEST OF
Plus: 25 essential jigs and helpers
w
Joinery
Complete guide
to woodworking joints
For furniture,
boxes, and more
Proven
techniques
for hand
and power
Dadoes to dovetails,
and everything
in between
joinery – winter 2014
Taunton Product no. 017029
fine woodworking’s joinery www.finewoodworking.com
QUALITY฀WOODWORKING฀TOOLS฀•฀
®
SUPPLIES฀•฀ADVICE
™
Introducing The Evolution Of Kreg Joinery
NEW! Kreg Jig K5 Pocket Hole System
•฀Clamp฀Mechanism฀Adjusts฀Quickly฀
The new Kreg Jig® K5 is the most advanced Kreg Jig yet! The new jig incorporates the best Without Tools
features of earlier models while further refining its simplicity and versatility with improvements •฀Material฀Support฀Extension฀Wings฀
฀฀฀Have฀Internal฀Storage
to a proven design. The K5 has the same three-hole removable drill guide block and efficient
•฀New฀Depth฀Collar฀Setup฀Gauge฀
dust collection, plus an all new innovative clamping system, material supports with integral
฀฀&฀Swiveling฀Dust฀Port
storage, and many other enhancements to the Kreg Jig user experience. Kreg Joinery™ is an
incredibly fast, easy way to create strong joints in your woodworking projects. Using the Kreg
Jig® K5 you can turn the things you once just dreamed of building into reality. Build it yourself,
and build it better in just three easy steps: Drill. Drive. Done!
158631
For A Free Catalog Or To Find Your Local Woodcraft Store, Visit woodcraft.com Or Call 800-225-1153. 13WW12P
For Information On Woodcraft Retail Franchise Opportunities, Visit woodcraftfranchise.com
If you like this issue,
you’ll love Fine Woodworking.
Read Fine Woodworking Magazine:
Get seven issues, including our annual Tools & Shops
issue, plus FREE tablet editions. Packed with trusted
expertise, every issue helps build your skills as you
build beautiful, enduring projects.
tFaRbEleEt Subscribe today at:
editions FineWoodworking.com/4Sub
Shop our Fine Woodworking
Online Store:
It’s your destination for premium resources from
America’s best craftsmen: how-to books, DVDs, project
plans, special interest publications, and more.
Visit today at:
FineWoodworking.com/4More
Become a FineWoodworking.com Member
Join to enjoy unlimited access to premium content and
exclusive benefi ts, including: 1,400 in-depth articles,
over 400 videos from top experts, tablet editions, contests,
special offers, and more.
Find more information online:
FineWoodworking.com/4Join
Get our FREE Fine Woodworking
eNewsletter:
Improve your skills, fi nd new project ideas, and enjoy
free tips and advice from Fine Woodworking editors.
Sign up, it’s free:
FineWoodworking.com/4Newsletter
T © 2013 The Taunton Press
J O I N E R Y 3
THE
BEST OF
BISCUIT-JOINT
w 32BASICS
Joinery
32 Biscuits: Fast
Gearing Up Miters
and Versatile
16 Soup Up Your They’re great for solid wood 54 Box Miters
and plywood
Plunge Router C lean results and
Easy jigs and guides B Y T O M B E G N A L easier glue-ups
for joints of all kinds B Y D O U G S T O W E
B Y G R E G O R Y P A O L I N I 36 D owels: Simple A N D D A V I D H YAT T
and Strong
24 Work Safer S trategies for making sturdy 61 Frame Miters
with Featherboards furniture P icture frames, face frames,
B Y A S A C H R I S T I A N A doors, and more
These helpers let you cut
joinery with confidence B Y M A R C A D A M S
40 Rabbets and Dadoes
B Y B O B VA N D Y K E
H ow to cut them safely Mortise & Tenons
on the tablesaw
Basic Joints
B Y M A R C A D A M S
64 Low-Tech Mortising
28 Screws:
44 P inned Rabbets: Drilling and chopping
Joinery in a Box works in any shop
Perfect for Drawers
H ow to get maximum holding B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T
power in every situation S trong and attractive, these
joints are a great alternative
B Y R O B E R T J . S E T T I C H 68 F aster Mortises
to traditional dovetails
B Y H E N D R I K VA R J U by Machine
Hollow-chisel mortisers
48 R outer Joinery require some setup
B Y R O L A N D J O H N S O N
for Doors
M atched router bits
make it easy to build
a houseful of cabinets
BBYY M MI CIHCAHE AL EP LE K PO VEIKC OH V I C H
24
84 WO R K S A F E R W I T H
EXPOSED F E AT H E R B O A R D S
PEG JOINTS
BOX HALF-BLIND
54 MITERS 110 DOVETAILS
72 Cut Tenons with Dovetails
Your Dado Set
Fastest path to perfect results 98 Layout Basics
B Y M I C H A E L P E K O V I C H Design dovetails
for strength and style
75 Best Way B Y C H R I S G O C H N O U R
to Fit Tenons
102 Dovetails by Hand
Machines will get you close, JOINERY
but only a handplane M aster woodworker 92 FOR CURVED WORK
will deliver a piston fit demystifies this classic joint
B Y C H R I S G O C H N O U R B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T
78 The Mighty Wedge 106 Dovetails on Departments
Fixed or loose, wedged joinery the Tablesaw
adds strength and style Make perfect through-dovetails 6 Editor’s Letter
B Y J O H N N E S S E T every time
8 On the Web
B Y G R E G O R Y P A O L I N I
84 The Pegged Joint, 10 Quick Tips
Exposed 110 Half-Blind Dovetails
1 16 FastF ixes
A complete guide, from flush in Half the Time
to proud to drawbored Get the hand-cut look
B Y M AT T H E W T E A G U E with the speed and
consistency of machines
92 S traightforward B Y S T E P H E N H A M M E R
64
Joinery for LOW-TECH
MORTISING
Curved Work
Three basic teecchhnniiqquueess aarree tthhee
b bridge to more beeaauuttiiffuull ffuurrnniittuurree
B Y J EFF MILLER LIKE THIS APP?
Your feedback is valuable to us
pP
FineWoodworking.com
editor’s letter BTEH
OSETF
Joinery
GET SERIOUS ABOUT JOINERY
Issue Editor Thomas McKenna
Even if your furniture has perfect proportions, glass-smooth surfaces, and a
Issue Art Director Michael Pekovich
flawless finish, it will fall apart in time if the joinery isn’t up to snuff. After all,
Issue Copy Editor Elizabeth Healy
the essence of fine woodworking—building pieces to last—is being able to cut
Contributing Designer Catherine Cassidy
and fit sound joinery.
Most furniture has more than one type of joint in it, with each assigned a
specific function in the piece—dovetails for drawers, mortise-and-tenons for
doors or table legs. That means you need to know how to cut a wide range of
joints. Fortunately, they’re all here in this special collection of articles from Fine
Woodworking magazine. Editor Asa Christiana
We combed our archives to find Art Director Michael Pekovich
the best, most comprehensive joinery
Managing Editor Thomas McKenna
techniques. Some are traditional
Senior Editors M atthew Kenney
and recognizable, while others truly Jonathan Binzen
are cutting edge. Take dovetails, for
Associate Editors Steve Scott
instance. We offer a time-tested hand- Ben Blackmar
cut method, but for those who prefer Senior Copy/ Elizabeth Healy
power tools, we’ve included two fast Production Editor
machine methods using either the Deputy Art Director Kelly J. Dunton
bandsaw or tablesaw. Each one allows Associate Art Director J ohn Tetreault
you to be creative with the layout and
Administrative Assistant Betsy Engel
make dovetails that look handmade.
Shop Manager William Peck
But it’s not just dovetails. We’ll also
show you how to cut clean miters with Contributing Editors Christian Becksvoort
Garrett Hack
precision, how to tackle tight-fitting Roland Johnson
Steve Latta
mortise-and-tenons even if the pieces Michael Fortune
are curved, and where and how to use
Methods of Work Jim Richey
screws, dowels, and biscuits effectively.
Finally, we’ll show you how to fix, FineWoodworking.com
or hide, the most common joinery Executive Web Producer Mather Dolph
mistakes we all make—even the pros.
Senior Web Producer E d Pirnik
So dive in and discover new, or
Web Producer Lisa Raleigh
better, ways to work. Soon you’ll be
well-prepped to build any type of
The Best of Fine Woodworking: (ISSN: 1936-8127)
furniture, from boxes to tables to is published by The Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT
06470-5506. Telephone [phone]. Canadian GST
chests of drawers, and to build each paid registration #123210981.
one to last. Printed in the USA
—Tom McKenna, Joinery editor

6 F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
• Increase the value of all your woodworking projects with
custom laser work.
• Engrave stunning photos, text and graphics with a touch
of a button.
• Create custom projects with ease – jewelry boxes,
humidors, cabinets and much more!
Customize Products Cabinneett InInlalayyss Custom Birdhouse
To request a brochure, DVD, and samples, contact us at:
epiloglaser.com/fww •
on the web
FineWoodworking.com/joinery
Visit our website for a whole host of joinery tips and techniques. From dovetails and dadoes to mortise-
and-tenons and more, we’ve got you covered. Plus, become an online member to access our extensive
archive of articles and videos, or check out the free videos listed below.
Tips for Tablesawn
Dovetails Group Publisher Anatole Burkin
Heirloom Quality Tools®
Our experts, your topics!
Tune in to our Shop Talk Live podcasts to hear
our editors interview experts and answer
reader questions.
ShopTalkLive.com
1-800-327-2520
© 2013 The Taunton Press Made in Maine, USA www.lie-nielsen.com
Have you heard?
Featuring hands-on
classes for all skill levels
taught by nationally
known craftsmen including
is now on the iPad and tablets. Will Neptune
Steve Latta
Call 800-309-8954 Peter Galbert
Darrell Peart
to learn more about Christopher Schwarz
advertising opportunities! and more!
www.finewoodwork ing.com J O I N E R Y 9
quick tips
Clamp jaw
Screws secure
vise to bench.
E D I T E D A N D D R AW N B Y J I M R I C H E Y
Star knob
Portable vise is great for dovetailing
Adjustable stop
Threaded rod
Spring
Clamp jaw
Vertical Makkee t htehsees pea prtas r t s
fence froomm h haradrwdowood.od .
I made this fixture for routing away the waste
between pins in half-blind dovetails, but it also Asedtjsu sdteapbtlhe ostfo cpu t.
works well for tasks like sawing the tails or
routing a dovetail socket in the top of a table leg.
It is essentially a portable, twin-screw vise
mounted on a right-angle bracket that gets
screwed to the edge of a bench. An adjustable
stop at the rear of the fixture sets the router’s
depth of cut.
Use a tough hardwood like oak or maple for the
wooden parts. Make the twin screws from 3⁄8-in.
threaded rod cut into 7-in. lengths and mount
them in a pair of holes that are either tapped or
fitted with threaded inserts. A pair of matching
but slightly larger holes in the clamp jaw allow
for a sliding fit. I counterbored these holes on the
backside to accommodate compression springs
thaatt m makaek eit ieta seiears iteo ro tpoe no tpheen ja twh. eF ijnaawlly. , FI ignlauleldy , I glued
Align and clamp
a thin vertical fence to the fixture, drilling through workpiece so end is
the fence to accommodate the left-hand screw, to flush at top.
keep the workpiece perpendicular.
Clamp the workpiece in place so the end is
flush with the top of the vise. Now set the stop
parallel to the work so that it stops the bit on—or
just short of—the baseline.
I like a 1⁄4-in. straight bit for this task because it
lets me cut to full depth in one pass and is easy to
control. After routing as close to the layout lines
as I dare, I keep the workpiece in the vise and
trim the pins to fit with a sharp chisel. Vertical fence
—PHIL IP A . HOUCK, BBoosstot no,n M, aMssa.s s . aligns stock
at 90°.
10 F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G