mortise & tennon: drawbore vs wedged?

[Darnell Hagen]

Fox wedge, 'cause it's fun to mess with people when they try to take it apart after you're dead.

[Thomas love]

I pondered the same ? , so i did both . I am in the process of building a bench as we post. Knock down will be limited to removal of top and bottom shelf. Top will be 4" thick with Bench craft leg and wagon vice. Either way you should be good . Hope it turns out nice.
Tom

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Good execution on those wedged through tenons, Thomas! In the 3rd picture: With the top apron as wide as it is, will you have enough room to locate the side vise screw on the chop? There's a 3" square steel back plate that is mounted on the backside of the leg. For clearance, it looks like it will have to be mounted almost all the way down to where you cut the tapers on the vise chop. But maybe that's just an optical illusion.

[Thomas love]

Good eyes Jim. I down loaded the instructions from bench craft and are aware of that plate , I end up with 10 " to the screw center from the finished bench top . I will not be within the 1/3 to screw hole and 2/3 to parralell guide reccomendations. I did not want to go any lower for the guide mortise. I do not expect it to spin and clamp like the one in the video although I think a little extra turn of the wheel should be sufficient. Thanks,
Tom

I posted one more pic to show why I did not want to go any lower and compromise the through tenons. I went through the through tenons with the guide mortise... that location left me with a full inch of tenons around the top and bottom guide mortise and enough room for the wedges.

[Kent A Bathurst]

What do you wizzards think about lap joints instead of mortice and tennons? Right now that is my plan.

Might consider a bridal joint - not really much more work than lap, but I believe it is stronger, due to 2x glue surface.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Those tenons sure are pretty. What kind of wood are you using? I'm building a bench using the same vises but am pretty much just following Jameel's plans for the split-top roubo. I'n not as far along as you are, though. But that's how I knew about the backer plate. It's all good.

[Thomas love]

I vote for the bridal over the lap as well, I f you have a band saw they are pretty easy.

[Thomas love]

!6/4 poplar , left over from a Job.. in fact it is all from scraps. The material for the top will be hard mapel 26'x96"... will have to purcase that.

[Tommy Squires]

I used draw bored pins but they are really unnecessary. My background includes timber framing and I just couldn't resist. If you want to have the option of disassembly M/T joints are not the best choice IMHO. It's too hard to get them apart without tearing them up. If disassembly is not important, M/T or lap joints are your strongest options. With good joints and modern glue, they will last longer than you do. That said pinned or wedged joints are just damn pretty and I smile each time someone asks about them in my shop. Here's my bench:
http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/c...y%20Workbench/

[Steve Dallas]

Might consider a bridal joint - not really much more work than lap, but I believe it is stronger, due to 2x glue surface.

It's spelled bridle, FWIW.

The term was misspelled in several places in Tom Fidgen's recent book, too.

[Kent A Bathurst]

It's spelled bridle, FWIW.

The term was misspelled in several places in Tom Fidgen's recent book, too.

Right you are, Steve, right you are.

My apologies - etiquette violation on my part, but your correction certainly made it easier for others to find the correct information. Thanks for that.

Never read Tom's book - certain he is happy to be running with moi on this