Today I was able to do both tenons for the supporting rail (rail? stile?) for the step stool I’m building. It’ll be a through tenon and have wedges when it’s done. I also had time to do one mortise today.
This one looks pretty fabulous, if I do say so myself. However, TOTAL DISCLOSURE: The other one didn’t go as well. My line on the cheeks weren’t very straight so the tenon narrows at it nears the shoulders. This, my friends, is not good. I might not need to fix it, though, since there probably won’t be any wobble. The direction it would wobble will be held in check by the dovetails. The only force really being put on this rail will be along the top and bottom of the tenon, and not on the cheeks.
Still, if I sense movement once I’ve done the second mortise and dry-fit it together, I may glue a shim on at least one of the cheeks and re-cut it to be more square.
All in all, a good day in the shop.
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
9 comments so far
teenagewoodworker
home | projects | blog
2481 posts in 663 days
posted 501 days ago
great job. this step stool is really coming along good! thanks for the post.
ChicoWoodnut
home | projects | blog
895 posts in 710 days
posted 500 days ago
That is one sweet looking tenon. Did you chop out it’s mate yet?
-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net
Eric
home | projects | blog
784 posts in 679 days
posted 500 days ago
Scott: You mean the mortise? I’ve done one (the mate for the wobbly one), with one to go. Wife’s going out of town for a week starting tomorrow, so I might have time for it (and more) if I put a video on for the kids. Or five videos.
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
Scott Bryan
home | projects | blog
20684 posts in 717 days
posted 500 days ago
This is a nice job, Eric. Good luck on finding some shop time with your wife gone.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Betsy
home | projects | blog
2386 posts in 791 days
posted 500 days ago
Coming right along Eric.
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
sharad
home | projects | blog
711 posts in 700 days
posted 500 days ago
The step stool has starting taking shape. It is a great pleasure to use hand tools to judge your skills. I would suggest every wood worker using electronic gadgets to take a break and try their hand on simple hand tools
Waiting now for the completed step stool.
Sharad
-- patanjali
Dorje
home | projects | blog
1767 posts in 892 days
posted 498 days ago
That looks great!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
ChicoWoodnut
home | projects | blog
895 posts in 710 days
posted 498 days ago
I want to see a video of you chopping that puppy. The only time I tried to chop a mortice I left most of a 1/4” chisel broken off in the wood. Then I went looking at the price of a real mortice chisel and decided I would just use the money to buy a delta hollow chisel morticer.
-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net
Eric
home | projects | blog
784 posts in 679 days
posted 498 days ago
Scott – you got it! After my wife gets back I’ll do the other mortise and videotape it. (She’s out of town and has the camera.)
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com