how to glue floating/loose tenons

Bob I’d make the tenons about 1/8 or so less that the combined depth of the mortises. make sure that you dry fit them so you know that they don’t hit anything in the bottom of the hole.

I’d use a glue brush and spread glue around the inside of the mortise.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Bob,

Karson’s got it…a 1/16” reservoir on each end of the tenon for glue is usually good. I usually give a light coat to the inside walls of the mortises and then spread any excess glue on the end of the tenon before I insert it. A little space at the ends of the tenon is not a bad thing here because the hydraulic pressure fromthe glue when trying to insert the tenon can be substantial if the fit is ultra-tight.

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com