# Could someone explain the mechanics behind the joinery of this for me?



## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

So I just watched this 



 video where the guy makes a slab bench. I have a 13/4 red oak slab that I am using as a low bench myself but I have it up on very low saw horses. It is working fine this way and I almost prefer it as opposed to staked legs because I can break it down easily. It is very sturdy and it resists lateral and side to side movement while planing against it.

I also resisted staking the legs in the beginning because I was hesitant to chop the necessary compound mortises into my new friend.

In this video if I am seeing this correctly, he chops the mortises straight vertical to the top of the bench and then cuts pounds the legs in at an angle which I assume pulls the assembly tight - but wouldn't it also want to start a split?

Also I assume that the should that he has on the joint would resist lateral movement a bit but do you think it would be enough to plane against efficiently?

Is there a name for this type of joinery and history behind it?

Thanks!


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I think we just don't see the angle of the mortise when he chopping out the bottom. There's no Chinese magic going on. The shoulder on the tenon piece is angled.
To me it's disturbing when I see a woodworker on a video throwing wood on the ground of pulling wood out of the dirt.
It's like he cares but doesn't show it in his work.
I guess it's more about making a video that appears to romanticize the craft. 
Chinese dirt planer.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I love that channel. Yeah looks like pounding it in puts the stretcher in compression. He planes on the bench so yeah, seems to work. He runs the Chinese theme of starting almost from scratch and building on it. Fun to watch and he has skills.


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## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

> I think we just don't see the angle of the mortise when he chopping out the bottom. There's no Chinese magic going on. The shoulder on the tenon piece is angled.
> To me it's disturbing when I see a woodworker on a video throwing wood on the ground of pulling wood out of the dirt.
> It's like he cares but doesn't show it in his work.
> I guess it's more about making a video that appears to romanticize the craft.
> ...


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## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

> I love that channel. Yeah looks like pounding it in puts the stretcher in compression. He planes on the bench so yeah, seems to work. He runs the Chinese theme of starting almost from scratch and building on it. Fun to watch and he has skills.
> 
> - Woodknack


I can't wrap my head around how it wouldn't split at the shoulders though?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Not enough information from the video and I haven't made a bench that way so I don't want to speculate, hopefully someone here has personal experience to share. Something I know for sure after watching a bunch of his videos are they are heavily edited and the production values are too high for some old timer in the mountains, this is definitely shot by a pro studio. Basically the video is not a reliable source. Not saying he's faking it, but editing can tell any story you want and that's why tv can't be trusted, even if you see it you can't believe it. I believe the guy has skills but otherwise I take it as entertainment rather than education.

2 more channels in the same vein of hand made craft
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoC47do520os_4DBMEFGg4A
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKmCIhj7yzwmkPEIbip2KSA


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## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

> Not enough information from the video and I haven t made a bench that way so I don t want to speculate, hopefully someone here has personal experience to share. Something I know for sure after watching a bunch of his videos are they are heavily edited and the production values are too high for some old timer in the mountains, this is definitely shot by a pro studio. Basically the video is not a reliable source. Not saying he s faking it, but editing can tell any story you want and that s why tv can t be trusted, even if you see it you can t believe it. I believe the guy has skills but otherwise I take it as entertainment rather than education.
> 
> 2 more channels in the same vein of hand made craft
> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoC47do520os_4DBMEFGg4A
> ...


I agree about the production value but I think there is enough here to at least speculate a bit. I'm thinking that if you were going to attempt an angled tenon in a straight mortise that maybe an oversized mortise might make this possible and then pull those legs tight.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I am seeing this correctly, he chops the mortises straight vertical to the top of the bench

I don't see that at all, it looks to me that he chops the mortises at an angle. If you look carefully you can see the angled sight lines on the side of the bench to help him guide his chisel at an angle.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

The tenons on the legs were cut on the "inside"....so the leg could be bent a bit towards the outside by the stretchers….


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Looks angled to me as well, i think its just the camera angle distorting your perception of angles. Kind of like when girls take those "myspace angle" pictures…


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## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

> I am seeing this correctly, he chops the mortises straight vertical to the top of the bench
> 
> I don t see that at all, it looks to me that he chops the mortises at an angle. If you look carefully you can see the angled sight lines on the side of the bench to help him guide his chisel at an angle.
> 
> - bondogaposis


I watched again looking for sight lines or any indication of an angle and I just don't see it. I understand that we never get to see him poke the mortise all the way through which would be helpful. However for as far down as he is in the part show there should be some splay angle and there doesn't seem to be.





















> Looks angled to me as well, i think its just the camera angle distorting your perception of angles. Kind of like when girls take those "myspace angle" pictures…
> 
> - SMP


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