# Design help needed - mortise and tenon execution on wide panel



## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

So I'm planning a project to make some side tables that will have a deep drawer. The way I have it drawn up, the side apron (that holds the front and back legs together at the top, will be about 8" tall. I'd planned to do mortise and tenon construction here, but I've read in another thread that a tenon longer than about 3" is doomed to explode at some point in the future.

So how can I execute this joint? Should I make a 3" wide tenon in the middle of the 8" piece and use just that to hold it together? Two shorter tenons, one a the top and one at the bottom, with the middle open? Should I be looking at another type of joint all together?

Thanks,
Brian


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## jwmalone (Jun 23, 2016)

Brain, I was reading the other day about a similar problem. The guy used a breathing tenon(?). the tenon was shorter than the mortis, one dowel at very top tight. then a second dowel mid way, but the hole in the tenon was slightly sloted. finally a 3rd dowel with a larger slot. it held the tenon in tight but allowed for expansion across the width of the tenon. don't member the web site


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

I would use a double tenon with a haunch (short tenon connecting the two)--gluing the top tenon and putting a peg into an elongated hole in the bottom tenon:


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

^^^ Exactly what I would do!


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## jwmalone (Jun 23, 2016)

yep that's what I saw Brain, only it wasn't a double tenon guess it depends on size the one I saw was a 4 inch tenon same principle. But also he only put glue on the very top of tenon. and it was a fine woodworking or something like tht website not a idiot with tools on utube.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

I used the same concept that Jerryminer posted above of army bedside table. 
Dowel into each tenon, top tenon glued, no glue-elongated dowel slot in the lower tenon.

Works great! (so far)


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## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

I think I can pull that off. Need to get some hardwood dowel stock.

I do have a nice 9" wide board that I could flatten up for this. Any thoughts on whether I should do that, or make a glued up panel instead? I've always heard that shorter boards glued up move less, but in this case I'm not sure it matters. Seems like this piece would be well contained and it may not matter.

Brian


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