# Help with a 3 way Joinery for a stool leg



## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

Hi to all,

I need help with a 3 way joint for a stool leg









,
Does anybody have an idea how to do this joint?
I will like it to have the joint concealed,
Thanks!
Mario


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

They use lose mortise and tenon for 3 way 45 miter joints. I don't know why lose M&T would work of this.

Search "domino 3 way 45 joint"


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

Here's one possibility:


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> Here s one possibility:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like it!

There is one piece of importation information the OP didn't provide. How thick is the stock going to be for the leg material?


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## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

Thanks Jeryyminer for the solution!, 
I know that there must be several ways to do this, but I like your solution!

Thank you AlaskaGuy as well, the stock i will be using for the stool legs is a 1 1/2" stock.
Regards.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Mortise and tenon but strength will come from the shoulders. Sorry Jerry, I like bridle joints but it's the wrong choice here.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

> Mortise and tenon but strength will come from the shoulders. Sorry Jerry, I like bridle joints but it s the wrong choice here.
> 
> - Rick M.


I thought of M&T first, too, but couldn't reconcile getting the tenons to avoid each other. How would you do that?

...and why "wrong choice"? Not enough glue surface? too small shoulders? ...?


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## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

lets suppose I use the bridle joint that Jerry propose, i see no problem making the tenons, but how do you make the mortise in the vertical piece, since this piece has a diamond shape end?


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

> lets suppose I use the bridle joint that Jerry propose, i see no problem making the tenons, but how do you make the mortise in the vertical piece?
> 
> - ruco


Table saw, Do it before you cut the angles.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> I thought of M&T first, too, but couldn t reconcile getting the tenons to avoid each other. How would you do that?
> 
> ...and why "wrong choice"? Not enough glue surface? too small shoulders? ...?
> 
> - jerryminer


Mitered, same as in a table apron.

If there is any tension or compression, because of the angles, the only strength in that bridle joint will come from the glue. A M&T will have shoulders to resist those forces.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

> Mitered, same as in a table apron.
> 
> - Rick M.


So you're thinking something like this would be stronger?:










I suggested the bridle joint because of the increased glue area. The M&T joint above looks quite weak to me. Note that the bridle joint also has shoulders.

ruco-- to your question about making the "female" portion of the joint: Yes, it is an interior cut and would be quite challenging. A mortise could help, with some jigging, but mostly it looks like a hand-work exercise to me.

Overall, I don't really know why you want to join three pieces like this. I don't think there is a great, robust way to do it in wood, but if you MUST, then the bridle joint I show in post #2 is a possible solution.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Jerryminer's tenons (post #2) don't conflict because they're offset so that they lap in the joint. Still, I wouldn't use this design for a stool that I would sit on. Okay maybe for a purely decorative stool. Keep your cat on it so no one would think to sit there. Would work best with a very inert cat.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

I don't know what the design looks like but I would trust that bridal joint.


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## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

This is the stool design, and yes, it´s for sitting, haha!
Thank you all for your help, I really hope to have a proper solution for this joint.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> So you re thinking something like this would be stronger?:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Actually I didn't realize your bridle joints overlapped because the first time I read this was on my phone and the pictures were too small. Overlapping bridles will be stronger but could be fussy to make. My gut feeling is that even overlapping bridles will not stand up by themselves without glue or pegs. I think they will scissor apart with moderate compression. Whereas the M&T joint would stand up by itself. Actually I wouldn't build that stool or use that joint at all, but if I *had* to make the choice, I think M&T would be better. On the other hand, with glues being as strong as they are; either joint glued will be adequate.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I wouldn't trust it without a stretcher across the bottom. Be interesting to see how much weight that joint will stand up to and support. Probably less than old fats guys generate ;-)


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## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

There MUST be a way to build this stool very solid


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> There MUST be a way to build this stool very solid
> 
> - ruco


I've given you what I believe is the best option and Jerry has given you his. We might disagree over which is strongest but with modern glue being so strong, either one will be fine. Every piece of furniture is a collection of joinery connected by wood and there are only so many joinery options. You could also do butt joints with splines, an easier variation on Jerry's bridle joint. Weld it out of square tube would be very solid. It's kind of a goofy design to be honest. Furniture designs have evolved over centuries to be very strong, attractive, allow wood movement, and be efficient to build. I've never seen an inverted Y leg design in wood before. (of course after googling "inverted Y leg stool", I'm seeing several)

Found it. The top is attached with wedged mortise and tenon so my guess would be he used mortise and tenons on the legs. You should email and ask him how it was built. On another forum we were trying to dissect a piece of furniture, two people emailed the builder and he was very helpful.


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## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

Thanks, thats a good idea,


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

> There MUST be a way to build this stool very solid
> 
> - ruco


You could slice the vertical piece, cut the internal "V" then re-glue, or, if you start with wider stock, you could do a lap joint:

















Or start from scratch and grow a stool, like this guy:










grow your own


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Pegs


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> - jerryminer


This would be an exceptionally strong joint (and very cool furniture) if milled from a tree crotch so you had continuous grain running through each half of the Y.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Oh yes! A tree crotch would be the strongest possible way to get this upside down Y. Just requires a bit of prowling in the woods. Or better yet, get in touch with a tree service company.

I used tree crotches many years ago to make a rocking horse for my niece. Worked great.


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## ruco (Feb 26, 2016)

I think i´ll go with Rick´s pegs,
Thanks!!
haha!


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