Academy Notes and Tips
MAY/JUN
2003
Volume 46/Issue 3
IN
THIS ISSUE
Project
Articles
•
Wall-Hung Curio Cabinet
• Mobile Potting Table
• Pencil and Stamp Holder
DEPARTMENTS
•
Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners
Academy Notes
Furniture
Joinery
Service Pointers
MARK
V Speed Change Mechanism
Safety Tips
Safety Do's and Don'ts
What's
New
Shopsmith
and Lowe's Team Up
EDUCATION
• Find
A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
• National
Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH
ONLINE
CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
• Request
Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online
Replacement Parts Catalog
MARK
V INFORMATION
• Find
A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
• Request
MARK V Information Package
LINKS
•
Links Worth Visiting
•
Free Woodworking
Tips
FEEDBACK
Contacting
Shopsmith
Copyright
2003.
Shopsmith, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
From
the Shopsmith Woodworking Academy
Furniture Joinery
Printer
friendly PDF copy of article
 |
| Scarf Joints |
Scarf Joints
A scarf is a lap joint that's typically used to join two short boards together
to make a longer one. If the new, longer board has to support a load, the
scarf should be reinforced with screws, dowels or biscuits.
 |
| Finger Joints |
Finger Joints
Finger joints are multiple grooves or dadoes that interlock like fingers.
This increases the long grain to long grain surface (and strength of the joint)
significantly. Finger joints can also be pinned with a through dowel to form
a hinge. They're typically formed with a Dado set-up and a shop-made jig...or
a Router
Table.
 |
| Dovetail Joints |
Dovetail Joints
Dovetail joints are formed so they can be pulled apart from one direction
only. Similar in design to a finger joint (except with angular surfaces),
they will support a load from all other directions, making them extremely
strong. Usually, they're formed with a special Dovetail
Fixture and specialized Dovetail
Router Bit, but larger dovetails can also be formed with a Bandsaw, with
a little practice.
 |
| Mortise-And-Tenon Joints |
Mortise-And-Tenon
Joints
A mortise is a slot that's closed at both ends. Like a dovetail, a mortise-and-tenon
joint will support a load from all directions but one. Mortises can be quickly
cut using a special Mortising
Bit & Chisel Attachment or a Router, then cleaned-out with a chisel. The
mating Tenon is usually cut on a Table Saw using a special tenon-cutting
attachment.
 |
| Dowel Joints |
Dowel Joints
Dowels are often used to pin pieces of wood together. And although they don't
make a particularly strong joint, they can be made to last by drilling the
holes at slight angles to one another.
 |
| Spline Joints |
Spline Joints
A spline is a strip of wood that rests in a groove or dado to join two pieces
of wood together. Splines are typically used to strengthen joints that have
insufficient gluing surface . Examples are joining a series of narrow boards
together to make a wider one for a tabletop or cabinet side...or for reinforcing
mitered picture frame corners. .
