Dry tenons??

[Jim_Nutt]

Hi all,

Hope you’ve all been doing okay.

Without going in to too much detail, I have one question:
Do you always have to glue tenons? And what are the risks if you don’t?

Many thanks!

 

[thetyreman]

draw boring the tenon with pins is a good idea if you aren't glueing them, however I've never not glued a tenon in a M&T joint, worry about how the joint fits you want it not too tight nor loose, that's what holds it together and gives it the strength.

 

[Jim_Nutt]

draw boring the tenon with pins is a good idea if you aren't glueing them, however I've never not glued a tenon in a M&T joint, worry about how the joint fits you want it not too tight nor loose, that's what holds it together and gives it the strength.

Thanks. I’ve done a dry run on what is a fairly complicated build for me with 8 m&t joints. It took a little tweaking but is just how I want it. I’m a bit nervous to take it all apart for the glue then find I can’t get it quite as square again so wanted to check my options before going for a glue up.

 

[dzj]

Sometimes these things can be glued up in stages. Easier to control.

 

[Argus]

I have made a number of large tables and other things over a couple of decades using no glue - just well-fitting mortise/tenons and draw-bored pins. That includes the tops which were T&G in a draw-bore frame.

It's an ancient technique........ Jacobean furniture is still in existence that is 400 years old using these methods and it goes back much further......

But I must stress two thing: first, the quality of your timber - don't use stuff that will absorb and relinquish moisture readily over the seasons; secondly the joints, they must be a perfect fit, all surfaces all round, not too tight and absolutely squarely aligned.

 

[eribaMotters]

A couple of points,
firstly what glue does:-
- acts as a lubricant and allows the easy assembly of parts
- water based adhesives swell the timber and make the joint tighter
- they have a chemical reaction in curing
secondly, dry jointed 400 year old construction will probably have been completed with damp or semi green timber, which when drying twisted and as such put tension on the joints and increased the tightness of the joints.

If you want to take the assembly apart at a later date then dry joints are fine, but you really do need to think about the overall construction and I would advise build some form of triangulation into the design.

Colin

 

[Jim_Nutt]

Thank you everyone for your responses. Such helpful and useful information as always; it’s much appreciated