Haunched M & T for top stretcher on my workbench

[chrisgatguis]

Hi all,

wondered if you can help out with my newbie question..

I'm working on my workbench at the moment, the top is done and I've started the legs & frame.

I'm doing the pair of legs on each end with two short stretchers joining them together.. the lower stretcher is connected to the leg with a haunched M & T and I've done the same for the top one..

I want the top of the top stretcher to be inline with the shoulder of the tenons on my legs.. (for spreading the weight of the top accross the width fully) I've done one of them already in the pic - is this the right way of doing it or should I have not haunched it to avoid cutting the shoulder of the tenon on the leg!?

thanks

Chris

 

[carlb40]

I think from looking at loads of various bench builds, most just use a normal M&T on the stretchers. Not sure i would bother with a haunched one either myself.

 

[chrisgatguis]

yer - well the only reason really was to vary what I was doing a bit... i.e i've used normal M & T's for the end caps and will be for the legs to the top..

Seen as this is the first thing I've done I wanted to try a couple of different methods out.. but then afterwards I just wondered if the way I'd done it weakens the shoulder of the Leg tenons significantly.

Thanks for reply

 

[carlb40]

Should be fine on something of that scale. It might be different with something on a smaller scale. It's good to try out new things, it's how we learn.