Mortising Puzzle
: THE MITRED JOINTThe ordinary mortising exercise is, after the first two or three attempts, generally voted as uninteresting, but, although the simple puzzle shown in is practically an exercise in mortising, yet, forming as it does a puzzle, it becomes a fascinating piece of work.
The puzzle is composed of three pieces of wood, each 4 ins. long, 11⁄2 ins. wide, and 1⁄2 in. thick. In each piece a mortise 11⁄2 ins. by 1⁄2 in. should be cut as shown at 1, . In one
Fig. 390.—The Three Parts, with Sizes marked. 
Fig. 391.—How to Cut the Parts. The puzzle is put together as shown at . In the first place, hold No. 1 piece upright as shown at A, then take No. 2 piece with slot uppermost and push it through the opening in No. 1 piece until the nearest side of the slot projects 1⁄8 in. as indicated at B. Next place No. 3 piece on with the slot at the back as shown at C, and push it down until it touches the bottom of the opening in No. 2 piece as illustrated at D. The only thing to do now is to push No. 2 piece as far as it will go to make the figure as shown at E.
In this puzzle the parts should fit together fairly tight, but should not be too stiff.
 Fig. 392.—Chinese Cross Puzzle. |  Fig. 393.—Method of Putting Together. |
Fig. 394.—The Six Pieces, each 4 ins. by 1 in. square. 
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Finding The Angle
For straight mitres, the mitre joint line is found by bisecting the angle, as shown in the various examples, and the following instructions are given to enable the reader to follow the diagram . Take a pair of compasses, or dividers, and with any con... Finger Joint Hinge
is a finger joint—a movable interlocking joint used to support the leaf of a Pembroke table. The small portion is screwed to the table rail and the shaped bracket swings out to support the drop leaf. The shaded portion of the bracket shows th... First Stage
First take the bars X and Y and arrange them as shown in . It is most important that the projections <em>a</em> of X face upwards, and that the projections <em>a</em> of Y face towards the centre. Then take the bar Z and bring it flat into the slot ... Fitting The Puzzle
The three central bars must first be joined, as those form the skeleton framework of the structure. shows them in position, but as it is a puzzle in itself as to how they can be got thus some explanation is necessary.</p> <table summary="" border="... Fly Rail
is a sketch of a small table with the top removed. A revolving fly rail is shown pivoted upon a piece of 1⁄4-in. wire. The object of this fly rail is to form a support to the small hinged drop-leaf of the table. This method is suitable for sma... Fox Wedged Tenon
This is the method of securing a stub tenon by small wedges. The mortise is slightly dovetailed and two saw cuts are made in the tenon about 3⁄16 in. from each side. Into each saw kerf a wedge is inserted and the joint glued up. The cramping o... Frame Dovetails
is a sketch of a constructional frame such as is used for building up a cornice or plinth. At the joint marked A an edge barefaced dovetail is shown. From the separated sketches of the joint (B) it will be seen that the dovetail can be put together ... Frame Dowelling
shows one corner of a frame with long and short shoulders, such as occurs when the upright is rebated through its entire length. The holes in both pieces are bored for the dowels before they are rebated. This avoids any difficulty in endeavouring t... Frames For Oil Paintings
The method of making joints for frames on which the canvas is stretched for oil paintings is shown at . They are generally mitred at the corners and fitted with loose wedges. The four parts of the frame can be held temporarily by a piece of thin boa... Gauging
After squaring all the shoulder lines round the timber with the knife and try square, the mortise gauge should be set so as to strike the two gauge lines marked G, , at one operation. If the worker does not possess a mortise gauge the lines may be m... Gauging
is a sketch of a brass butt hinge, open. illustrates a similar hinge closed, and shows the gauge set so that the point of the marker is exactly to the centre of the pivot-pin. This distance we will call C. Now turn to . The distance C has been gau... Gauging
After squaring up the timber accurate gauging of the ends is another important point. The gauge used should be a cutting gauge, so that the line is incised about 1⁄32 in. in depth, thus effectually cutting the cross fibres of the timber.</p> <... General Rule
In practically all cases where a single tenon is used the thickness of the tenon should be one-third the thickness of the timber. This leaves the timber at each side of the mortise the same strength as the tenon.</p> <p>Mortise and tenon joints for ... Glueing
The better the glue penetrates into the pores of the wood, the stronger the joint will be; for this reason timber of the loose-fibred variety, such as pine, etc., will hold up at the joint better than hardwoods like teak and rosewood. The glue used f... Hammer Head Tenons
At is shown the method of jointing framing having semicircular or segmental heads. The left-hand diagram indicates the method of wedging the joint so as to draw up the shoulders; the right-hand view shows the tongueing of the shoulders, which is ne... Hinged Cornice Poles
shows a hinged joint for cornice poles and should be of interest to those who are frequently removing from house to house. The joint will adapt itself to fit any bay window (even a square bay) and it is formed by turning and cutting the two pieces ... Housed And Mitred Dovetail
is another form of dovetail—commonly called a housed and mitred or rebated and mitred dovetail. In this instance we see that a small portion is mitred at top and bottom edges, and when used in plinth or cornice work, or for making tea-caddies... Inserted Tenons
Where two pieces of timber run together at an acute angle it becomes necessary to use inserted tenons. Both pieces of the timber are mortised and the inserted tenons are secured into the widest piece. On the left is shown the inserted tenon, secured... Inside Hingeing
When a door is being hung <em>inside</em> the carcase (that is, not hinged <em>over</em> the ends) it is permissible, in the case of light work, to let the whole thickness of the hinge into the door; and when screwing the door to the carcase it is usu... Interlocking Chair Joint
A joint designed with a view to strengthening the construction of chairs at the point where they are weakest is shown in . The joint is an interlocking one so arranged that, once the chair is glued up, no motion of the side rail can be possible. The... Joints For Curved Work
<p> shows a circular frame made up in two thicknesses, the segments being screwed to each other and the joints crossed in two layers. This is a very strong method, and it is used for making circular frames and curbs up to 15 ft. in diameter. The seg... Joints Other Than A Right Angle
If the halving joint is at an angle similar to the sketch shown at , great care will have to be exercised in the use of the chisel, owing to the change in the direction of the grain of the wood. The arrow marks in this sketch distinctly indicate the ... Joints Other Than At 90°
The two pieces forming a bridle joint are not always at right angles, as at ; in many instances it is necessary that the joint be at other than 90 degrees. The work, however, is treated in a similar manner, with the exception that an adjustable joine... Knuckle Joint Hinge
is a similar type of joint to the above, and is called the knuckle joint. This arrangement of hingeing allows the table leg to swing in an angle of 180 degrees and is much neater in its appearance. It is often used to connect a movable table leg to ... Ladders
illustrates the method of fastening the rung (or stave) of a ladder to the side. At A the common method is shown, the stave being simply driven into the hole and wedged. At B a much better but more expensive method of construction is given. The sta... Lamination
If we apply to the dictionary for the word "lamination," we find that lamellar structure is the arrangements in thin plates or layers one over the other, usually having the end joints alternating, and it is a condition which allows of cleavage in one... Lap-dovetailing
is an example of lap-dovetailing, such as is used where a drawer side joins with the drawer front. It is not permissible to allow the end grain of the timber to show at the front of a drawer, and this is why resort is had to the lap-dovetail. As the... Long And Short Shouldered Joint
shows a haunched mortise and tenon joint having a long and short shoulder. This is a fairly common joint in framed partitions for offices, framing for greenhouses, tool sheds, etc., and is a frequent source of annoyance to the amateur. It is necess... Loose Tongues
There are two methods of jointing with loose tongues, viz., the use of the cross tongue, , and the use of the feather tongue, . Cross tongues are the stronger when glued in their position and can be used very much thinner than feather tongues. Feather... Machine-made Dovetails
As a general rule machine-made drawer and box dovetails show both the pins and the tails of exactly the same size. The reason is obvious after an inspection of , which shows the position in which the pieces are held during the machining operations. ... Making Dowels
Many, however, prefer to make what they require for the work in hand, and the following is the method that is generally employed. Pieces of straight-grained wood are wrought to a square section, after which the corners are planed away to form an oct... Miscellaneous Joints
<p>Weather boards.—For outdoor buildings, such as garages, garden sheds, toolhouses, etc., "weatherboarding" is often preferred to ordinary matchboarding, chiefly because of the facility with which it throws off the rain. The boarding can be b... Mitred And Moulded Joint
shows a type of joint largely used in light cabinet work. The method of mitreing the moulding and tenoning the stile to rail is indicated.</p> ... Mitreing
The term mitreing is generally used to denote the type of joint used at the corner of a picture frame; or where two pieces of wood are bevelled away so as to fit each other, as the skirting or plinth mould at . In these cases the timber is cut so th... Mitreing A Moulded Door Frame
illustrates the method of mitreing the moulded portion of a door frame where the joint is dowelled, not tenoned. A small wooden template is made out of beech or other hardwood, having its ends cut at 45 degrees. This template is placed on the rail,... Mortise And Tenon With Mitred Face
This is a useful method of jointing framing which has square edges as shown; and it is equally useful even if the face edges have moulds worked upon them. If the joint has square edges a rebate may be formed to accommodate a panel by fixing a bolect... Mortising Puzzle
The ordinary mortising exercise is, after the first two or three attempts, generally voted as uninteresting, but, although the simple puzzle shown in is practically an exercise in mortising, yet, forming as it does a puzzle, it becomes a fascinating... Muntin And Skirting Joint
In the case of panelled rooms it is usually necessary to scribe the muntins (or uprights) to the skirting. The method is shown in . The bead moulding of the skirting is only partly removed, as indicated, leaving a solid portion to which the muntin is... Notched Joints
is a "notched joint," where two joists, or scantlings, cross each other, the object of the joint being to prevent the joists moving from their position without materially weakening them. For an end notch, see .</p> <div> <img src="/images/f349.jpg"... Open Joint Hingeing
The next three illustrations apply more particularly to the hanging of the ordinary household door.</p> <p> is termed "open joint hanging," from the fact that when the door is open a certain amount of open space exists between the edge of ... Other Varieties
At we have an everyday method of jointing circular-fronted cabinet door frames. Great care must be taken in setting out and making, or a twisted frame will result.</p> <p>Then at are shown two familiar examples of dovetailing the bearer to the car... Outside Hingeing
illustrates the portion of a door frame and carcase end when the door is hung on the face of the carcase. The correct method of letting in the hinge is shown in the enlarged section , but, as previously mentioned, the hinge may have its entire thic... Patera Covers
In cases where the style of ornament permits of it, patera covers are used instead of pelleting. shows the jointing of shaped spandrails, etc., to carcase ends of light portable cabinet work, etc. A hole is bored about 3⁄8 in. deep into the en... Pelleting
indicates the method of pelleting and screwing the corner of a picture frame. The mitre joint is first screwed and a pellet of the same timber is made to fill the hole which has been bored to receive the screw head. The pellet is glued in position an... Pinning
shows the tenoning of the inside end of a wardrobe to the top of the carcase. This is also called pinning. The tenons should be wedged diagonally. The tenons and the distance between the tenons are more satisfactory if made equidistant, because if ... Planing
After sawing the piece to approximately the correct angle, it is necessary on high-class work to plane the cut end so as to give a perfect finish and enable a glued joint to be made. This may be accomplished by using the plane on the shooting board, ... Ploughing
When grooves have to be worked in the edge or face of a board to receive tongues, the process is generally called ploughing, and it is usually accomplished by a special tool called a plough (or, as it is occasionally spelt, "plow"). When a ... Position Of Hinges
Another difficulty to the beginner is the position for his hinges, and it may here be stated that the general rule is to carry a line across the face of the work from the inside of the cross rail and place the hinge at E, as .</p> <div> <img src="/i... Puzzle Joints
<p>Puzzle Joints are not only interesting in themselves, but are often excellent studies in craftsmanship. The majority of them, if to be satisfactory as puzzles, call for very careful setting out and cutting, entailing the same degree of skill that ... Rafter Joint
shows an everyday joint, as used at the juncture of the principal rafter and the tie-beam in roof truss work. A sketch of piece A is shown separated, and it should be noted that the depth of the cut portion B should not be more than one-fourth of t... Removing Haunching
After removing the mortise hole, the small portion which is called the haunching will require to be removed with a chisel. This calls for no special remark, as it is clearly shown in . shows an everyday type of mortise and tenon joint separated; it ... Rising Butt Hinges
is the rising butt hinge, used on dining and drawing-room doors, so that when the door is opened the door rises sufficiently to clear the thickness of the carpet. This hinge has also an advantage over the ordinary butt hinge in that it is self-closi... Roof Joints
shows the method of tenoning the principal rafter to the king post, whilst illustrates the tenoning of the struts to the king post, and the king post to the tie beam. Both these examples are used in roof work. (See also .)</p> <div> <img src="/imag... Sash Bars
shows how to tenon a moulded sash bar to the rebated cross rail. In this illustration both shoulders of the moulded bar are shown square, but in the best class work these shoulders may be slightly housed into the cross rail to prevent side play. Th... Saw Work
Take a marking awl, or a knitting needle which has had its end sharpened, and mark the lines of the dovetail in a similar manner to that shown at . Remove the piece A, , and the lower piece shown at will clearly show the marks <em>aa</em> as they a... Sawing
Lay the work on the cutting board as at ; or, if you prefer, put the work in the vice. Carefully saw down the work until you <em>just touch</em> the gauge line. Do not press heavily with the saw; use it lightly; the weight of the back iron which is fi... Sawing
The wood should be put in the vice as . Taking up a saw, with the index finger on the side of the handle, commence sawing, and proceed until you come to the position indicated by the dotted hand and saw A; this will leave a saw kerf or cut running di... Sawing Block
For sawing mouldings, etc., to their approximate shape, a home-made sawing block is generally used, as shown at . Two pieces of wood are glued one on the top of the other, the required angle is transferred thereto, and the saw kerf made. In the sket... Sawing For The Recess
After marking out for the hinge, as shown at , take a fine-toothed saw (a dovetail saw is considered the best) and saw down as shown at , care being taken not to cut beyond the gauge lines. In this sketch three intermediate saw kerfs are shown, but ... Sawing The Dovetails
After marking out the pins on the drawer sides, we proceed with the next operation, that is, sawing the dovetails ready for chopping out the waste material. The drawer side is taken and firmly secured in the bench screw and sawn as at ; it is most i... Second Stage
In the remaining part of the work the chief difficulty is to keep the puzzle from falling to pieces before the key finally locks it. Take the longer cross parts, , and clasp one to each arm. The six need not all be put on meanwhile, but only those w... Setting Out And Marking
It is a safe rule, when setting out a bridle joint, to divide the thickness of the timber into three equal parts. This will leave the timber on each side of the tongue equal to the thickness of the tongue, thus giving uniform strength to the joint. ... Setting Out The Halved Joint
Although at first sight the halved joint may appear to be a very easy item of construction, it requires much care and attention in marking out and sawing. shows the two pieces which form the joint separated, and it will be noticed that each piece o... Setting Out The Joint
The principal use of the mortise and tenon joint is in the construction of various types of framing, such as door and window frames. In one or other of its many and varied forms it may be classed as the most important joint in the general woodworking ... Setting Out The Joint
For constructing a dovetail joint at the corner of a frame, as , it is necessary at the outset to trim up the ends of the timber square and true. This may be accomplished by neatly sawing to the line and paring the end of the wood with a sharp chisel... Shutting Joints
<p>This chapter deals with the joint made by the upright rail of a door frame which carries the lock, or handle, generally called the "slamming stile." Many and varied are the methods used to make a draught and air-tight joint at the meetin... Sideboard Pillars Etc
For economy, sideboard pillars are sometimes built up as indicated, the "shaft," the "base," and the "swell" being made up of three distinct pieces. Turned pins are left on the shaft and the base, and these are secured at the joint by the use of a d... Sprocket Wheel
At are shown the guide bar and chain of a chain-mortising machine, two enlarged links of the chain being indicated at A. The chain is similar in construction to the driving chain of a bicycle, with the exception that it is provided with teeth which... Squaring
Another important point to remember is that the drawer sides must be true and squared to an exact length and planed up to thickness; otherwise the finished drawer will be in winding and out of truth.</p> <p>To true and square the ends of drawer side... Stopped Hinged Joints For Box Work
is a section through a small box similar to a lady's work-box (the back of the box in the illustration is enlarged in thickness to clearly show the position of the hinge). In this case the knuckle of the hinge is let into the woodwork until it is f... Supporting The Joint
The jointed boards should not be reared up against a "bench leg" or wall without having any support in the centre, as dotted line at , because in all probability they will fracture before the glue has time to set; and, when we go to take th... Table Framing
indicates the framing of a rail to a dining-table leg. In cases similar to this the tenons run into the leg and almost touch each other. They are therefore mitred on the end as shown in the inset. Chair frames often call for similar treatment.</p> <...