Undoing The Puzzle
: THE MITRED JOINTTo take the puzzle to pieces all that is required is to turn the "key" half round and push the other two cross bars on that arm towards the outer point. The cross bars below may then be removed, and the whole structure falls to pieces.
The double dovetail puzzle consists of two pieces of wood (usually one dark and the other light) which, upon examination, appear to be dovetailed together from each face. This interlocking arrangement is obviously impo
At are given the diagrams for setting out. Draw the outline of the elevation, plan and end view. The end view in the first instance is indicated by 3, 4, 5 and 6, and it measures 17⁄8 ins. square. A 17⁄8-ins. square is simply used because 2-ins. wood generally finishes this size after it is planed up. Set out a square (A, B, C, D) which stands corner-ways in the larger square (3, 4, 5, 6). Project the lines D A and C B upwards as at 1, and on to this drawing (1), set out the dovetail according to your own idea of length, width and bevel. Project the four points of your dovetail downwards into the end view, and where these lines cut A, B, and D, C draw them downwards and rebate them into your original plan. This will give the true shape of the two dovetails and it is to this shape that you will cut your joint.
The joint is in due course glued up, and next day you will plane and waste off the four corners of your model. The end view shows one corner shaded D, 3, A; this and the other three corners are wasted away. The result is that the dovetails are thrown into a plane different from that in which they were made, showing as .
 Fig. 379.— Double Dovetail Puzzle. |  Fig. 380.— The Two Parts Separated. |
Fig. 381.—Elevation, Plan and End View, showing how the Puzzle Joint may be correctly Set Out. 
Fig. 382.—Dovetail Puzzle. The Finished Joint. 
Fig. 383.—Sketch of Dovetail Piece. (Note that dovetail is cut on slant, the thickness at front being less than at back. See dotted line on plan below.)
Fig. 384.—Plan, looking upwards. 
Fig. 385A.—Front Elevation. Fig. 385B.—Back Elevation. The model calls for very accurate workmanship and the joints must not be undercut during the sawing and chiselling operations. The completed model measures 6 to 7 ins.
The Dovetail Puzzle joint illustrated at has perhaps caused more argument and controversy amongst woodworkers than any wooden joint. It may be neatly made in maple, walnut, or mahogany, and afterwards glued up. The question everyone asks is: How was it put together?
Fig. 386.—Variation of the Dovetail Puzzle. Take two pieces of wood such as mahogany, walnut or birch, about 6 ins. long by 17⁄8 ins. wide and 11⁄4 ins. thick. Truly plane them up and then set out and make the tenon and dovetailed piece . Next mark out and cut the cross bar to fit its corresponding piece. The joint will go together in a somewhat diagonal direction as it is pushed into position from the back; when closed it will appear as at . For guidance, a plan, part elevation and back elevation are added.
An improvement after you have gained experience in the making of this joint is to make a similar joint, leaving the face (B, ) blind; it then does not show the bevelling of the dovetail at the end C. In other words, keep the line C, say, 1⁄4 in. back from the face of B. The joint should be glued up and it will then appear to the average worker that it is an impossible proposition. (See , page 208.)
Fig. 387.—A Simple Variation of the Dovetail Puzzle. Carefully note that the edges A, A are parallel to each other in spite of the fact that they slope in one direction.
A further variation of the puzzle is seen in . Here the joint is much simpler, and can easily be followed from the illustration.
Fig. 388.—Six-piece Joint Puzzle. 
More
-
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> <... Tenon With Tongued And Grooved Shoulders
The object of the tongues and grooves here is to prevent the face of the work casting, or becoming warped, and thus spoiling the appearance of the surface of the work. If framing is to be veneered on the face side this is an exceptionally good metho... The Bridle Joint
<p>A bridle joint is often defined as the reverse of a mortise and tenon, and is chiefly used in the carpentry and joinery trades. The name probably originated from the fact that it bears some resemblance to the manner in which a bit slips into the... The Dovetail Joint
<p>Nothing definite is known as to the origin of dovetailing, but a quaint and pleasing little story which is well worth repeating runs as follows: A farmer had called in the local "joyner" to do sundry repairs at the homestead. One day, whilst enjo... The Dowelling Joint
<p>Dowelling is the term generally given to the method of jointing timber and other materials by wooden or metal pegs, which are called dowels. For cabinet-making and similar work straight-grained beechwood dowels are mostly used; these may be bough... The Glued Joint
<p>The glued joint in its various forms is in use in every country in the world, and is frequently met with in mummy cases and other examples of ancient woodwork. Alternative names under which it is known are the butt joint, the rubbed joint, the sli... The Halved Joint
<p>T he halved joint is frequently known as half-lapping, and sometimes as checking and half-checking. In the majority of cases it is made by halving the two pieces, <em>i.e.</em>, by cutting half the depth of the wood away. There are, however, excep... The Hinged Joint
<p>One of the most common forms of hinged joint in use to-day is that formed by using the "butt" hinge, and many troubles experienced by the amateur, such as "hinge-bound," "stop-bound," and "screw-bound" doors... The Key Piece
When the writer fits up the puzzle he finds that three of the arms may straight away be fitted complete with their three cross parts. These are the ones where the longer cross piece <em>lies flush with the back of the central bar</em> . This is eas... The Mitred Joint
<p>Although mitreing is used in everyday woodwork, it comes last in our list of regular joints simply because it has been partly dealt with in almost every previous chapter. For example, we have mitre halving in , a mitre bridle joint in , a tongue... The Mortise And Tenon Joint
<p>A mortise and tenon joint is the method of joining timber by working a solid rectangular projection in the one piece and cutting a corresponding cavity to receive it in the adjoining piece. The projection is called the tenon, and the cavity the ... The Scarf Joint
<p>The method known as "scarfing" is used for the joining of timber in the direction of its length, enabling the workman to produce a joint with a smooth or flush appearance on all its faces. One of the simplest forms of scarfed joint is kn... The Tongued And Grooved Joint
<p>T he tongued and grooved joint is used in one form or another throughout the whole of the woodworking trades, covering, as it does, a great variety of work from the laying of flooring boards to the construction of dressers, bookcases and other ca... Through Dovetailing
One of the simplest forms of the dovetail joint is shown in , where two pieces of timber are joined by the method known as "through" dovetailing. This method is used in everyday practice for joining the corners of frames, bracket trusses, and a hundr... To Set Out A Curved Mitre
Draw a section of the moulding full size, A, as shown at the left hand of the illustration, and project lines round the framing, as shown V, W, X, Y and Z. Where the lines V, W, X, Y and Z intersect at the corner D, it clearly shows that a straight ... Tongueing
The grooves having been completed, the tongues have to be made. shows a sketch of a board and the method of marking out cross tongues (A) and feather tongues (B). The usual procedure for making cross tongues is to plane the end of the board and use... Tongueing Planes
shows the end view of a tongueing plane for working matched joints out of the solid. The method of holding and using the plane is similar to the directions given for using the plough. The part lettered F (in front) represents the fence, which in thi... Top Rails
At is shown the method of joining the top rails to the post of a tool shed or similar outhouse. The two rails, which are at right angles to each other, are half-lapped and mortised; the tenon on the post runs entirely through them.</p> <p><strong>A ... Twin Tenons
The method of tenoning the bearers which carry the drawers, or the midfeather between two drawers, in a dressing table or similar carcase is here shown. On completion, the tenons on the midfeather are wedged diagonally.</p> <table summary="" border=... Types Of Hinges
is an elongated variety of the butt hinge, known in the trade as "strap hinge," "desk hinge," or "bagatelle hinge." As its name indicates, it is used on folding bagatelle tables, small writing desks, and other types of ... Undoing The Puzzle
To take the puzzle to pieces all that is required is to turn the "key" half round and push the other two cross bars on that arm towards the outer point. The cross bars below may then be removed, and the whole structure falls to pieces.</p> <p><stron... Veneer Keying
illustrates the method of strengthening the corners of boxes which are made of 1⁄4-in. or 3⁄8-in. timber, by securing the corners with veneer keys. The box is mitred and glued in the usual manner, and after allowing sufficient time for t... Wall Plugs
At four types of wall plugs are shown: <em>a</em>, the ordinary rectangular tapered wall plug to drive between the joints of the brickwork; <em>b</em>, the circular tapered wall plug as used to plug a wall after a star-shaped brick drill has been us... Wedges
shows the method of cutting wedges which are to be used to wedge the tenons; this avoids waste of material. Some workers cut the wedges from the pieces left out of the haunching of the lock rail, or the bottom rail.</p> <table summary="" border="0" ...