Mortise and tenon joinery the easy way.
By Tom Caspar

I used to struggle with mortise and tenon joinery. I tried every new system that came along, but they all seemed way too complicated. One day a friend of a friend walked into my shop, said “Throw away those fancy jigs!” and showed me an elegant way to make these classic joints. This blanket chest is the ideal project to showcase this technique. One of the ways I used to get into trouble with joinery was to constantly measure everything. No more. Whenever possible, I use “the thing itself” to guide my cuts, especially in mortise and tenon work. That is, I use an object, not a ruler, to measure directly from one thing to another. Settle on the most important sizes first, make the pieces and then everything else falls into place.

You’ll see how fool-proof the system is in building this blanket chest. The design utilizes a form of frame and panel construction that goes back hundreds of years. This joinery has proved to be durable and reliable, so if you’re thinking of making an heirloom project, here’s one that will last many generations.

Next Page

Tools, Materials, & Sources • Exploded View of Hope Chest
The Grooves & Mortices • The Tenons • The Tenons (Continued)
The Stiles & Panels and The Top & Bottom • Assembly

Project of the Month • Frame and Panel Hope Chest • Page 37 • February 2000
© 2000 American Woodworker