Reply To: Mortise and Tenon across the grain
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In Illustrated Cabinet Making (ISBN13: 978-1565233690) Bill Hyltons warns that this joint has poor gluing properties, as the mortise presents end grain. Instead, it is suggested to have several more narrow mortises cut across the grain (please see photo). This recommendation probably makes more sense for a (lower) divider in a table frame than for a frame for a wall-hung cabinet, as there will be a leverage on the divider if the table is moved over a floor, while no major such force is exerted on the cabinet.
An alternative approach to this joint is perhaps to drill out most of the waste, using a chisel only to pare out along the sides of the mortise. /soj
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