Reply To: Fitting Wedges
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Wedges have the straight side against the tenon and the angled edge to edge of mortise. As you normally make mortise slightly wider the side you nock wedges in.
If putting wedge in from each end of tenon down a saw kerf keep angle facing the edge of mortise in fact the same way as above as the angle of the wedges above this pushes tenon out to edge of mortise.
Also remember to tap one wedge then tap the other wedge until you have got enough of both wedges down to make a good fixing. DO NOT drive one wedge all the way in then the other.
You can also put wedges in a blind mortise and tenon joint. Make mortise slightly angled so wider at the bottom. Then putting saw kerf from each side of tenon. Do not make wedges too long as could split timber. Insert wedges into saw kerf and assemble joint. As end of wedges hit bottom of mortise the wedges spread the tenon almost giving a dovetail effect. This is normally a one shot operation once assembled would be very difficult to get apart. This joint known as fox wedged mortise and tenon.
Tusk tenons like what Greg showed firstly. I was taught to do that in a similarly way that you would draw bore pin. In that you would offset mortise by say 1/16th” through the extended bit off the tenon.
I did learn some stuff at college