Wedged pins (seeking international response)
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A couple of years ago there was some internet discussion of an old Germanic woodworking tradition in which the maker put wedges in the pins of his dovetails. This would create a mechanical interlock in two directions instead of just one. See especially the comments and pictures from Kelley Blanton here:
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/on-gaps-and-dovetails-and-winterthurand here:
Wedged DovetailsSince these forums host an international audience, I wonder if there is anyone here from Germany or of Germanic or Pennsylvania Dutch background or anyone else with personal experience who could add insight into the practical methods used to create this joint without splitting the boards. Anyone know of any documented craft history of this, in German or otherwise? One of the commenters on the millcrek website shows evidence of this practice being used in Taiwan. Does anyone know of anywhere else this method was traditionally used?
Couple of pictures attached for visual reference, but do take a look at those posts.
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.No help here with the history, but the wedged pins reminded me of the method Roy Underhill’s uses to mark his pins using a saw in the kerfs of the tail board. That method of marking has a tradition (It is mentioned in Paul Hasluck’s 1903 “The Handyman Book”), but it would seem to me that the saw would fall into this kerf mark when sawing the pin, and thus the pin would be gappy, at least at the top. Sawing another kerf for a wedge could be used to remove the gap.
Seems to complicate things…no?
I think in one of the comments Paul made on his blog he said that putting a wedge in that direction is never an option… While his blog was talking about tenons, I would think this applicable to tail pens as well.. (my opinion)
” Some things don’t change and this is one of them, so I hasten to add that some things are non negotiable in any wood and this would be one of them. One extra hammer blow could and most likely would split the side. I wouldn’t advise it for that reason. This method of wedging joints is used on chairs and stools and in other situations. The wedge always must be oriented across the axis of long grain in the mortised piece.” (From Paul’s Blog “All in a Hard Days Work”)
I have asked Paul through his blog (if he would) to weigh in on this subject and maybe clarify some or all of our questions regarding the split pin dovetail. I have not found anyone on the net who seems to be able to explain it to my satisfaction.
Reason lends itself to locking the tails and pins in all directions so they cannot be pulled apart. This might allow for no glue to be used, but most old furniture examples seem to have glue residue present. I believe the tails would have to be cut off of 90 degrees to allow the wedges to expand the pins, but this surely demands further explanation. And, are the pins sawed or chisel split to allow the wedge? How deep etc.?
Excellent post Eric. We need more problem solving issues raised and hopefully resolved.
Joe B.
1 March 2014 at 6:10 pm #28474From a practical standpoint alone, it was common to mark the dovetails using the saw i the kerf of the tails before removing the waste from the pine recesses either side of the tails. What is wrong with the remainder of the interpretation, and commonly presented by the woodworking gurus, is that the subsequent cuts to create the pins was in some sort of kerf left in the pine piece. That was not at all what happened at least here in the UK and dare I say elsewhere where British woodworking was exported through immigration. The saw merely marked the position with a light mark from a pull stroke on the reverse of the saw teeth. A minor and slight indentation with no removal of material but possible compression only. The saw cuts following were then to the exact side of the indent so that actual stock removal was indeed exact or even hedged slightly to created compression as we do when we use a pencil or knife in some woods.Therefor, dovetail and pin recesses were really no different than what we do in practice today.
Re wedging yer dovetails. In all of my work, teaching, being taught, restoring pieces, researching cabinet making methods and techniques, conservation work and so on, I personally never came across wedged dovetails in this fashion or as a standard procedure. I have seen pinned, unglued dovetails using steel and wooden pins.Thanks for chiming in so far, guys. And especially to Paul for correcting the saw-kerf record. I find it fascinating that this method of work is so poorly known and understood. I agree with Dave that it should split the boards, but there are hundreds of antique chests and drawers in central PA made by Pennsylvania Dutch craftsmen of yesteryear using this method. Probably hundreds more still in use in the homes of Amish and Old Order Mennonite families. Since I live near a fairly large community of Amish folk, I’m going to discreetly ask around to see if I can get in contact with any traditionally trained cabinetmakers and learn the history and how-to of this enigmatic joint. It may take a while, but I’ll post any updates here.
Thanks Eric for continuing to find out about split pin wedged tails, (and Paul’s input was well appreciated). This appears to be a German method brought to the USA by Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish woodworkers since all of the available examples we have to study are seemingly solely from their use of this unusual technique.
Whatever you find out through the Amish community would be appreciated Eric. There had to be a well thought out reasoning behind it because so many examples have survived intact.
Joe B.
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