CARCASS JOINTS
Cabinetmakers really benefit from learning and practising a good selection carcass joints. Here we get to grips with the hugely versatile mortise and tenon joint and some of its common variations.
Frame and panel construction is a well-proven technique for making up solid-wood furniture carcasses that are sturdy, efficient in their use of materials and resistant to wood movement with changes in air humidity The frames consist of vertical corner posts, or stiles, with horizontal rails between them, sometimes divided by muntins or intermediate vertical rails. The main device for joining frames is the mortise and tenon joint.
There are many variants of mortise and tenon so here we will look at three of them - the simple bridle joint, the stronger haunched mortice and tenon and also the through mortise and tenon, which can be held in place with a wedge. Other carcass joints included are the halving joint where a rail crosses a muntin and the carcass dovetail joint, which provides the best solution for a needing some additional strength, such as ...
JARGON BUSTING
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mortise (mortice) - hole to receive a tenon and form a joint, usually rectangular.
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tenon - peg to be pressed into a mortice to form a joint.
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haunch - an extra part on a tenon shoulder to prevent twisting.
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