Threaded rod and epoxy: A versatile option for leg joinery
Tim Coleman adapted a technique used with wooden dowels for a cleaner way to join legs to benchtops or tabletops without the need for aprons.
Synopsis: Seeking an alternative to the traditional mortise-and-tenon, Tim Coleman adapted a technique used with wooden dowels for a cleaner way to join legs to benchtops or tabletops without the need for aprons. He used a simple shopmade drilling jig and a hand drill to cut perfectly mating holes in parts that meet at odd angles. The combination of steel threaded rod and epoxy can create very strong joints in unlikely places.
I love wood-to-wood joinery, and the mortise-and-tenon joint, or some variation of it, is at the foundation of many of my tables, chairs, and cabinets. But in building a recent bench I found myself seeking an alternative to the traditional mortise-and-tenon. The bench would feature some extra-curly maple, and I decided to limit structural components for a clean, minimalist look. This meant no aprons to join the legs, and no intermediate stretchers to brace them. A long seat,…
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Comments
To make sure i understand, are the holes threaded also for the threaded metal bolts or is it just a regular hole and the epoxy joins it all together with any gaps?
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