Comments on: Reinforcing the Indestructible

By: lastwordsmith

lastwordsmith — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:02:20 +0000

I can’t speak for the author, but when pegging a joint (as opposed to making a dowel joint), you don’t need but a dab of glue to keep the peg from working its way out.

By: zepe

zepe — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:22:07 +0000

Well sir, it’s not the Earth’s magnetic field you have to worry about since you are essentially non-ferrous, it’s the Earths gravitational field.

By: Lewis A. Saxton

Lewis A. Saxton — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:53:28 +0000

When I was little we would stop at an old church north east of Post Falls Idaho. The Pastor there always told of how the whole building had no nails. There were times when due to availability, cost or weight some supplies simply were not available. If you had no glue would your vintage furniture still be in one piece after sitting in it? I believe so; and that is more than likely why those types of joints were originally fabricated. If the piece isn’t that old then the vintage piece would have been "over-built"! But isn’t that what craftsmanship is all about. Building things that are aesthetic as well as durable. And I like to add simple and practical.

By: Andrew Gieselman

Andrew Gieselman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:03:38 +0000

I have to question the premise that this is a case of "overbuilding". The cheeks of the tenon meet the end grain of the mortices. That’s not a strong glue bond. Also, since quarter-sawn stock is used, the tenon thickness will be less dimentionally stable and may not remain tightly fitted in the mortice after seasonal cycling of moisture content. Pegging the joint seems like a logical choice.

By: Jeffrey Fleisher

Jeffrey Fleisher — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:04:57 +0000

I look at it as the difference between woodworking and fine woodworking.

By: Mark MacMullen

Mark MacMullen — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:00:55 +0000

Great article. By the way, when you make your own pegs, as described how do you releave the air and glue pressure when driving the peg down into the hole? Does your dowel plate have ridges on the last hole? I suspect not, but then I have to ask for the sme reason of wanting to create my own using the species best suited to teh need at hand.

Thanks.

By: Dick Greene

Dick Greene — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:54:51 +0000

Interesting conversation. I’m not sure why exact replicas are built. No matter how many times I paint the Mona Lisa, it’s still not the real thing. That said, I love Robert Lang’s work. I have many of his books. They have taught me Stickley technique that I use in designs of my own. Those pieces are real Dick Greenes

By: dave brown

dave brown — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:55:45 +0000

I like the idea of using the pegs rather than depending on glues alone. Also, pegs add visual and structural appeal. You can look at it and know it’s a solid joint. Ever wonder why false through tenons are so popular? When you’re assembling your joint glue can be messy and I’m never 100% convinced I’ve got good adhesion on all surfaces. The combination of mechanical and adhesive fastening gives me total confidence in the joint.

By: Tom Bier

Tom Bier — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:32:38 +0000

The pegs are there to hold it together if/when it gets abused by some uncaring folks 3 – 4 generations from now. My wife’s late uncle was scrounging Arts & Crafts furniture left on the street in Pasadena 50 years ago. His widow has the good stuff – we have some of the hurt strays. One of these is almost certainly a Gus Stickley armchair with pegged joints that has had a very hard life. Although the through tenons at the front leg – arm have both shrunk so there’s a visible gap the pegs are still holding everything securely together.