168 - Drawbored Mortise & Tenon Joint
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
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The drawbore mortise & tenon joint is one of the strongest available to woodworkers. Making your own dowels with a dowel plate just adds to the fun and takes this powerful technique to the next level.
Sometimes just showing how something is done isn't enough, explaining how you do it really clears up any doubts. Explaining WHY your doing it is an added bones. Thanks for the great videos your putting out.
Thank you for a very clearly shown and explained video about the drawbore technique.
I've seen other people show this technique, but this is by far the best tutorial on drawboreding
This Drawbored Mortise & Tenon Joint method really is exceptionally strong as you mentioned,theory behind it scientifically has proven that.....just that it is a bit extra work & time consuming ,probably would do this for my own furnitures lol,great review and teaching thanks again
Thanks man. He was 7 weeks premature so we had a bit of a rough start as far as sleep goes. Thankfully after lots of hard work, we have him on a routine and he's getting up to 17 hrs of sleep a day! After the first 4 months, it feels a little too good to be true....
It's definitely nice to see you cover such an interesting type of joinery. I was first introduced to it late last year by Christopher Schwarz who, as you mentioned, made the joint with hand tools. For anyone interested, there is a two part video produced by Lie-Nielsen available on their channel here at UA-cam.
Sounds like a dentist, "You're going to feel a little pressure" LOL Great video. I'm not sure if I'll be building a workbench like this anytime in the future but this is a useful technique to know.
hi.Sir. first of all i want to thank you for all you're videos and all the details you gave us, i'm a beginner wood worker and you really gave me a lot of good ideas, than you and don't stop posting you're really good videos.
Nice work. Roy Underhill was my first teacher of drawboarding. Well presented!
I never heard of this technique until now but I can't wait to use it. Thanks again for another great vid
excellent job showing how to properly do this..this video gives me the confidence i need to take this part of my workbench project on. thanks!
I have the LN dowel plate, and it's terrific. I mounted it in a hardwood block with holes slightly larger than the dowel plate's and it makes great pegs. I wouldn't put the plate in the bench top as you will be picking dowels up off the floor all day long.
Excellent strategy of reinforcement and security. of having known before; I'm new and I'm still learning, thanks to your contributions. Greetings
I had never even heard of this method Marc, thanks for the great tips
I actually don't use the hollow chisel mortiser very often. Mostly because I like showing an approach that most people can easily replicate: the router method.
I hope someday you can get your show on PBS. They really need some great woodworking talent again.
Love your videos. The production value is amazing now!
You can certainly make your own, but keep in mind the LN version has a slight taper on the inside of each hole. So if you can do that too, you might be on to something.
haha thanks man. I'm pretty happy here on the intertubes! :)
That is a great technique, never thought of that. Thanks for sharing
for electrical stuff, I honestly recommend contacting an electrician and/or Festool. See what their recommendations are. As for the finishes, requirements will likely vary by region (state and city). I am sure there are specific codes you'll have to meet but you probably won't know until you contact the local authorities to find out what the requirements are. Good luck with the move!
Yes it can definitely make a loose fitting tenon stronger.
I agree, i have heard of a wood welder, but this is video isn't about slapping two bits of wood together, its a specific joint done the traditional way, it was made to be done without glue
Awesome technique! Thanks Marc!
this guys makes some really good instructional videos.
Congratulations on the baby! And may your kid turn out to be a better sleeper than mine. :)
Couldn't find the video using that search. Curious to know how it's relevant to a mortise and tenon joint.
Keep in mind that test only looks at initial joint stress in a small number of samples. In the real world, a piece of furniture is used for decades, weakening the glue bond and after a period of time, pins make be the only thing holding the piece together. I have seen this happen in chairs that I've repaired. If they weren't pegged, the chair would have already been in the garbage.
Yes. Yearly memberships come with direct email support and Superfan memberships come with Skype/phone consultations.
thx for making all the great videos. when i make my dream workshop it will have the blank for pounding out dowels in the workbench top itself. serious question: considering purchasing the lie nielsen dowel plate that u used, is it worth or should i just make my own on my drill press with a nice piece of o1 steel? thx. anyone elses opinion welcome too. :)
It amazes me that this technique works. I look at it and I see so much stress on so many parts, that it can't be feasible. But, I guess it is!
A woodworking video dry and boring? Never!
Is that a Domino XL I see in the background you lucky bugger!!!
Excellent video, thanks.
I take the view that draw bore pegs should always be got from out of split material, preferably oak. And that they also should be tapered like long wedges, not cylindrical pencil shapes like you used, so that as they are hammered in, the joint pulls up gradually, not suddenly, so as less likelihood to bust the tennon.
Would it suffice shaving the dowel that would come in contact with the offset portion of the tenon cheek instead of shaving all around? Thanks in advance and great instructional videos. Thanks for doing this. Helps a ton.
I had fun watching this video.
What a fantastic video!!!
This joint can also be used for softwoods....
I am speechless!!Thank you so much for replying!I tried both but they could not help me .In one of the videos when you moved you were explaining how you solved your power problem by installing a new box that alternated the 110 to 220 .I was wondering if there is something similar for 230 or 240 60hz since both will do .As for the codes i will do as you advised me.Thank you for the wishes .Even though i am downsizing in an unfathomable way ,i am excited that i will be around passionate people .
super like.very nice video of demo.thanx for sharing ur ideas
Very good tutorial in my opinion. Question, how did you determine where to drill the dowel holes, the ones you drilled seem to end up being rather close to the shoulders of the tenon.
One thing that I can never find an answer to. Can the drawbore method be used in a dual angled joint? Say with 2 leg support on a chair at a 90 degree angle to each other yet at the same area. With a half width mortise and tenon that overlap?
HI WW- hopefully you have a video of you building the whole table. I am feelin the design of it from the parts I've seen clamped. Can you post a link?
If the offset is too big, that could certainly happen. But with a 1/16" offset you should be ok.
You have a great bunch of videos. I'm enjoying them very much. I've been doing all kinds of work with hand and power tools for over 45 years and I'm always learning new things. This technique is one of them and I thank you for it. However, I was cringing when I saw your hoodie's drawstring dangling down near the table. Rule no. 1 in shop safety - NO LOOSE CLOTHING OR ANYTHING DANGLING FROM YOUR BODY - INCLUDING NECKLACES, BRACELETS OR IN THIS CASE - HOODIE DRAWSTRINGS !.
Hello.
I really liked your video. Would you mind to explain me how to calculate the right position of the holes in the tenon? Is there a rule to ubicate it correctly? How do you choose the diameter of the holes?
I'll appreciate your hell.
Great build-I'm wondering if this technique was used on your rustic table build with the festool domino? I'm thinking of trying it but thinking the domino would need a dowel on both ends to avoid pulling out. Perhaps hidden underneath on the table side? Top quality workmanship and tooling!
haha you got it dude! And maybe I should show a close up one day so you can see how much gray I already have! :)
Hi, To make dowels you are better off splitting wood so you have a straight grain,shop bought dowels are cut timber & can sometimes have cross grain in them making them weak & prone to breaking,Also if your going to do this drawpin method don't get carried away repositioning the hole you put in the tenon or you'll find the dowel bending & coming out the other side of the timber face & not out of the hole on the other side, Excellent technique though especially if you don't have enough clamps :-)
great job and video!
Dang. What dimensions timber were you using. That must be some sturdy work bench.
Of course can be used... but softwood will most likely brake if joint is to small
this is true, but your talking about a direct downward force only, but say if the bench gets moved around, the pegs will prevent legs just sliding out if glue does fail eventually. i think it just depends on the size of mortise, you wouldnt draw bore a very small one or yes, you would defs affect the strength
I'd say those damn metal workers!... But I'm also one of them... So no, probably not!.
Excellent video by the way! Much appreciated.
with a rasp. Makes quick work of it.
I like how this will save me some money on clamps! I don't have to buy a lot of them right now :)
Round-over bits to prep for dowel creation.
That was very cool. Thanks
Doesnt' the peg need to be, kind of, hard to compress wood? I have seen bamboo pegs used here!
same here it's always nice to have a second take tho
when using the doweling plate, are there wood species that you would avoid? I am thinking about like Purple Heart which seems considerably denser than maple. (note: I am pretty new to wood working, so I don't really know what I am talking about)
You can send me a message with links to the images or you can use our forum Wood Talk Online.
Can you use a drawbore with floating tenons?
why did you not use your hollow chisel mortiser to cut the mortises?
I have two irrelevant but extremely important to me questions .I am moving from Greece to Atlanta in a couple of months. How can i get 230v for all my festools . Also , i make outdoor wooden furniture so i use dupont marine industrial finishes. In Greece i have a booth , but i won't have one at first in the U.S .Do you know the requirements for such application, unfortunately water based finishes can not provide me with the longevity or quality i demand from my products .A fan in need of help !
Good video. Would you use the new Festool Domino xl 700 for the same mortise?
Do you think drawboring (sp?) would help tighten a slightly loose tenon?
If I can I turn the dowel to try to have grains match.
would you say there is a significant difference between 2x 3/8" pegs or 1x 3/4" peg in terms of strength? just curious
creo que con un taladro es mas facil hacer los tacos y gracias esta muy bueno tu banco de trabajo
Do you give personal support if I sign up for a membership to your site?
i'm a wood worker of 15 years old and even at my project it worked out and i used softwood
Hanging string from your jumper over a table saw. I wonder what will happen if it gets caught in the blade and pulls your neck towards it. Will surely get way more than 90k hits unless youtube deletes the video :) Scary!
Good video though. I got the info I came for. Thumbs up. Feel sorry for the Denial of service... Who is your hosting provider?
Nagarjun Roy it is exactly what I was going to tell him !
so dangerous
Nagarjun Roy Wow, didn't even notice that in the video. I'm guilty of this as well during the winter. Have my shop hoodie. Pulling the draw string out of it. Good call! :-)
Instead of cutting something that small, rive (split) pieces of scrap with a hatchet.
Riven wood made into dowels is the strongest because the grain is straight and in line with the piece. Plus it's WAY safer than trying to cut something that small. Win-win.
how can a reg mortise ans tenon be stronger than a pegged/bored one? can you link to the test they did
Mathias Wandell's dowel maker would is a great idea for making dowels for this process.
Love the Intro
I can only give my gut reaction, which is that two 3/8" pegs would be stronger than one giant 3/4" peg.
What size are the tenons
HOW TO MAKE THE TENON?
Using a machine sander would shorten making the pegs. Great video.
Yes, or, there are also several UA-cam videos on making a jig to use a router to make dowels. Nearly every video shows a different jig, so that wheel has been reinvented many times. Just pick your favorite. It's a lot, lot faster way to make dowels, too.
I know you're a pretty safe guy around the shop but couldn't help to cringe a bit when I saw your dangling hood drawstrings at the table saw. please do be careful! I love your videos and selfishly want to see more of them. thanks!!!
well I had to Google his name...lol. He looks younger so that means he actually looks like me. :) What a lucky guy! haha
fine fine fine, but you all should know something about wood : its ability to glue by itself while rubbing it onto another piece of wood under pressure. A kind of welding by local wood fusion. I invite curious people to search for "MECHANICALLY-INDUCED WOOD WELDING", there is a nice introduction about it. Enjoy ! ;)
The Domino has it's place perhaps, but not in a structural joint like this. No way the Domino will provide the same strength as a tenon that is part of the rail itself. The wood fibers of the tenon extend into the mass of the rail and are naturally part of that rail.
respect
The expression " a square peg in a round hole" originated in paneling carpentry hundreds of years ago. Twenty years ago I had a house built and some expert carpenters built furniture, curving staircases and hundreds of square meters of oak paneling. They didn't use a single screw. They only used square pegs in round holes and none of the panels or furniture joints have moved a millimetre in the last twenty years. Why intentionally reduce your mechanical advantage by rounding your pegs at all?
look at what's sitting on the cabinet behind my bench. :)
mpravo!
Cool
How to make the dowel maker by:
Matthias Wandel
Would or could? I suppose you could. But I probably wouldn't drawbore a domino joint.
Yuuuup! :)
m8 you forgot to mention that this joint works best only on hard wood!
Yup....already cut them off my hoodie. :)
Baby... DOS on your site... Your hair is going to be white soon! srsrs
Marc, what i liked most in this technique is that you dont need to use any clamps. I have just a few clamps... I know that i have to buy more clamps... but clamps will not never be enough, right?
I think I would go nuts making pegs using your method way too slow and fiddly! I simply get a straight section of fresh oak (twice the length of needed pegs), split it into squares, size depending on intended use for the peg then using a puukko whittle a taperd peg either end using hole gauge then cut in half to get a pair. Even if the split stock is a bit curved, no matter let the peg run true to the grain and let it end up slightly curved, better than short grain which will fail eventually
There's no point in draw-boring a tennon if you're working with dried wood. If the tennon's shoulder is tight up against the sides of the mortise you will not be able to pull it any closer. You might fracture the wood in the tennon. Draw-boring is usefull when working with green and / or soft wood - otherwise it's counterproductive and a waste of time and effort.
jimmicreesti
I work a lot with softwood (Norwegian pine). There's no 'slop'.
jimmicreesti
But compressing wood does not make it stronger, you are merely inducing a strain which will bring the affected wood closer to it's breaking point. When drawboring you rely on that portion of the tennon "outside" of the hole to pull the tennon-piece tighter. This induces shearing forces parallel to the grain - in the direction where wood is weakest. When doing restoration-work I have come across quite a few tenons broken in this manner, esp. in chairs where racking forces are frequent. If you are interested I can strongly recommend Bruce Hoadley's "Understanding Wood".
Locking a mortise & tenon joint with a dowel / trunnel / pin / peg / nail etc. was necessary before they had reliable glues to do the job. Drawboring was a good option when working with naturally dried wood which usually was a bit too wet for furniture-work and therefore would dry (and shrink) a bit after the piece was completed - the drawboring would 'take up the slack' made from shrinkage. With kiln-dried wood this problem is eliminated.
I sometimes drawbore when making historical copies of pieces made before ca. 1750. Last summer I made a batch of windows for a midieval castle - strict copies of the originals, made of local oak & not a drop of glue holding them together, just handmade pegs of juniper.
One disadvantage of pegging mortise & tenon joints in windows is that the peg will lead water into the joint if the protective paint is not maintained.
Enough rambling from me.
I agree. when working w/ thoroughly dried wood, I prefer to clamp the joint tight then drill my peg holes etc.
Thumbs up if you like his bearded brother, too.
Thanks, gonna put some steel bolts through the joint :-)