Page 5 - Assembling Your Project

Woodworking Question: I have read a number of articles on using a jointer or jointing a piece for a project. Some say joint an edge first, others say joint a face first. Which is the right way, or does it matter? See what our experts have to say.

Woodworking tip: Did you know notched criss-cross style tenon joints give corners a little extra stability and increase the amount of surface area for glue-up?

Cutting loose tenons is made much easier with tools designed to allow you to make those cuts from specialized jigs to biscuit joiners to mortise joiners. If you’ve ever used dowels to join wood, you already have experience with loose tenon joinery. Loose tenons can be used any place you’d use a traditional mortise and tenon and, with some of these tools, many other places, too. The tools in this story make joinery much easier than a doweling jig.

Woodworking Question: I've seen 7°, 9° and 14° dovetail bits, and even one that was 7.5°. Does the angle of a dovetail affect the strength of the joint, or is it just cosmetic? According to at least one scientific study, dovetail angles don't affect the strength of the joint and should just be chosen based on your bits and the aesthetics.

Do you have trouble keeping your plate-joint biscuits dry in your shop? One of our Woodworkers Journal readers solved this problem with a common household appliance. Here's what he has to say.

In a world of whizz-bang gadgets and high tech tools, a recent thread on a woodworking forum reminded me that sometimes we need to stop, rewind and get back to the basics. The poster was lamenting that he had no idea how to drive a screw. This may seem silly, but it really is an honest question.

Help, my lumber is too short for the project I'm working on? What options do I have for end to end joining? Here are three expert opinions on end to end joining, courtesy of our friends at the Woodworker's Journal.

How long do you have to leave the clamps on a glue-up project? This Q&A segment from the Woodworker's Journal sheds some light on the subject.  Thanks to our friends at WWJ for letting us share this advice from renowned woodworkers Michael Dresdner and Ian Kirby.

Pocket hole joinery isn't new. The speed and reliability of the technique have made it a favorite in furniture manufacturing and cabinet shops for decades.

A solid workbench vise is like an extra set of very strong hands, and having one can actually improve your work: As long as it's attached to a sturdy workbench, a bench vise will hold a workpiece in a still and relatively vibration free state and help you make smoother saw cuts, more steady plane strokes, or even get your sanding done faster.

Which is better, a quick and easy biscuit joint, or a good old fashioned doweled joint?