Simple mortise-and-tenon joints that meet at right angles can be made satisfactorily with power tools, but the ability to cut a mortise and tenon by hand opens up a much wider range of applications ...

In this short build I show how I cut a keyed mortise and tenon joint entirely by hand. I mark out the shoulders, chop the ...

The “mortise” is the recess where the tenon goes. It can be cut by hand with a mallet and mortising chisel, or mechanically with a mortising machine and a hollow chisel bit. If you don’t have those ...

It’s the quintessential order of operations in woodworking, and it’s nearly always true. Usually, you’ll cut the mortise first, then size the tenon to fit. There are good reasons for this rule too. If ...

Mortises are one of the strongest woodworking joints and are a sign of quality whether in fine furniture or timber-frame cabins. A skilled carpenter can make them by hand, but it’s a laborious process ...

A chisel is one of the most utilitarian and oldest hand tools for woodworking. And a good wood chisel, in particular, has sharp beveled cutting edges, holds those edges well, sharpens easily, and ...

The best way to join together two pieces of wood in the form of a T is by making what is called a mortice and a tenon joint. The first step is to mark off the width of the tenon with a square, and the ...