I just finished fitting all the thru mortises for a Mahogany version of a Morris Chair. What is the best method for gluing these up without getting a lot of glue pushing out the other side of the mortise by the tenon. It’s very hard to wipe all this glue off this wood because unlike White Oak it really soaks up the water. Thanks for any and all advice.
Dave
Replies
Dave,
Don't put glue on the mortise, do put glue on the tenon. But, don't put glue on the tenon until it has been inserted part way into the mortise. How far is part way? i think one half to three quarters of the part of the tenon that is captured by the mortise. Don't use too much glue. You can minimize glue squeeze out at the base of the tenon by creating a place for extra glue to go. Try chiseling or sawing a shallow channel around the base of the tenon. Instead or in addition you could chisel, file or sand a small chamfer around the mouth of the mortise. If you do this, make sure the bevel doesn't go past the shoulder of the tenon when it is fully seated.
If you are worried about the strength or longevity of the glue using the above method you could secure it with a peg. The peg needs to be long enough to extend through the tenon and into the wood on the other side of the tenon, essentially locking the tenon in place. I make my own pegs, usually out of the same wood I used for the project, but contrasting woods have visual appeal.
Pete
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