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what is a blind mortise

by Romaine Bradtke Jr. Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
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blind mortise noun : a mortise that does not extend entirely through the material in which it is cut

Definition of blind mortise
: a mortise that does not extend entirely through the material in which it is cut.

Full Answer

What are two types of mortise?

The mortise can be cut all the way through the timber, making it an “open” or “through” mortise or it can be cut less than all the way through the timber, making it a “hidden” or “blind” mortise.

What is a blind mortise and tenon joint?

A blind mortise-and-tenon joint has the end of the tenon concealed. The mortise does not go all the way through the stock. This joint is also used for rails and posts. The tenons may be shaped in different styles as well. A straight tenon only has two cut sides.

What are three types of mortise and tenon joints?

There are 3 types of mortise and tenon joinery that we use at Meridian Products in our product construction. We use the blind mortise and tenon joint, the notched mortise and tenon joint (aka haunched), and the coped mortise and tenon joint.

What is a mortise hole?

: a hole, groove, or slot into or through which some other part of an arrangement of parts fits or passes especially : a cavity cut into a piece of material (such as timber) to receive a tenon — see dovetail illustration. mortise. verb.

What are the advantage of using blind mortise and tenon joint in making furniture?

Mortise and tenon joints are strong and stable joints that can be used in many projects. They furnish a strong outcome and connect by either gluing or locking into place. The mortise and tenon joint also gives an attractive look.

Should mortise and tenon be glued?

Mortise and tenon joints do not need glue to be strong.

How far should a tenon go into a mortise?

But as a general guideline, make the tenon about 1⁄ 3 the total thickness of the tenoned workpiece, and about 1⁄ 2 – 2⁄ 3 as long as the width of the mortised workpiece. Though it's not structurally necessary, cutting a shoulder adjacent to the rail's edge as well as the face allows you to completely hide the mortise.

What is the oldest woodworking joint?

Mortise and TenonWhat is Mortise and Tenon? The oldest, strongest joint in woodworking and the most revolutionary for cabinetmakers and woodworkers is the mortise and tenon. Used for millennia, it is still considered in modern woodwork to be the most appropriate means of joining two pieces of wood together, crossways, or 90 degrees.

What are the disadvantages of a mortise and tenon joint?

The con to mortise and tenon is in the quality of the fabrication. If the proportions are incorrect the wood can shear on either side. This makes the mortise and tenon joint an incredibly difficult joint for the DIY'er to create.

Can I use my drill press as a mortiser?

The drill press does not leave a perfect mortise like you could get off a router, hollow chisel mortiser or a horizontal mortiser, but it does accurately evacuate the waste for the mortise. This saves a lot of up-front time and is easier to clean up with chisels afterward.

What tool can be used to drill a mortise?

An electric drill, speed range 2000-3000rpm with a chuck up to 13 mm.

Can you use a mortise bit with a hand drill?

Enjoy! Pro Tip: Don't attempt to use a mortising bit in a handheld power drill. We've tried it…and it doesn't work. If you attempt to use a mortising bit in your drill press, you're going to need to retrofit your machine quite a bit.

What are the disadvantages of a mortise and tenon joint?

The con to mortise and tenon is in the quality of the fabrication. If the proportions are incorrect the wood can shear on either side. This makes the mortise and tenon joint an incredibly difficult joint for the DIY'er to create.

Why is the mortise and tenon joint the strongest?

The mortise and tenon joint is another one of the strongest and most appealing woodwork joints able to be made because of its flush fitting design. Like the dovetail joint this woodwork joint can be difficult to properly construct but it is incredibly strong and aesthetically pleasing if constructed well.

Where would a mortise and tenon joint be used?

Apart from woodworking, mortise and tenon joint is also used in other fields like blacksmiths and stonemasons. This joint been widely use on wood components such as beam, roof frames, structs and brackets.

What are the two types of bridle joints?

There are two configurations of a Bridle Joint : the Corner Bridle and the Tee Bridle. The Corner Bridle can have one or both of its faces mitred and the Tee Bridle can be stopped if it is necessary to hide the End Grain.

What is a blind mortise and tenon joint?

A blind mortise and tenon joint is one where none of the tenon is exposed. The tenon is wholly encased in the mortise. Blind Mortise and Tenon.

What is pinned mortise?

Pinned, or pegged, mortise and tenon joints can be either blind or through and are classified by dowels being inserted through holes drilled through the side of the receiving board. A pinned mortise and tenon provides a lot of strength without the need for glue.

Can tenon be cut flush?

Sometimes the tenon may be cut flush with the side of the wood it is going through, but often it is allowed to stick through with bevel cuts to add a decorative element. Through Mortise and Tenon before assembly. Through Mortise and Tenon assembled. Through Mortise and Tenon assembled with a decorative end.

What is mortise and tenon?

Mortise-And-Tenon joints are an extremely old construction technique that has stood the test of time and is still being used today. Examples of this ancient joint is found in Egyptian furniture thousands of years old. It can produce joints that are extremely strong, and the technique can be scaled up or down in size with great success.

How to make a pinned mortise and tenon joint?

After glue-up, drill one or more evenly spaced holes from face-to-face through the stile, close enough to the rail to pass through the tenon, about half-way down its length. Then glue and insert dowels or pegs.

What is a haunch in a mortise?

A haunch is a short tongue that protrudes from the rail’s shoulder, between the rail’s edge and the tongue’s edge. When a mortise and tenon joint is constructed with a stile that has a groove through which a tenon is cut, such as in frame-and-panel construction, the normal technique for forming a mortise and tenon would leave a void at the end of the slot, and this void would be visible on such assemblies as panel doors. In order to compensate for the slot, a haunched tenon is constructed so the haunch fills the groove at the tenon’s edge. Depending on the final use, the rail can have a haunch on only one side, or both sides, as required.

How to strengthen a mortise and tenon?

Mortise-and-Tenon joints can be further strengthened by the addition of a wedge. A thin kerf slot is cut into the end of the tenon, then after the tenon is inserted into the mortise, a wedge is inserted into the slot to secure the joint. Wedged joints such as these may not even require any glue, especially if the mortise is tapered to be wider at the wedge end, so that the joint can not be pulled apart by brute force.#N#The slot can be cut across the tenon’s width, along the tenon’s width, or even diagonally, to provide a variety of detail, however to produce the strongest joint, the finished joint should force the tenon apart in the direction towards where there is the most wood so that the wood around the mortise won’t split under the tension. The slot should be terminated by a hole, slightly wider than the slot’s kerf, to help prevent the wood from splitting further into the rail. A good technique to use is to drill the oversized hole first, then cutting the slot just as far as the hole.#N#A fox-wedged tenon is a variation where a wedge is used on a blind tenon. This variation is deceptively simple, yet frustratingly difficult to execute perfectly because by its very nature, once you have begun assembly you can never disassemble it, even if the assembly goes wrong! The idea is to create a stopped tapered mortise, wider as it gets deeper yet which is only one-half to two-thirds the stile’s width. The tenon is cut square, slightly shorter than the mortise is deep. The trick is to determine how wide the bottom of the mortise actually is, and to calculate the appropriate wedge thickness so that the tenon ends press against the sides, yet allow the wedge to be inserted completely. The assembly process involves placing the wedges loosely in the slots, carefully inserting the tenon into the mortise, then forcing the tenon into the joint which will force the wedges into the slots. Once this process is begun, the tenon starts to widen, and the joint is impossible to separate successfully, but if done successfully, you are left with a very strong mechanically bound joint that will last you for many years without any visible fastener, and optionally without any glue either.

What should the thickness of a tenon be when cutting a mortise?

If cutting the mortise and tenon by hand, the mortise walls and the tenon should all be of equal size (one-third the stock thickness). This is to prevent accidental splitting of the boards during the construction of the mortise or tenon. If cutting the mortise and tenon by machine, very little stress is applied and therefore a tenon thickness of one-half the stock’s thickness can be used. which gives equal strength to the tenon and the mortise walls once the joint is glued.

What is the joint that is shaped onto the end of another board?

The joint has two basic components: a mortise which is essentially a hole cut into one board, and a tenon which is a tongue that is shaped onto the end of another board which will fit into the mortise . The cheeks are the sides of the tongue or mortise , and the shoulder is the portion of the tongue-board that rests against the mouth ...

Can you put blanks in mortise and tenon joints?

This will give you two blanks that can be placed into the inside corners of the mortise-and-tenon joint and shaped at will. An even better suggestion is to shape the two (or more) corners simultaneously before attaching them so that you can ensure the curves are identical.

What is a notched mortise?

Notched mortise and tenon joints have a very short tongue that extends from the shoulder of the rail and is located between the rails edge and the tongue’s edge. This mortise and tenon joints were created to fill the void that other mortise and tenon joints would leave in construction. When a door was constructed with a frame and panel there would be a visible groove or void at the end of the slot. In order to get rid of this groove a new design needed to be created, the notched or haunched joint. This new design fills this groove and gives the door a better-looking construction with added strength. Depending on how the piece is being used the rail can have a notch on only one side or both sides.

What type of mortise and tenon do we use?

There are 3 types of mortise and tenon joinery that we use at Meridian Products in our product construction. We use the blind mortise and tenon joint, the notched mortise and tenon joint (aka haunched), and the coped mortise and tenon joint. Mortise and tenon joints are an extremely old construction technique that can be traced back thousands of years and is considered one of the strongest joints next to the dovetail joint. The mortise is the hole that is cut into a board and the tenon or tongue is the piece that is shaped to fit into the mortise. Think of it as square peg going into a square hole.

How to keep mortise sides parallel?

To help keep the mortises' sides parallel, you can use a scrap squared block of wood to keep the chisel square to the stock, as shown in the photo. Trim the ends of the mortise with a chisel that's the same width as the tenon.

What tools do you need to cut mortise?

If you're doing woodworking on a shoestring budget, you'll be happy to know that the only tools you need to cut tight-fitting mortise and tenon joints are a square, knife and marking gauge, a fine-toothed saw, and a couple of sharp chisels and mallet.

How to cut a hole in a woodwork?

It's best to use a bit that leaves a flat-bottomed hole, like a Forstner bit. Using a wide chisel, chop the waste on the sides back to the line. I like to use a mallet to drive the chisel for the initial rough cuts, then take the chisel in hand to do the final trimming. For the final trim cut, set the chisel into the fine scribed line, and first just tap the chisel and deepen the mark. Then, tap the chisel down to the full depth of the mortise.

How to cut a tenon?

To cut the tenon, clamp the stock vertically into a sturdy bench vise and use a fine-toothed saw (tenon saw, backsaw, Japanese dozuki, etc.) to carefully cut down the cheek lines to the shoulders .

Can you use a drill press to cut a mortise?

You may also wish to use a drill (a drill press is even better), to remove waste from the mortise ahead of chopping it to final size, and of course, you'll also need to supply some elbow grease and a healthy dose of patience. For this example, I'll describe how to create a standard hidden (blind) mortise and tenon joint.

Can you use the same gauge setting for mortise and tenon?

If both joint members are the same thickness and the mortise and tenon is centered, you can use the same gauge setting to mark the sides of the mortise. I find it easiest to chop the mortise first, then cut the tenon and pare it to fit.

How to make a mortise?

To make the mortise, start by using a drill press to make the initial hole in the wood, and then use your plunge router to finish up the walls of the mortise. The plunge router is necessary to ensure that your mortise walls are perfectly straight.

What is a mortise in woodworking?

The mortise, which is a hole carved into one of the wood pieces. The mortise may be square-cut, or it may have flared edges depending on the type of tenon being used.

What Is a Wedged Mortise and Tenon Joint?

Before we go over what this type of joint is, it might help to know what a basic mortise and tenon joint is.

What is the advantage of a wedged mortise?

The advantage of wedged mortise and tenon joints over basic ones is that because the pieces of wood are not glued together, you can easily disassemble the joint by removing the wedges.

How many kerfs do you need to cut a tenon?

After cutting the basic shape of the tenon, you need to cut two stress-relief holes and two kerfs. The kerfs allow you to slide wedges into the joint, while the stress-relief holes allow the tenon to flex without splitting.

When fitting a tenon, should it be smaller than the mortise?

When fitting your tenon, it should be just ever so slightly smaller than the mortise it fits into; the space between the tenon and the mortise should ideally be no greater than the thickness of a piece of paper.

When making a mortise and tenon joint, is it better to cut the mortise first or?

When creating any mortise and tenon joints, it’s always better to cut the mortise first and the tenon second. It’s a lot easier to adjust a tenon to fit a mortise; you can always cut a tenon smaller if it’s too big or use larger wedges to compensate if it’s too small. A mortise can only be adjusted to make it bigger, not smaller.

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1.Blind mortise Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Url:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blind%20mortise

24 hours ago The meaning of BLIND MORTISE is a mortise that does not extend entirely through the material in which it is cut.

2.Blind mortise | Article about blind mortise by The Free …

Url:https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/blind+mortise

5 hours ago What is blind mortise-and-tenon? A stopped (blind) mortise-and-tenon joint is one in which the tenon is hidden fully in the mortise (see Figure 2). This type of tenon is often used on table and …

3.What are the different types of mortise and tenon joints?

Url:https://famousartisan.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-mortise-and-tenon-joints/

35 hours ago blind mortise, stopped mortise. A mortise whose depth is less than the thickness of the piece into which it is cut, so that it does not pass through it. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture …

4.What Is a Mortise-and-Tenon Joint and How Do You Use It?

Url:https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/mortise-and-tenon-joint/

28 hours ago  · Here, we’ll provide illustrations and explanations of each of the more common mortise and tenon joints, including blind, through, pinned, and wedged mortise and tenon joints. …

5.Mortise And Tenon Frame Joints - Woodwork Details

Url:https://www.woodworkdetails.com/knowledge/joints/frame/mortise-and-tenon/

14 hours ago  · Mortise hole lengths: Should be between one and four times the hole’s width, ranging from a square to a rectangle, or a circle to an oval. Anything more than that should be …

6.Blind vs Through Mortises? - FineWoodworking

Url:https://www.finewoodworking.com/forum/blind-vs-through-mortises

27 hours ago  · The blind mortise-and-tenon joint gives the outward appearance of a butt joint, however has all the strength and advantages of a mortise-and-tenon joint. The mortise does …

7.Mortise and Tenon Joinery | Meridian Products

Url:https://www.meridianproduct.com/blog/mortise-and-tenon-joinery/

21 hours ago  · Buzzsaw. IMHO through mortises do add a bit of appeal in larger sectioned timber furniture but possibly more importantly can be tightened up if they loosen when used in timber …

8.Hand Cut Mortise and Tenon Joints - Rockler …

Url:https://www.rockler.com/learn/hand-cut-mortise-tenon-joints

12 hours ago  · The mortise is the hole that is cut into a board and the tenon or tongue is the piece that is shaped to fit into the mortise. Think of it as square peg going into a square hole. The …

9.Wedged Mortise and Tenon Joints: What You Need to Know

Url:https://lumber.org/wedged-mortise-and-tenon/

3 hours ago  · Trim the ends of the mortise with a chisel that's the same width as the tenon. To cut the tenon, clamp the stock vertically into a sturdy bench vise and use a fine-toothed saw (tenon …

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