# Are drawbore pins unecessary in vertical joinery?



## Planeandsimple (Jan 21, 2015)

It's fairly common to use mortise and tenon joints to join the legs of a workbench to its feet and arms (top bearers). I see a number of people putting in drawbore pins to secure these vertical joints. Now don't get me wrong - a drawbore joint is incredibly strong, and doesn't need glue, and if you use the right accent wood for your pins it can look really good, but _apart from aesthetics, _would drawbore pins really add much to a _vertical _mortise and tenon joint in a woodworking bench? 

To clarify, I'm talking about double tenons here, and let's say through tenons. These puppies aren't going to be moving around given the weight of the top of the bench on the arms, legs and feet. I doubt that either vibration or wracking is going to be a problem sans pins, so are they not necessary? I guess I mean with or without glue, too. I'd probably glue the joint, if there were no good reason not to.

Also, I'm not asking about horizontal joints - without gravity helping out I think drawbore pins would definitely be helpful to keep a horizontal joint together.

What do you think? Ever had an issue with a vertical mortise and tenon joint and add pins to solve the problem?


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I have a method I like for pinning tenons. I take a square peg and round it all but the last part of the peg which I leave square. Then when I hammer it home the square peg makes the round hole a little square and the round hole makes the square peg a little round. This insures that if the wood peg shrinks a little it still stays put.

I use glue but not a lot. I'm not a big squeeze out fan on tenons. 

Al


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I can't see there being too much of an issue without the pins unless you tried to lift the top, but at the same time, it can't hurt


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

In your specific case the pins really add nothing. Pins are normally used to hold items together, not for strength. Of course as noted above by epicfail48 they really come in handy if you want to move something.

George


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I have a set of three Shaker style tables I built from Thos. Moser plans. They all use mortise and tenon joints on the legs to the skirt When the glue lets go or weakens somewhere down the road the pinned joints will hold the legs in place far longer than if they weren't there. The tables are now over 30 years old and still grace the living room in my southern sub tropic home. Where moisture content of the wood takes highs and lows every year.

Al


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

Pinned tenons would serve their purpose if you wanted to use hide glue where it may be in a moist/humid environment or if you wanted to skip using glue. Type II or Type III glues do not benefit from being pinned unless the joint is subjected to very high pulling/racking stress. Aesthetically it is very pleasing and I use pins for that reason alone. My bench utilizes through tenons and without pins everything is still quite sturdy after two years of continuous use. That's my primary hand-tool bench where I pound, saw, plane etc. My previous bench was built with screws and glue and lasted for over 20 years without anything coming loose.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Right Horse. But some day the glue will start to break down and the pins will more than double the life due to less chance of movement. It's something another generation will benefit from and with my stamp on the furniture they will say, That Al really wanted these to last. 

I like the through tenon too and many times wedge them.








Al


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

I just like traditional joinery.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I just like traditional joinery.


+1

Al


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

I might add too that if my bench was in the garage or an outdoor shop then I would have pinned or wedged the tenons. In my basement where the environment is controlled there is far less stress placed on the joints. I'll check back in 20 years and let you know how it worked (or didn't).


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