# How would you do this joinery?



## Masterjer (Nov 6, 2012)

Ive been wanting to make a garden bench and came across a design that I really like. I'm curious as to how you would do the joinery for the diagonal backrest pieces? I'm thinking half lap or floating tenon joints, but I'm wondering how you would cut it. It looks like an exercise in precision angles and joints that I'd like to try to build more skills.






It looks to me like most of it is screwed together hence the plugs and corner braces. Id like it to be a little more solid than that with quality joinery.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I would take a roll of wrapping paper (either brown or white...it's cheap), and lay out the whole back (upper and lower rails included), drawn to scale 1:1. Cut my pieces long and fit them to the drawing, and strike lines. Once you're set up, half laps would be what I would use.








 








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## Masterjer (Nov 6, 2012)

cabinetman said:


> I would take a roll of wrapping paper (either brown or white...it's cheap), and lay out the whole back (upper and lower rails included), drawn to scale 1:1. Cut my pieces long and fit them to the drawing, and strike lines. Once you're set up, half laps would be what I would use. .


Pure genius, that's why I frequent this board.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

+1 cab said
I built a bunch of fence panels 3x6 foot with a similar pattern. I laid it out on a piece of OSB to hold it all in place with stop blocks that made for consistent alignment.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'd probably go mortise and tenon, either hand cut or with loose tenons. I may be crazy, though.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Masterjer I can see where your coming from with the screws and plugs, But I think the substantial joinery used in the construction of this bench is in fact draw bore Joinery used to harden up mortice and tenons and hold them in place.

The joinery at the top of the front legs to the arms could well be dowels.
I think cabenetman lays it out well using a template for the back of the bench. 

My own personal choice for the joints on the back would be for mortice and tenon but if doing this for a client I would give them the choice of half lap or mortice and tenon its their coin.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I would go either half lap or loose tenon. Whichever struck me at the time.

The angles do not look formidable. A little over half are 90 degree and the rest are 45 degree.

George


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## Masterjer (Nov 6, 2012)

Thanks for all the great suggestions.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

amckenzie4 said:


> I'd probably go mortise and tenon, either hand cut or with loose tenons. I may be crazy, though.



I'm with you on the mortise & tenon joinery. I'm not really a fan of loose tenons. 


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