hand cut bridle joint

[Pekka Huhta]

It is easier to clean up the waste if you don't even try to cut it parallel to the bottom of the joint.

.... unless you saw a series of kerfs first.

Sure That's why I said:

Sawing may be handy sometimes (it also helps to level the bottom of the joint), but in many cases I think it can be easily avoided with this trick.

The best world of both is to saw the kerfs and use a slicing cut, but I'm a lazy man and have learned to avoid the kerfs this way. It's just extra work sawing them if you can cut the joint without.


Most of the work I do is less demanding than hi-end furniture from exotic woods, so I do skip extra work phases as much as possible. In fact I got the inspiration of showing that trick from a pair of small rafter frames (?) I just made a few days ago for a small canopy over a front door.

That's pretty far from fine furniture :wink: As I use a lot of softwoods and my techniques are closer to timber framing than furniture carpentry, I have a bit of a different approach.

I don't even know if that trick could be used with hard and gnarly exotic woods, probably the kerfs are much better approach for them. But for softer woods that works fine.

Pekka

 

[Ironballs]

Pekka it may be outdoor carpentry in a softwood but those pieces are still very well made with some lovely design touches. You'll have to post a pic in situ

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Pekka, they are very pretty and I shall be stealing your design without a doubt!

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Pekka Huhta]

Thanks! The canopy is a "pair" for a new balcony I built this summer. The canopy is still on my porch being painted, but I'll start a new thread for both of them when I get everthing finished - next week maybe.

Pekka

 

[bugbear]

I make no comment on the joinery, but the shaping and proportions are superb!

BugBear

 

[head clansman]

hi pekka

really really nice work, i do it that way as well, i've just come back from holland from visiting my daughter in almere buiten in here straat (street) there all the houses have a very similar styled gallows brkt support to the canopy over there rear doors .hc