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Rocking Chairs and Dining Furniture Designed for Comfort and Built to Last Since 1992.
Gary Weeks & Co. - Furnituremakers

Mortise and Tenon

This method of joining wood was in use long before King Tut. 
Nothing has proven better.

mortise and tenon, rocking chair arm, B&W

A mortise is a hole or slot cut into a piece of wood. A tenon is a shape cut on the end of an intersecting piece of wood that fits into the mortise. When joined, the two pieces are interlocked, rigid, and secured.

Rocking Chair Arms to Back Legs

The mortise and tenon that joins the arms of our rocking chairs to the back legs is hell for stout. This is a term used on Texas farms to mean: strong, tough, reliable, and able to withstand overloading.

rocking chair arm joinery 1
rocking chair arm joinery 2
rocking chair arm joinery 3

Making the Back Leg Mortises

We put the back legs in a jig that guides a router to make a flat place (at the right plane and angle) and to cut the mortise that receives the tenon.

rocking chair back legs in mortising jig
Will mortising rocking chair back legs
rocking chair back leg mortise cheeks
rocking chair back leg mortises
can you see the rough projections where the arms will join
Will truing and mortising for the arms
first, true the place where the arm will join
then, cut the mortises

Making the Arm Tenons

We cut the tenons on the rocking chair arms at the cross cut saw.

Other Examples

We use mortises and tenons throughout the line.

Austin cleaning a mortise in a trestle table upright

Austin cleaning a mortise

testing the fit of a side table tenon

testing the fit of a side table tenon

barstool footrest mortise and tenon

barstool footrest mortise and tenon

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