Each week we bring you a round-up of interesting and entertaining woodworking content from the Woodworkers Institute and the web, including handy tips to help you get stuck into your next woodworking project.
Mark Baker Woodturner of the Year Competition – Winners Announced!
See the winning creations in issue 406 of Woodturning. Purchase here
The Woodjoint – Both Familiar and Unfamiliar
The humble wood joint is the backbone of all wooden furniture, and is fundamental to the built world. While basic joints like the butt or lap joint are common in everyday construction, more intricate and esoteric methods have been developed over centuries, often reflecting cultural norms, regional craftsmanship and ingenuity. The current buzz around Japanese Joinery stems from a woodworking tradition developed in isolation over hundreds of years.
In the realm of traditional Asian joinery, the kigumi techniques of Japanese woodworking stand out. The Kanawa tsugi (a type of half-blind scarf joint) is used to join beams invisibly, while the Shihou-hozo (four-way mortise and tenon) allows for a column to intersect multiple beams without fasteners. These joints rely purely on friction and precise engineering, resulting in structures that can endure centuries without degradation.
Closer to home, the common scarf joint is used in boat building and timber framing to extend the length of beams. By carefully interlocking two tapered ends, often reinforced with pegs or splines, this joint maintains strength while appearing nearly seamless. Another fascinating method is the gooseneck joint, seen in fine furniture and cabinetmaking. This complex curved joint is often used in the graceful arms of chairs, requiring precise shaping and alignment. Similarly, the rabbeted dovetail—a hybrid of the dovetail and rabbet joint—enhances strength while offering a decorative element. Similarly, the bird’s mouth joint, often used in roof rafters, allows for a snug fit onto a beam while distributing weight efficiently. The mitered bridle joint, though rare, combines elegance with strength, often used in high-end cabinetry.
Despite modern adhesives and fasteners, these wonderfully creative joints endure, partly as a challenge to those who like to put their skills to the test, but also as a testament to the marriage of form and function. Whether hidden within a framework or showcased as a design feature, they symbolise the fun, challenge and reward of fine craftsmanship.
Videos of the Week
Articles of the Week
What else from the Woodworkers Institute?
Upcoming Competition – Next Month
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