Chapter 1
The global forest of ancient builders
Chapter 2
The secret language of wood
Chapter 3
Master joinery and the physics of strength
Chapter 4
The toolbox and the modern maker
YOUR GOAL
Master of The cosmic puzzle of carpentry
Ch 3 · Master joinery and the physics of strength
artiteacher Traditional Japanese Wood Joinery
Joints slide, beams sway, still standing tall!
artiteacher PVA glue penetrates wood pores to form plastic chains, while heat undoes ancient Egyptian animal collagen glue to
artiteacher Warm light shines on two pieces of polished wood joined together like puzzle pieces.
Fun Fact
Dovetail endurance: Dovetail joints have been found perfectly preserved in Egyptian tombs dating back over five thousand years.
Glossary
mortise and tenon (noun)
A joint formed by inserting a projecting tongue of one wood piece into a matching cavity in another. Ancient builders utilized this joint's superior shear resistance to construct durable Neolithic water wells in Europe.
A joint formed by inserting a projecting tongue of one wood piece into a matching cavity in another. Ancient builders utilized this joint's superior shear resistance to construct durable Neolithic water wells in Europe.
Quiz
Which classic joint consists of a protruding wooden tongue inserted into a matching square hole?
Quiz
What direction of wood grain expansion must a carpenter always plan for when building furniture?
Quiz
For how many years have woodworkers been using dovetail joints to build durable chest drawers?
Quiz
How does modern polyvinyl acetate (PVA) wood glue bond two pieces of wood together?
Quiz
What is the primary benefit of using traditional animal hide glue in fine furniture making?
Quiz
What shape gives the fingers of a dovetail joint their incredible resistance to being pulled apart?