Geoff's Woodwork 

for Students of Woodwork                                                       

Practise Framing Exercises

These are introductory projects that is a minimum that you need to get right before you embark on any furniture projects.   You will need to practise these joints until you can make them neat, square and free from wind with the shoulders nicely up tight and certainly no gap greater than 1/2 mm until you are good enough to make them with no discernible gaps.   Regardless how good you make them look they will be of little use if they are not of the correct dimensions.

Refer to setting out to give you the information of how to set out and the 'Stanley how to' sheets for the jointing techniques and safe tool use.

Preparing rough sawn timber.   Even though you may have machinery it is prudent to be able prepare small pieces of timber with hand tools.    This is especially important for repairing and restoration work.

These drawings have stub tenons but you should also practice with through tenons especially if you propose to do some joinery or heavier work.

I have not included exercises in  'halfings' or 'half-laps' because if you can cut a tenon by hand saw you should be skilled with halfings.    Read and practise all the joints in the 'Stanley how to series' also.   I haven't included exercises on 'halving' joints or fitting hinges but they are clearly shown in the 'Stanley' sheets and should practised well before using them on a cabinet.

Drawing 01 plain stubbed mortise and tenon frame.

Drawing 02 plain stubbed mortise and tenon frame with groove

Drawing 03 plain stubbed mortise and tenon frame with rebate

3rd January 2004