Woodwork Joints | Page 9

chiefly used for connecting the internal parts of wooden
frames. It is stronger than the halving joint, and, owing to its peculiar
construction, requires little in the way of pegs, screws or nails to secure
it in position. Fig. 81 illustrates the joint, both open and closed.
To understand the method of setting out and marking, glance at the
sketch, Fig. 81. It is not necessary that the bridle piece A be the same
width as the cross piece B; but it must be remembered when setting out
the joint with the marking knife or pencil that the width marked W on
piece B must be equal to the width W on the piece A. The timber
should be fairly accurately sawn or planed to the same thickness, and
all edges should be square and true.
The wood is placed upon the bench, and the joint marked out by using
a marking knife or penknife blade and the try square. A knife blade is
much better than a pencil, as the sharp edge severs the fibres of the
wood and gives a finer line than the pencil. It is not always necessary to

exactly square and trim the end of piece A; it may with advantage in
many cases be left at least 1/4 in. longer than necessary and levelled off
with the saw, plane and chisel after the joint is put together. (See
Method of Cutting in Fig. 92, page 47.)
When the piece A has to have a bridle joint fitted at each end, it is
customary to cut the timber about 3/8 in. longer than necessary, and
mark the shoulder lines C to the exact length, after which the joints are
cut. This leaves the ends standing over the horizontal rails, and, after
fixing the complete frame together, the small projecting ends are
levelled off flush with the cross rails.
GAUGING.--After squaring all the shoulder lines round the timber
with the knife and try square, the mortise gauge should be set so as to
strike the two gauge lines marked G, Figs. 83 and 84, at one operation.
If the worker does not possess a mortise gauge the lines may be marked
at two distinct operations with the aid of the marking gauge (Fig. 82).
The gauge should be adjusted so as to mark the wood into thirds, and
the stock of the gauge (the portion of the gauge containing the thumb
screw in Fig. 82) must be used from the face side of the timber when
gauging up the whole of the pieces forming a frame. The face mark on
the work is indicated by a glorified comma, and the edge mark is
shown by X, as in the various illustrations. Fig. 82 shows the method of
holding the gauge in the right hand whilst gauging the lines on the
work.
[Illustration: Fig. 81.--Bridle Joint, open and closed.]
[Illustration: Fig. 82.--Gauging the Timber.]
The joint, when marked out, will appear as at Figs. 83 and 84, and the
portions which are to be cut away may be shaded with a pencil as
indicated; this will prevent mistakes arising whilst cutting the work,
especially by one who is not thoroughly familiar with the joint.
The distance A B, in Fig. 84, must not be less than the distance A B in
Fig. 83.

[Illustration: Fig. 83., Fig. 84. The Two Parts of the Joint Marked.]
BORING AWAY WASTE.--Examine Fig. 84; the shaded portion in
the centre has to be cut away, and it will greatly facilitate the removal
of this waste piece by boring a hole with a twist bit at the position
shown. The twist bit should be about 1/8 in. less in diameter than the
width between the gauge lines G. The easiest method of boring out this
hole is shown at Fig. 85, which gives the correct position of the worker.
[Illustration: Fig. 85.--Vertical Boring previous to Chiselling.]
SAWING.--The wood should be put in the vice as Fig. 86. Taking up a
saw, with the index finger on the side of the handle, commence sawing,
and proceed until you come to the position indicated by the dotted hand
and saw A; this will leave a saw kerf or cut running diagonally from the
shoulder line to corner of the wood. Release the vice and refix the
wood so that it leans in exactly the opposite direction to Fig. 86; then
reverse your own position and repeat the sawing, so as to cut another
diagonal saw cut from the shoulder line to the corner. Fix the wood
upright, as shown at Fig. 87, and saw as shown, when you will find that
the saw has no tendency to run out of the guide cuts already formed by
the method used at Fig. 86. Remember, when commencing to