LITMIR.BIZ

      7

      ESSENTIAL JOINERY

      INTRODUCTION

      with furniture made of metal and glass.

       Apparently “cold and uninviting” was the

       mood I was shooting for. It wasn’t until later in

       my woodworking career that I started to get

       comfortable with the idea of filling my home

       with my creations. And today, I find myself in

       an office trimmed with alder at a desk made

       of cherry with striking sapwood accents. I

       guess I should just come out and say it: I love

       wood. But even though I am now fortunate

       enough to be surrounded by furniture of my

       own making, I still get the lion’s share of my

       enjoyment from the woodworking process

       itself: specifically, the crafting of fine joinery.

      On the surface, joinery is just a means by

       which parts are held together. But a well-

       executed wood joint does much more than

       that. Allow me to employ an analogy: When a

       band plays, most people simply hear the song.

       But to a musician, a song is heard as the sum

       of its parts: guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.

       When the instruments are played well and the

       singer has a pleasant voice, the song will likely

       sound decent. But the real magic happens

       when the musicians work well together: when

       the bass and drums find the pocket and create

       an undeniably solid rhythm; when the guitar

       melody flirts with the vocal pattern so they

       become inseparable. These are the things that

       separate good music from great music. So it

       is with furniture. The joinery is what makes

       furniture more than just a collection of parts.

       It’s where the furniture comes to life and

       reveals the personality, love, and pride that

       went into making it.

      You might think I’m a little goofy for placing

       so much importance on joinery, considering

       most people will never see it. But I don’t

       do woodworking for pats on the back and

       accolades: I do it because I love the process.

      Each joint is a little project in and of itself

       with its own challenges, risks, and rewards.

       When I apply that final coat of finish to a newly

       constructed table, I feel an incredible sense

       of pride knowing I did my best and my sturdy

       joints are nestled in the cozy homes I made

       especially for them. Am I romanticizing joinery

       too much? Perhaps. I’m trying to sell books

       here! But let’s be honest, the world could

       certainly benefit from a little more romance,

       reverence, and yes, goofiness.

      In the end, how much effort you put into

       your joinery is completely up to you. There’s

       nothing wrong with butt joints, biscuits, and

       pocket screws. As long as you’re making

       things you’re happy with, you have my full

       support and respect. I do encourage all

       woodworkers to explore new and improved

       ways of doing things, including better joinery.

      If you’re like me when I first started, you’re

       probably a little intimidated by all of the

       terminology and options in the world of

       joinery. Classic joinery texts are informative

       and exhaustive, but also overwhelming and

       sometimes short on details. My goal with this

       book is to demystify joinery by distilling the

       topic down to the most useful joints in the

       craft. I truly believe that if you can master

       these five essential joinery categories, you’ll

       have the skill set to make just about any piece

       of furniture. We’ll cover the process in a step-

       by-step fashion while showing you various

       ways to get the job done. Depending on your

       personal desires or tool collection, you might

       prefer one method over another.

      So with that long-winded introduction,

       it’s time to leave the world of motivations,

       intangible benefits, and country music. Let’s

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