There are many ways to join pieces of wood, but mortise and tenon joints are the standard against which most alternatives are measured. In this comprehensive video (15 minutes), University of Rio Grande program director Eric Matson explains how mortise and tenon joints are used in typical post-and-rail construction — the type of construction often used in high-quality chairs, tables, and beds. In these applications, vertical posts (or legs) are joined with horizontal rails (or aprons). It’s the perfect application for this traditional joint.

In this video, Eric deconstructs a sample side table to show us how high-quality furniture is designed and built. Learn how to layout mortises for maximum strength, how to incorporate and work with split tenons, how to mark-up twin tenoned mortises, and how to account for reveals, offsets, and non-flush designs. Eric’s systematic approach minimizes errors and helps make layout and construction more efficient. For me, that’s the key point; understanding what makes for consistent, repeatable, quality joints. Armed with the information in this video and careful step-by-step application of what you’ve learned, you can craft better, stronger, faster joints. — (15.5 Minute Woodworking Video)

Eric Matson is the Director of the Fine Woodworking Program at Rio Grand University. Rio Grande offers a one year certificate program, as well as two year associates and four year college degree programs. Graduates have the skills and knowledge to be productive in custom furniture shops and architectural/cabinet shops. Rio Grande (pronounced rye-oh) is in Southern Ohio.

Marking gauges are used to create layout lines for hand cut dovetails, mortise & tenon joinery, and other types of high-quality furniture and cabinet joints. There are many types of marking gauges, but the principles of their use are similar. The goal: create precise and repeatable cuts or scoring marks on wood surfaces that can then be used as reference lines for chisel, hand saw, and/or hand plane cuts. In this concise video overview, cabinetmaker Craig Vandall Stevens will show you how to get optimal layout lines on your next project. (2.5 Minute Woodworking Video)

A shop-made Japanese style marking gauge is used in this video, but the methods and principles shown can be applied to western style tools as well.