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What is the purpose of the joinery on the apron of this Nicholson bench?

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  Sylvain 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
#4 ·
It's portable, so the angle let's you know which side goes where…

Seriously though, IMHO, the joinery is to save a single or two cut per leg. The angle cut on the 4×4 is only as deep as the apron - not the entire depth of the 4×4. So the angles on both legs "lock" the apron in place, and by them being slanted only require two cuts of the apron instead of three per leg if you were going to do square cuts. I wouldn't say they are to show off joinery skis since they are fairly simple. Though I would say they do also look fancier than square cuts.
 
#5 ·
It's portable, so the angle let's you know which side goes where…

Seriously though, IMHO, the joinery is to save a single or two cut per leg. The angle cut on the 4×4 is only as deep as the apron - not the entire depth of the 4×4. So the angles on both legs "lock" the apron in place, and by them being slanted only require two cuts of the apron instead of three per leg if you were going to do square cuts. I wouldn't say they are to show off joinery skis since they are fairly simple. Though I would say they do also look fancier than square cuts.
 
#7 ·
I'm with Brian. I think that it is just easier than cutting out a square notch. 2 cuts and a little clean up with the chisel instead of 2 or more cuts and chop out the waste and then clean up with the chisel.
 
#8 ·
I have to believe that the joint on that apron on Richard's (English Woodworker) bench is to help with the racking stresses while pushing against the top while planing. I can't imagine Richard would add anything to his bench builds that were purely for looks.
 
#9 ·
I have to believe that the joint on that apron on Richard's (English Woodworker) bench is to help with the racking stresses while pushing against the top while planing. I can't imagine Richard would add anything to his bench builds that were purely for looks.

- TraditionallySpeakin
The thing that doesn't make sense is that if you are pushing in one direction, one set of joinery has very little strength. Now obviously there is a shoulder behind that angle that provides extra strength. But a dovetail + shoulder joint would be much more substantial, regardless of planeing direction.

Not that I really care, I wouldn't hand plane wood if you paid me good moneys. :)
 
#10 ·
The thing that doesn t make sense is that if you are pushing in one direction, one set of joinery has very little strength. Now obviously there is a shoulder behind that angle that provides extra strength. But a dovetail + shoulder joint would be much more substantial, regardless of planeing direction.

Not that I really care, I wouldn t hand plane wood if you paid me good moneys. :)

- CWWoodworking
[/QUOTE]

I guess the idea is that the pressure of the racking would sort of concentrate into that pointy end of the joinery on the opposite side of where you are standing (in the direction of the pushing)??
 
#13 ·
If you look at the second picture, you can see that the side boards have a dado that locks into the legs which would provide the lateral , anti-racking strength. He could have simply used a square shoulder with no notch at all and it would not go anywhere. I suppose that means that he wanted some sort of aesthetic joinery to make it look nice. In the other link, instead of a dado, it appears they used dowels or loose tenons so perhaps it simply aids in alignment and is easier to cut that a square notch.
 
#14 ·
I would think the angle shoulder on the leg joint is to count lateral wracking when planing. In order for the bench to move laterally, or in the direction of planing, it would also have to rise up. The weight of the bench and the downward force of working on the top would prevent that.

- builtinbkyn
Build a bench with just the angle as the joinery. It will have very little strength. build same thing with a dovetail and it is has a lot of strength. Shoulder joint adds a ton of strength to either.

But it doesnt change the fact that a dovetail is much stronger. either direction.
 
#15 ·
Build a bench with just the angle as the joinery. It will have very little strength. build same thing with a dovetail and it is has a lot of strength. Shoulder joint adds a ton of strength to either.

But it doesnt change the fact that a dovetail is much stronger. either direction.

- CWWoodworking
Richard built that bench as a quick bench for beginners so this joinery is just more appropriate for the application is all.
 
#16 ·
Richard built that bench as a quick bench for beginners so this joinery is just more appropriate for the application is all.

- TraditionallySpeakin
It actually still makes no sense. As seen, there is one angle. A dovetail is also one angle, just reversed. Being that a dovetail is parallel to wood it is joining, one could argue a dovetail would be easier to teach. Vs the old angle shown.
 
#17 ·
It actually still makes no sense. As seen, there is one angle. A dovetail is also one angle, just reversed. Being that a dovetail is parallel to wood it is joining, one could argue a dovetail would be easier to teach. Vs the old angle shown.

- CWWoodworking
If I am thinking of this correctly the dovetail may be a less ideal joint because of the fact that the top of the joint would be stressed the wrong way on the rebound of the racking.
 
#18 ·
You will find a good description of such a workbench here

I think as Builtinbkyn.
I would think that this angled cut provide a better seating of the top+apron assembly in case of leg shrinking.
Although, IMHO, to work properly, there should be a little space (1/16"?) between the top of the leg and the bottom of the bench-top, otherwise there is no guarantee that the apron seats firmly on the angled cut. (But you could add a shim in the angled cut)

In absence of leg shrinking, the dado in the apron should provide the anti-racking property. So use wood as dry as possible for the legs.

Paul Sellers uses wedges in the apron dado which would compensate any leg shrinking. This is one of the reasons I have chosen a P.S. workbench type.
 
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