The Chairmaker’s Mortise & Tenon Joint Chairmakers live and die by their Mortise & Tenon joints. The average panel door does not get stood on, climbed by hyper toddlers or get rocked back and forth with the weight of a full grown adult perched only on the rear legs. A chair with poor Mortise and tenon joints is firewood in waiting. I make handmade chairs (Take a look at some at https://www.tchair.org or https://www.instagram.com/rtchernis/ ). In order for them to survive in this harsh cruel world I have learned the crucial elements that facilitate a strong mortise and tenon joint. A well made six pound chair can support a 250 pound person and will stay strong well after the glue has failed. A recipe for a long lasting strong mortise and tenon joint: 1. The fit of the joint. A tightly fitting joint is very important. Any movement in the joint will be exacerbated during the life of the chair. Given the variety of stresses the joint will ...