Corner connection on a straight open tenon. Encyclopedia of technologies and techniques - accessories for a router for making grooves and spikes Spikes for windows

Since ancient times, many ways of connecting wooden parts in a structure have been known. One of them is a gusset on a straight open spike, the model for which the unknown master may have served as his own fingers. With such a connection (it is also called box knitting), the “fingers” of one part are placed between the “fingers” of another, which significantly increases the area of the docking nodes and, accordingly, strengthens the connection.

The method of connecting parts to a straight open spike is not as complicated as, for example, a dovetail. Simple box knitting can be done by hand using a saw and chisel.

Such a connection of two boards resembles interlocked fingers. Although its implementation will require certain efforts and skills, we advise you to master it - this connection is very strong.

How to mark grooves

After marking the spikes, you need to mark on the part those areas that are to be removed. This way you can correctly set up the saw and guide it within the area that will be removed without confusing it with the neighboring one.

Groove Alignment

With a circular saw, the cuts are coarser, with burrs, when compared with the cuts left by a thin hand saw. Therefore, finish the grooves made mechanically with a chisel, but be careful when correcting the traces of the teeth of the circular saw. Don't over-move!

Accurately mark grooves and spikes

The width of the grooves and the thickness of the spikes in the box knit must match so that the spikes fit exactly into the grooves (in the dovetail connection, the pattern of joining the spikes and grooves is somewhat different). Most often, straight grooves and spikes in the corner joint are equal to the thickness of the board. But you can move away from the usual ratios and make the grooves and spikes wider or narrower, if it’s more convenient for you or it seems that it’s more beautiful, however, in this case, the thickness of the material must be taken into account.

even division

Before proceeding with the marking, first check whether the dimensions of the parts allow you to evenly distribute the grooves and spikes in the thickness of these parts. If not, then you can make the extreme grooves and spikes a little wider or narrower, do the rest as usual, in the thickness of the board. If this distribution seems ugly to you, make all the spikes and grooves a little narrower so that they turn out the same.

thin spikes

The narrower the spikes and grooves, the more of them, which means that it will take longer to work with a saw and a chisel. However, it is with the frequent arrangement of spikes that the connection is especially beautiful and durable. After all, with an increase in the number of “linked fingers”, the area of the docking areas covered with glue also increases significantly.

Sawing thin spikes and dredging narrow grooves by hand is a very laborious task. And it is better, of course, to “entrust” this work to mechanisms. It is no coincidence that the joiners themselves call the connection with a large number of spikes machine. Using a special milling device, you can quickly and, most importantly, with great accuracy process parts for such a connection.

Recess cutter

The use of a milling device is convenient for a number of reasons. Firstly, the cutter combines the functions of a saw and a chisel, since at the same time as grooving, the formation of spikes occurs. Secondly, the cutter can process two parts at once, which, on the one hand, speeds up the processing process, and on the other hand, ensures the most accurate connection of parts. The only condition is that the cutter must be worked on a special metal template.

Corner connection on a straight open spike is suitable not only for boxes or, for example, chests. The shelves of the rack or frame look very elegant, the details of which are connected in a similar way.

Often located thin spikes provide the connection with special strength, but this requires a lot of labor.

With such a connection, the area of \u200b\u200bthe docking sections and, accordingly, the adhesive coating increases significantly.

Corner connection with thick spikes is easier to perform, but it is also quite strong.

With wide grooves and thick spikes, it is easier to achieve the accuracy of their joining.

Sawing

First fix the part in a vertical position on the workbench and only then start cutting the spikes. Install the saw not on the markup itself, but close to it from the side of the groove. Work carefully and very carefully, make sure that the cut line does not deviate, much less intersect with the marking line. If the groove is too narrow, it can be slightly widened with a chisel or file. On the contrary, if the groove turns out to be wider than necessary (and, accordingly, the adjacent spike is thinner than necessary), then the connection will be loose or not work at all. Subsequent corrections are very laborious and not always effective.

Pay attention to the fact that the cuts do not end obliquely, which happens if the saw is not strictly horizontal. Therefore, for control, mark the depth of the grooves on both sides of the part.

work carefully

A groove that is not deep enough can always be corrected. Worse, if the groove is deeper than necessary. Then the connection will be ugly and shaky. You can, of course, slightly raise the bottom of the groove with putty, but it is still advisable not to make mistakes.

The part must be well fixed. The tenon saw must be held and guided strictly horizontally.

Gouging

Choose a chisel that fits the width of your grooves: it should be a few millimeters narrower than the groove.

Blow by blow

When processing grooves with a chisel, blows for deepening alternate with blows for chipping wood. The first ones are applied vertically along the marking of the groove depth, the second ones - at an angle towards the markings. In this case, the end part of the board is not affected. Having made an oblique recess about half the thickness of the board, it is turned over and the groove is processed in the same way on the other side. This method of gouging the grooves avoids splitting the wood.

Grooving

Carefully process the grooves with a chisel and file: they should all have the same depth, smooth side edges and a flat bottom. Only then will the joining of the parts be tight and better grasped with glue, which will ultimately ensure the strength of the entire joint. We also note that neat joining seams decorate the product.

Start grooving without touching the end of the part: this way you will avoid splitting the wood.

Mechanical restoration

You will save a lot of time if you make spikes with a special circular saw, which is set at right angles to the workpiece. The groove is obtained in one revolution of the disc. At the same time, it is much more accurate than the groove made by a conventional saw and chisel.

Even spacing

To work with a circular saw, you will need a marking ruler with which you can outline the location of the grooves and spikes on both parts. In this case, the grooves and spikes will more accurately fit each other.

The depth of cut and the width of the groove are set on the saw blade itself. However, it is recommended to check the selected parameters on an unnecessary board before proceeding to the processing of parts.

With the mechanical method of making grooves and spikes, the parts always fit exactly together.

Practice - make a tray

Corner connection on a straight open spike looks beautiful on both large and small products. Anyone who would like to master this connection must first work with small parts, the connections of which would be limited to three or four grooves and tenons, for example, try to make a tray. This will not require large labor costs, it will provide an opportunity to practice careful handling of the saw and chisel in the manufacture of corner joints. And if any of the machined parts still have to be rejected and replaced with another, then this is unlikely to affect the costs.

However, in addition to a saw and a chisel, you will also need a circular saw to make a groove on the inner sides at the bottom of the tray to insert the bottom. It is best to use a circular saw for cutting grooves.

little trick

With the help of a cutter, you will quickly make longitudinal holes in the side parts of the tray. But you can also cut holes by hand. To do this, drill two holes with a diameter of 20 mm on each side part and cut the wood between them in two steps. Carefully process the edges of the holes, slightly rounding, with sandpaper. Treat the outer edges of the entire tray in the same way.

It remains to install the bottom. Spread a blank of plastic-coated hardboard around the edges with glue and insert into the groove, then secure with pins.

Finished handles instead of holes

If desired, you can do without cutting longitudinal holes in the side parts of the tray and thereby make your work a little easier. Buy ready-made furniture handles from the hardware store and attach them to the tray with screws. There are many options for such handles, from which you can always choose the one that suits the type and size.

A good workout for the DIYer is making a simple gusseted tray onto a straight open tenon.

Tray design measuring 51 x 38 cm

Quite a lot has already been written about such tenon cutters, so I do not pretend to originality. But the thing in the workshop is definitely useful. Therefore, having assembled a tenon cutter for a straight box tenon, I decided to talk about it in my blog.

Such tenon cutters are usually made on the basis of a milling table or a circular saw. But, of course, options are also possible - depending on the invention of the master - on a band saw, a jigsaw machine, or even on a chainsaw!
I did not become original and made a device for cutting a straight box tenon for my router table (more about it here:).
Sometimes they use bearings and different guides to facilitate sliding, but I decided to do without them. The only condition is that the opposite edges of the table must be parallel. To do this, you can walk on them with a router with an emphasis on the other edge.

The first step is to cut out the base of the future tenon cutter from plywood. The dimensions of this base depend on the table itself - it must be wider than the table by the width of the side stops. I took stops of about 4 cm. The length of the stops should be the same or slightly less than the width of the table - then they will not wedge. I glued all the details of the tenon cutter with carpentry glue and fixed it with self-tapping screws - perhaps redundantly, but I wanted to.

All screw heads are recessed.

To select the correct position of the second stop, we put the workpiece with the first stop installed on the table, resting it (the first stop) against the edge of the table, apply glue to the second stop ...

And having laid a sheet of paper between the second stop and the edge, we fix it (the second stop) in this position with clamps. The gap left by the paper will be ideal for the tenon cutter to move freely along the edges of the table without dangling.

For purely aesthetic reasons, we cut the edge so that the stops are flush with the main part.

The carriage for our tenon cutter is ready

Next, a stop will be installed on this carriage, which can be adjusted and which must always be perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carriage. In order not to check this perpendicularity every time, I made a ledge with the right angles on the edge of the carriage.

On the same ledge, using the M8 bolt, I installed the handle from the adjusting mechanism of the office chair.

The handle is located exactly in the middle between the stops - this is another degree of protection against carriage jamming. The handle is quite grippy and secure. It also sets a safe position for the right hand. It is convenient to use it.

The stop is fixed with two M10 bolts with recessed heads and wing nuts. The stop can move along the ledge with the handle in both directions.

It is important that the plane of the stop is perpendicular to the plane of the carriage.

The carriage is made of 18 mm FSF plywood. I'm sure many are now choking - where such a thickness, it's some kind of monster! Well, yes, it could be made thinner, but I like things with excess strength where possible. Here is my feature.
Therefore, the cutter had to buy a special one. All characteristics and articles are visible in the photo.

We insert the pin into the resulting groove. I made it from textolite 6 mm thick.

The device is ready. The design is quite simple, it took longer to tell than to do))

The first run showed that in general the device works, but requires configuration

Careful adjustment requires the height of the cutter and the width of the tenon. After a while it started working.

It is more convenient to process parts in packages - at least two. At the same time, the outer parts have a hard time - a straight cutter mercilessly pulls out of them not just individual fibers, but entire layers. Therefore, the details must be processed, wrapping them on both sides with unnecessary bars.

See what happened to the parts that were external in the package. I don’t know how in magazines and videos they manage to process the details one by one. You can use spiral cutters - maybe this will solve the problem, but they are usually several times more expensive than straight ones.

Therefore, we simply wrap the workpieces on both sides and get an excellent result. Here it is also necessary not to lose sight of which side and in what sequence to process the parts so that they then form into a product.

In general, the result is not bad. These were test bars, but since it turned out well, I decided to finish the job and make a box.

Cut out the bottom of the box on a circular saw

And then another nuance came out - for grinding protruding spikes, a device for cutting a straight box spike should be equipped with a belt grinder or a disc grinder or something like that. An eccentric sander does not cope, filling up the edges. Otherwise, I'm happy with the purchase - it works as it should.

When making homemade wooden furniture, the master is faced with the need to make high-quality spike joints. Spike connection of parts is the highest quality and most reliable. And although recently more and more furniture is being made and assembled using metal corners, the spike does not give up its position. Not many people can just make high-quality spikes. If a person can make them, we can say that he has already become a carpenter.

In the industry, spikes are said to be "cut" on special precision equipment. At home, it is, of course, not available. Therefore, many craftsmen who make simple garden and country furniture sacrifice quality in favor of simplicity. Let me also remind you that in the vast majority of cases, spikes are cut only along the wood fibers. If the spike is made narrow and across the fibers, it will definitely chip. So that it does not chip, the width of the spike must be at least 15-20 of the thickness of the part. This requirement does not apply to plywood. In plywood, you can cut spikes of any width, but it is desirable that the outer layers be oriented along the spike in the same way.

Meanwhile, for a long time there has been a fairly simple way that allows you to quickly and efficiently make tenon joints of wooden parts, even for a novice carpenter. This method was proposed by Yu.A. Egorov. The essence of the method is quite simple and understandable.

Let's say we need to make a spike connection of two parts. For convenience in the drawings, I painted them in different colors.

A prerequisite for a quality tenon joint is the fact that each saw has a certain cutting width. It is determined by the size of the tooth setting. It can be measured by making several cuts in a piece of wood. And you can directly use the saw to take measurements in the manufacture of spikes.

On each part we apply a risk to the depth of cut, it is equal to the thickness of the parts. If the parts are the same in thickness, then the depth of cut in each part will be the same. If the parts have different thicknesses, then the depths of the cuts will be different. In a thin part, the cuts are deeper (equal to the thickness of a thick part), in a thick part - smaller.

The parts are folded with faces to each other so that the ends coincide, and relative to each other along the side faces they are shifted to the width of the saw cut, with which we will make spikes. (Not the thickness of the saw blade, but the width of the cut!). We fix the parts in a vice or workbench and make arbitrary cuts evenly over the entire width of the parts. If the parts are of different thickness, we make cuts to a depth equal to the thickness of the thin part. (In a thin detail, then we finish it separately). We try to make cuts as much as possible along the axis of the part, avoiding the taper of the spikes.

After this, we release the parts and again shift them relative to each other by the width of the cut, but only in the other direction. By the way, if we now make a shift a little less than the width of the cut, then we will subsequently get a tight tenon joint, which is important for furniture. And if we shift the parts a little more than the width of the cut, we get a free spike connection. The spikes of the parts will freely fit into the grooves of the other part. This circumstance is important in the manufacture of detachable connections (on a stud) or swivel connections.

Ignoring the old cuts, we make new ones, approximately in the middle of the existing spikes. At the same time, we also observe the depth of the cuts and especially carefully their longitudinal.

After that, we release the parts, bring the depth of cuts to the required value (for a thin part, if the parts are of different thicknesses). With a chisel, carefully remove the extra spikes (look carefully and do not remove the ones you need!), We clean the ends in the grooves.

After that, the parts can be joined.

Permanent connections are usually made with glue. For wooden parts, wood glue or PVA glue is perfect. They will maintain the reliability of the connection even if the parts get wet or the moisture content of the wood increases. If the parts will be operated in a dry room, epoxy resins (adhesives) can also be used.

After the glue has hardened, the junction is cleaned, polished and processed in the same way as the entire product.

If the connection is planned to be detachable or rotatable (for example, you are making blinds or an accordion door from boards or shields), then before proceeding with the assembly, it is necessary to round the ends of the spikes so that their corners do not rest against the grooves when turning. In fixed, but detachable connections, this is, of course, not necessary.

Having connected the parts, all the spikes are simultaneously drilled with a long thin drill. Its diameter should be equal to the diameter of the stud (nail) that you will use as an axis or fastener.

Using this method of making spikes, you can quickly, easily and most importantly, produce spikes on the details of your garden furniture with high quality.

The reliability and aesthetics of complex wood structures largely depend on the correct choice of the method of connecting its components. This is especially true for frame products, load-bearing structures, where safety parameters come to the fore.

High-quality connection of wooden parts is a guarantee of durability, the basis of an attractive appearance of the product, an indicator of the skill and professionalism of a carpenter and joiner.

Connection type selection

In general, there are a huge number of types of joints of wooden blanks, so you can only talk about some of them, the most common.

One of the easiest ways to build up a wooden part (beam, log, board), increase its width is the end connection. There are several options for its implementation. Often a simple and functional half-thickness (half-tree) method is used. Depending on the expected load on the part, the cut can be even or oblique. In some cases, the joint is strengthened with curly cutouts - locks. This type of connection prevents stretching, twisting, bending. So the timber is spliced together for the purpose of lengthening.

Creating three-dimensional frames or wooden frames requires reliable connections at various angles. In this case, it is rational to use a thorn-groove or thorn-eye connection. The nodes at the junction of the parts withstand the load of displacement, bending and compression. If the design requires high tensile strength, cutouts are made in a trapezoidal shape.

Additional connections of frame products, giving rigidity to the structure, are implemented using T-shaped or cruciform connections. The main load at the joints is compression, displacement and rupture. In special cases, the structure is additionally reinforced with metal corners, screws or nails.

To connect the boards to each other in box structures at a right angle, it is convenient to use a special box groove. As the name implies, this method is often used to create three-dimensional structures, including furniture boxes. A well-made box joint looks monolithic, has an attractive appearance and can withstand impressive loads. When creating wooden furniture, a connection is often used on dowels, pins and dominoes (when the groove has an oblong shape, in contrast to a round dowel).

Spike connection (thorn groove)

The simplest and one of the most reliable is the thorn-groove connection. It is widely used in carpentry. In a similar way, wooden parts of window frames are assembled into a single whole, a variety of parts of cabinet furniture, plywood sheets are made. The essence of this method is that a spike is made at the end of one part to be connected, which is inserted into the groove of another part and fixed in it.

For work, it is convenient to use a special lamellar milling cutter; for lack of such, you can get by with a simple hand tool. You will need:

hand saw with a fine tooth;
electric or hand drill;
several chisels of different widths;
sandpaper;
measuring tool, square and pencil.

First mark the blanks. The parameters of the tongue and groove depend on the parameters of the wooden parts and the configuration of the product, however, it is worth considering a few general recommendations.

Important! The thickness of the spike should be about a third of the thickness of the part, the width should be 70-80% of the width, the length should be equal to the thickness of the workpiece to be joined.

The groove parameters must also meet these criteria. In any case, it is important to ensure that the dimensions of the tongue and groove match. Parts should be connected easily, without pressure, but not fall out under their own weight. There should be no backlash, cracks and distortion.

The groove is cut first, this sequence is due to the fact that the spike is much easier to fit under the groove than vice versa. With the help of a saw, cuts are made, excess wood is removed with a drill, the bottom of the groove and the walls are leveled with chisels.

In most cases, only wood glue is enough to fix the parts; screws or nails will help to ensure maximum strength.

Half tree connection

Quite often, in carpentry, various options for half-wood joints (simple or direct lock) are used. This type of assembly of wooden structures is characterized by ease of manufacture and high reliability. The following varieties are distinguished:

cross connection;
half a tree - dovetail;
gusset;
on the mustache;
half-tree splicing.

The first two methods are used to connect parts that intersect at right angles. Especially popular is the dovetail, in which the cutout shape is a trapezoid and the sides do not go at a right angle. The groove of the lock slightly expands from the end, providing a more secure fit. It should be noted that a spiked joint can also be called a dovetail if the spikes are cut in the form of trapezoids.

The second and third ways form a finished corner. Splicing is used if necessary to increase the length of the workpiece.

How to make a cross connection

One of the simplest is the cross connection. It is easy to manufacture, even a novice carpenter can master its wisdom. The work is done in the following order:

marking is done. The parts to be joined overlap each other. Draw a line with a ruler. Thickness markings are applied with a thickness gauge;
the first part is clamped in a vise. With a hand saw, carefully, along the lines, a cut is made to the mark left by the thickness gauge. The workpiece is rotated. A second cut is made;
the workpiece is removed from the vise. With the help of a sharp chisel and a wooden mallet, part of the wood is removed between the cuts;
processing the second part;
the planes are leveled with sandpaper or an abrasive bar.

Now you can join the wooden blanks. The connection must be tight, without backlash and gaps. If the product is one-piece, the joints are coated with carpentry glue, the design is additionally reinforced with screws.

Formation of corners on the mustache

One of the best ways to create corners of various volumetric products is a mustache joint. It allows you to create a monolithic structure, hide the fibers of the end, thereby providing an attractive look. This method is suitable for a wide variety of products, but is most often used for the manufacture of frames and cabinet furniture parts.

To create a connection in each of the wooden parts, cuts are made at an angle equal to half the angle at which the workpieces meet. Most often, this angle is straight, therefore, the cuts are made at 45 degrees, however, the angle can vary widely. Work is performed according to the following algorithm.

First mark out the details. It is important not to forget that the markup is carried out along the long side, otherwise you can not guess with the dimensions.

On the edges to be connected, draw a line at the required angle. With a combined square, the markup is transferred to each side of the workpiece. Then a cut is made, for which it is better to use an electric miter saw, but you can also work with a hand tool. When working with a hacksaw, it is important to control the angle of the cut; it would be useful to use a bar as a guide.

Finished parts are applied to each other, checking the accuracy of fit. Irregularities will have to be smoothed out with a hand planer, bring the angle with a sandpaper. Carpentry glue is applied to both surfaces, and the product is fixed with the help of clamps. Additional strength can be achieved with the help of carnations. When working with a hammer, it is important to control the force of impact so that the workpieces do not move.

Particularly important connections are reinforced with bars, which are glued into the inner corner. The joint, which will not be visible, can be further strengthened with a metal square.

As a result of high-quality work, a perfect seam will turn out. If a small gap has formed, then it can be hidden by straightening the adjacent wood fibers using a smooth cylindrical surface. For this, the rod of a conventional screwdriver is suitable.

Spike in the eye

Corner and tee (example: T-shaped connection of a window frame) intersections are conveniently performed using the tongue-and-groove method. In this case, the eye is made at the end of the vertical part, cuts for the spike - in its horizontal component.

Work begins with the marking of the eye. The workpiece thickness is divided by three. With a thin hacksaw, cuts are made to a depth equal to the width of another workpiece. With the help of chisels, excess wood is removed, the walls of the eye are leveled with sandpaper.

Mark the second blank. The width of the stud should be equal to the width of the first workpiece, the thickness should be equal to the thickness of the stud. The cuts are made with a hand saw, the depth and angle of inclination are carefully controlled. Excess is removed with a chisel.

The final finishing in thickness is performed with sandpaper. Parts should be connected with light force and not fall apart under their own weight.

Thorn in the jack

A more complex connection is the spike-to-socket method. It requires more skill, but is much more reliable and durable. The scope of use is the same as in the previous case, namely, T-shaped joints. The difference of this method lies in the fact that the spike is made at the end of the vertical part, a nest is sawn out in the body of the horizontal.

This is one of the most common furniture joints. There is a connection with a through spike and with a deaf one. The difference is that in the first case, a through socket is cut out, in the second, a slot is made to a certain depth.

Features of the Japanese carpentry connection

Unprecedented heights of carpentry art were reached by Japanese masters. Using traditional techniques, combining various types of connections, they create precise and reliable joints without the use of nails or other fasteners. Docking of various wooden parts is carried out solely due to the force of friction.

The reliability of these connections is based on an accurate cut. Perfectly matched lock lines on both mating parts allow you to create a connection with impeccable accuracy. Complex lock configurations require a lot of experience, knowledge and ability to use the tool, but if you wish, all this can be learned.

Rallying boards

High-quality wood is expensive, it is not always possible to buy a good board with the necessary parameters, and it is not always necessary. To make, for example, a table top, it is not at all necessary to look for a table-wide board, having carpentry skills, you can create an ideal wooden canvas with the necessary parameters.

There are many payment options. A board with a spike and a groove, the so-called lining, is widespread. It allows you to create smooth wooden surfaces of a large area. A simplified version of it is often used - a board with a quarter joint.

Rallying for a smooth fugue (butt)

The easiest way that does not require additional elements. The side faces of the boards are jointed, it is better to do this in pairs, clamping both adjacent boards in a vise and simultaneously processing them. Such processing will create an accurate surface on which the irregularities of one board will be compensated for by the irregularities of the other. Both boards are smeared with glue and fixed until it is completely solidified.

Rallying load-bearing elements

There are several ways to extend (build up) a board that is part of the supporting structure. The simplest and most reliable is a half-tree connection, followed by an overlay on the junction of reinforcing strips. Non-critical areas can be reinforced with plywood.

The same method is used for articulating boards at different angles. Precisely made cuts of the articulated parts make it possible to do without reinforcing pads, it is enough to fix the boards at the junction with screws.

Cutting without residue means that the laid logs will form an even corner, their ends will not protrude beyond the building, its separate variety is a warm corner. Cutting with the remainder, in turn, means that an interweaving of protruding ends will form at the corners of the building. The second method is more expensive in terms of the amount of material, but the building retains heat better and is more stable.

There are various ways to connect wood parts, the ability to determine the best one for a particular type of work will significantly diversify the range of products that a master can make. The correctly chosen method will provide an attractive appearance to the product and guarantee the reliability of the three-dimensional structure.

The recommendations of experts on how to make a tenon with a manual milling cutter ensure the convenient use of this tool in the manufacture of furniture, load-bearing structures from lumber. Elements of tables and chairs are assembled on spikes of a simple configuration. Spikes of complex configurations of increased reliability are used for the manufacture of frames of cottages using half-timbered technology.

Figure 1. Scheme of the root tenon.

To create a spike with a milling cutter, it is enough to fix the workpiece relative to the guide surface for the sole of the power tool, set the required height of the working body - the cutter. Home-made devices from improvised materials significantly improve the quality of the tenon, the safety of work, and are convenient for mass production of the same elements or interlocks on workpieces of various sizes and configurations (Fig. 1).

The choice of power tools, cutters

A standard tenon is a two-sided selection of wood from one edge of the workpiece. For this, any hand router with a collet of 12 mm or 8 mm is suitable. Rectangular slot cutter is perfect for machining two parts used in this connection:

side surface, lower end are necessary to create a groove;
the spike is made by the end edge of the tool with a manual milling cutter.

Figure 2. Scheme of a device for milling spikes.

Thus, having filled the cutter once, the master gets rid of the need to reinstall the equipment, which is very convenient during construction, serial production of furniture.

The dovetail spike is more reliable, durable, and for its manufacture you will need a similar cutter with the same name. However, the adaptation in this case will be completely different. The hand router for the tenon is a universal tool, so it does not need to be replaced. This type of power tool has comfortable side handles, a wide sole, and a spindle lock from turning when changing equipment. The overhang of the cutter at the moment of cutting cannot be changed due to the side stop.

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Making a stud picker

Unlike a professional machine, the working tool does not have a fixation in space. It is fed onto a fixed workpiece with both hands. Therefore, the manufacture of a device for clamping a part at the first stage is a reasonable necessity. The simplest device for this is the design (Fig. 2) of fixed guides (upper, lower, side), a movable bar, which regulates the length of the sample. To assemble it, you must perform the following steps:

fix on a piece of plywood (along its edges) side vertical elements of the same height with central cutouts;
cover them with guides along which the sole of the router will move;
put side bars, limiting the course of the power tool along the upper guides;
install a movable element on the bottom plywood, which regulates the departure of the edge of the workpiece, which is subjected to milling.

Figure 3. Spike sampling scheme.

To fix the movable bar, a standard thumb screw or special fasteners are used. The dimensions of all structural elements are selected individually:

the height of the upper guides is equal to the thickness of the workpiece in which the spike is made, taking into account a small gap for installing a fixing wedge;
the width of the notch in the vertical elements depends on the length of the tenon created by the hand router.

To work on this device, a manual milling cutter of any modification, manufacturer, is suitable, since most models provide for the adjustment of cutting speed, feed, departure of the working body.

For the dovetail spike, a device with the opposite principle is used:

in a sheet of plywood, located horizontally, a power tool is motionlessly fixed;
its body is located below, the cutter comes out from the back of the sheet into a through hole;
a bar of hardwood (beech, birch, oak) is attached to the desktop;
a piece of board 2.5 cm is fixed on the bar, which is a consumable (used once with a certain diameter of the cutter).

Structurally, the fixation of a manual router in a sheet of plywood is solved by several options - clamps, self-tapping screws. It is important that the fasteners do not protrude onto the working side of the plywood. The sheet itself can be attached to a workbench, lean on a couple of chairs, fixed on several rows of timber, goats, scaffolding.

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Stud selection: straight version, dovetail modification

Video 1 shows in detail how to make a spike at home by making the simplest fixture for one-time or mass production. The technology of work on the created device for a straight spike is as follows:

the part is placed on the lower support plane on the opposite side from the movable bar;
the edge of the workpiece, on which the spike is milled, extends into the cutout of the upper guides until it stops in the movable element at the desired distance (the length of the spike);
the movable bar is fixed with a lamb or a clamp;
the workpiece is wedged with a special element between its upper plane, the upper guides;
a hand mill is placed on the upper guides;
the lower end of the tooling removes wood from one side of the spike;
the workpiece is turned over, the operation is repeated for the other side of the tenon.

Dovetail wiring diagram.

The technology provides high performance for the same parts. Thanks to the device created once, you can make a spike on parts of any configuration, size. The router is set up after it is installed on the upper rails:

the cutter is lowered to the stop on the lower plane of the plywood;
the thickness of the part is measured;
the tooling rises to the desired height (usually the thickness of the workpiece divided by 4).

Straight spikes for high-quality fixation in reciprocal grooves are usually connected with glue.

This provides a high connection resource, prevents loosening of the load-bearing frame of buildings and structures during the operation of furniture (Fig. 3).

The choice of cutters for the dovetail connection is arbitrary, experts recommend a groove about half the thickness of the part. A simple way to make a structure with this connection is shown in video 2. The sequence of operations is as follows:

horizontal placement of a plywood sheet with a manual milling cutter fixed on the underside;
fixing one side of the guide bar with a screw (a consumable piece of the board is attached to the bar from the side of the cutting tool);
installation of a guide bar at the required distance from the center of the cutter with fixing its second edge to the plywood with a clamp (the width of the workpiece minus the diameter of the dovetail cutter in the wide part, divided in half);
selection of a groove to the desired length (the width of the workpiece with a spike);
setting the guide bar to the required distance for selecting the tenon (the clamp is removed, the cutter cuts into the consumable piece of the board in such a way that the distance from its vertical plane to the center of the cutter is: the width of the part minus the width of the groove, divided in half);
fastening the second side of the guide bar with a clamp;
selection of the side surfaces of the workpiece.

After fitting the spike into the groove, the thickness of the spike is adjusted. It should enter the reciprocal groove without effort, with a small gap necessary to accommodate the adhesive composition. If necessary, the guide bar is moved, the milling is repeated until this condition is met.