Wet/dry joinery or dry/dry?

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Jim

New member
I'm curious as to methods of joinery everyone is using in making thier Windsor chairs. Wet/dry or dry/dry joinery? No heated debates please.

As for myself, I prefer wet/dry. Partly because I enjoy turning green wood. I did talk to a chairmaker once who never considered wet/dry. He had a crimping machine of some sort to actually compress the tenons a little before assembly.

I am thinking of using dry/dry joinery later this year as I want to build some Windsor's out of cherry and maybe some figured maple but those woods cannot be found green in my area.

 
Hello Jim,
      It is very difficult to find green figured cherry and maple, however, it is possible if you know a mill where they cut lumber.  However, typically you will find figured woods for sale that are dried.  Making windsor chairs from these dried woods can be done with tight fitting joints along with pegs applied perpendicular to the tennon once installed.  The undercarriage can be pegged from the bottom of the joint in such a way that the peg completely penetrates the tennon.  Straight grained pegs diped in glue and hammered into place ensure that the joints are strong and will last. 

Pete
 
Concerning wet or dry joinery- I've built pilgrim era copies using wet posts and dry rails, turned and rcctangular, and it works well. The post will grab the stretcher-Al
 
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