I'm sitting on 9 pieces of oak furniture in my Living room that are all made with the mortise and tenon joints. After seeing this Bridal joint, I wish I'd have made all these pieces with the Bridal Joints. I sure think it's a better joint and easier to cut. Norm Abrams drove me to buy his tenon cutting cast iron jig, which I still have, so I used it to build all that furniture. I sure think the Bridal joint makes sense for ALL these applications I made.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking My thought, too. When I get to a point in a project where I select a joint type, remembering the bridal joint relies on experience that I lack.
Especially given Patrick Sullivan and his debunking of glue myths. All the old joints that everyone commonly knew to be "totally weak" are now shown be completely serviceable.
@@rogerdudra178I think the highlight of M&T is a hidden joint. The bridal shows the different woods contrasting which is a high point in some aspects and not in others. I just know my cabinet doors cost significantly less for bridal joinery than M&T. Saves me time, saves customers $$$
Another great video. I have done my hand cut bridal joints slightly differently and have seen others do it differently. Instead of cutting straight down. First you place the baord in the vice around 45 defrees and instead of cutting straight down you cut starting at each corner down the front face at 45 degrees, then turn the board around and cut down the other face. This allows you to focus on just one line. Then you saw away the little hill that is left in the middle.
Shaun that is not a bridle joint thing its a saw method and a good one at that. Its essential what I do but I like to first start the top then come down the side. Just a slight variation on your method
That was a good video showing exactly what I need to learn to progress. One thing however, how would you cut a bridle for a door with sides in excess of 6ft? Could power tools still be used? as the manual way is far in excess of my abilities. Still a good, informative video. Thank you
I like the way you use a horizontal piece to clamp the vertical piece to glide along the fence. It's simple, safe and effective without any need to build a jig.
Or you could use a bandsaw, laying the stock down flat. This way you could use the bandsaw fence to guide both sides of the tenons to a perfect cut. It would also work for hollowing out the waste at the cheeks of the mortises.
@@robertc8134 I totally agree with you. Lucky for you guys to have arsenal of power tools in your workshop. But for a budding diy like me😢😢, a (homemade) table saw is already a luxury. Most of us will have to make do with just a (japanese) saw and a clamp.😢
A big “thank you” for another great video. Your videos help me ever so much as I migrate from solely a power tool user back to the roots of my grandfather, father and before. I was taught hand tools as youngster, but like many of us, went down the power tool lane. It is so satisfying to cut dovetails by hand as compared to a template. Thank you for teaching us. And for offering us quality tools.
I just finished making a new key cabinet to replace the cheesy box store we've been using for years and this was the joint I used to make the door. I was inspired by your shop furniture doors. I just happened to notice the joint in one of your other videos. I think it was the one about about fitting the door on your head gear cabinet. Many years ago I bought a round-over type stile and rail router bit set for making cabinet doors but never really felt comfortable using it. I guess I was a hand tool guy even back then without realizing it at the time. Thanks for sharing Rob.
I was thinking the same thing. I bought mine about 30 years ago too. Worth every penny of the $100 that it cost. Having said that, the tenoning jig is a specialty tool and more expensive these days. I appreciate Rob's everyman approach.
Great video as usual. I too invested in tenoning jigs all those years ago (seen on New Yankee Workshop). They’re significantly more expensive now but not nearly as nerve racking. 😂
Another fan of the Delta tenoning jig, also from 30 years ago. I learned to use Post-It notes on the metal faces to really get a precise cut, but now use a router plane to get as close as possible (getting easier with my eyes...).
I've been a career carpenter for over 40 years. While I admire the skill and patience of doing things with hand tools, I'm a power tool kind of guy.😋 I was almost loosing my mind when I saw you creating that wall to start the saw cut, and hand cutting those joints, because I simply don't have that kind of time or patience. Perhaps I could do it if I was living on a desert island with no power. You did a beautiful job with the hand tools! If I can do it with machines and power tools, that's the way it's gonna happen. Thanks for another great video!
Pretty much telling my exact story here. I've been building, adding to and renovating houses for about 45 yrs and never had time to piss around. Always looking for the quickest method to get the job done which doesn't mean sacrificing quality. Over the last few years however I've set up quite a decent workshop at home and begun to build a bit of furniture and now have the time to mess about with a few more hand tools and fiddly joints etc. Still head to the power tools whenever possible though.
Rob, any down side to using the bridal joint to build an entry door for my shop? Love your videos, so inspired, just used your sharpening techniques and fell in love with my hand plane again. Thanks for that. Chuck
I am following may of your hand tools video. The editor cut away at 22:39 and did not show cutting the tenon. I assume it was identical to cutting the mortise and that is why. But I would like to see how you did the cleanup and final fit.
Greetings from Australia Nice workshop. So good to check out other TH-cam makers from all over the world. Good tutorial! Have subscribed and will watch more of your videos soon. Regards James One Handed Maker
Hey Rob, great video as always. In person classes will always be best, but your videos are full of helpful methods/techniques. Where did you get that piercing (jewelers?) saw? I’ve been hunting for one with swiveling blade clamps but do not want to shell out for a knew concepts piece! Looking for something finer than my coping saw, because I want to use pinless scroll saw blades, but need the swivel! Again, great video, keep ‘em coming. Thanks.
How would you go about adding drawbore pins to a bridle joint? They wouldn't necessarily be needed but could add some visual interest, particularly if done with a square head pin ... sort of green and green style.
Good evening from France I'd say that "real" drawbores would be tricky. When they're in a normal mortice and tennon there's only one axis of movement -- into the mortice. With a bridle joint you have two axes, so which way are you going to "draw"? It may look cool to put in two normal dowels, nicely shaped, as a decorative feature, but I don't see the need for drawbores with a bridle joint.
Great video as always! If you were making a frame for a picture would you put a rebate in before or after you put it together? Thanks for sharing! Take care.
Hi Rob. Can I use some of your disigns and ideas to make a piece of furniture of mine? I realy like the styles and features you put into your furniture and I would love to recreate it!
I would just like to clarify that it would take more to snap the M&T than Bridle, as Bridle provides greater leverage for turning forces. You can look at the extreme end of it: Imagine a Tenon thats 1" vs one that's 12". Which one will break easier?
There have been a couple of videos testing various joints to failure and the bridle joint always wins out over M&T, look up the one by Mattias Wandell (I think thats how to spell his name).
@@tonyg9511 I've been searching his channel for the comparison but haven't found it as yet. But my point is, if you take this video for example, look at the size of the tenon he creates. If you do a M&T with that size mortise that is that thin, it's not gonna be strong by any means. There's a reason for creating an M&T with at specific ratios (1/3 the thickness, for starters) because you compromise the strength otherwise. If the tester isn't conscious of this when conducting tests, their results will be biased/skewed. Hence why I mentioned trying to snap a 1" tenon vs a 12" tenon. Good luck snapping that 1" tenon (assuming the actual tenon isn't thin). He even mentions similar early in the video, but this, the size he drew would be too big for that thickness.
Great vid..thanks! Would you recommend achieving sawing with the saw perpendicular to the workpiece (i.e. parallel to the bench top) or moving the saw back or forward slightly while cutting the cheeks?
When marking the ends for the tenon on the hand one, instead of trying to match the marking gage cutter to the near side corner, couldn't you just bottom it on the inside face of the opposite shoulder and mark to the far side? To my mind, seating the cutter is a positive registration instead of trying to eyeball the feather edge of the corner.
@@randygust3423 I bought a blade for my miter saw from Ridge Carbide. I've been very happy with it. They have a ftg table saw blade. I'm going to order that one next.
Perhaps an easier method, when using the table saw, would be to attach the support to the fence instead of to the work piece. Less messing about with a clamp, and it speeds up production.
You could do that but I prefer my way. Normally I just hold to the fence by hand and don’t do the clamp thing. Did the clamp thing for this video as I don’t think most folks will want to do it “ freehand” like I do.
maybe it’s the video, but it looks like your hand/fingers get real damn close to the blade. I guess you got a sawstop and all your fingers, so it probably just looked worse on camera. I prefer to build a simple jig that straddles the fence to provide a bit more clearance between the blade and my fingers.
5:26 "..if you're not comfortable [standing the board on end]..." You shouldn't be comfortable with that maneuver. You have only the width of the workpiece bearing on the table saw deck and it must pass over the throatplate. Very unstable. I don't think clamping a scrap board to the top of the workpiece and riding it on the top of the fence is much safer either as you need to have your hand so close to a high blade. I'd use a tenoning jig or a bandsaw for those cheek cuts.
the camera angle makes it look like your hand is way closer to the table saw blade than it actually is. I know you know what you're doing, but watching this gave me anxiety lol
The time it take to cut a bridal joint looks to be as long as a tenon cut to me. I still think its (the bridal joint) a stronger joint. To me, that is.
th-cam.com/video/fEm1DjAKZKY/w-d-xo.html I'm quite disappointed in your use of the table saw and promotion of such a terrible and dangerous Jig. You were more concerned with possibly getting a small bruise from a thrown cutoff than mangling your hand! Without getting into an apparent community moray of not discussing safety I will simply point out that your method requires the passage 16 times. 16 time it basically requires the building of this _jig_ for a single door. This is neither convenient or safe. I think this alone constitutes making a real jig and not this -thing you show. Doing this purely by hand which you claim to do normally, (without the board or clamp) as it crosses into the *do not mention safety* moray I will not call you insane but only say repetition of an unsafe practice doesn't make it safe. Finally shame on you for saying _better tools make the job easier_ and after all these years of still not having a tool, a jig for doing this function.
Sorry but this is a very successful joint that has been used for hundreds of years without issue. Mathis lives right down the road from me, I will talk with him
GREAT tutorial Rob. I especially like that you did the power tool method AND the hand tool method. Gives us a good perspective on both! !! !!!
Thanks for watching & commenting
I'm sitting on 9 pieces of oak furniture in my Living room that are all made with the mortise and tenon joints. After seeing this Bridal joint, I wish I'd have made all these pieces with the Bridal Joints. I sure think it's a better joint and easier to cut. Norm Abrams drove me to buy his tenon cutting cast iron jig, which I still have, so I used it to build all that furniture. I sure think the Bridal joint makes sense for ALL these applications I made.
There is nothing wrong with a M&T joint either
@@RobCosmanWoodworking My thought, too. When I get to a point in a project where I select a joint type, remembering the bridal joint relies on experience that I lack.
Especially given Patrick Sullivan and his debunking of glue myths. All the old joints that everyone commonly knew to be "totally weak" are now shown be completely serviceable.
@@rogerdudra178I think the highlight of M&T is a hidden joint. The bridal shows the different woods contrasting which is a high point in some aspects and not in others.
I just know my cabinet doors cost significantly less for bridal joinery than M&T. Saves me time, saves customers $$$
Another great video. I have done my hand cut bridal joints slightly differently and have seen others do it differently. Instead of cutting straight down. First you place the baord in the vice around 45 defrees and instead of cutting straight down you cut starting at each corner down the front face at 45 degrees, then turn the board around and cut down the other face. This allows you to focus on just one line. Then you saw away the little hill that is left in the middle.
Shaun that is not a bridle joint thing its a saw method and a good one at that. Its essential what I do but I like to first start the top then come down the side. Just a slight variation on your method
Love steps with hand tools, since I don't have the space or the funds for large power tools.
Hand tools....no dust, no dager, no noise and such a joy to do
That was a good video showing exactly what I need to learn to progress. One thing however, how would you cut a bridle for a door with sides in excess of 6ft? Could power tools still be used? as the manual way is far in excess of my abilities. Still a good, informative video. Thank you
Missed this fresh but coming back round Rob! I got ya. Lol
I like the way you use a horizontal piece to clamp the vertical piece to glide along the fence. It's simple, safe and effective without any need to build a jig.
Or you could use a bandsaw, laying the stock down flat. This way you could use the bandsaw fence to guide both sides of the tenons to a perfect cut. It would also work for hollowing out the waste at the cheeks of the mortises.
@@robertc8134
I totally agree with you. Lucky for you guys to have arsenal of power tools in your workshop. But for a budding diy like me😢😢, a (homemade) table saw is already a luxury. Most of us will have to make do with just a (japanese) saw and a clamp.😢
A big “thank you” for another great video. Your videos help me ever so much as I migrate from solely a power tool user back to the roots of my grandfather, father and before. I was taught hand tools as youngster, but like many of us, went down the power tool lane. It is so satisfying to cut dovetails by hand as compared to a template. Thank you for teaching us. And for offering us quality tools.
i like the way you pronounce your Outs and Abouts
I just finished making a new key cabinet to replace the cheesy box store we've been using for years and this was the joint I used to make the door. I was inspired by your shop furniture doors. I just happened to notice the joint in one of your other videos. I think it was the one about about fitting the door on your head gear cabinet. Many years ago I bought a round-over type stile and rail router bit set for making cabinet doors but never really felt comfortable using it. I guess I was a hand tool guy even back then without realizing it at the time. Thanks for sharing Rob.
Thanks for a great comment
Rob and Co. Great video nice seeing 2 styles of woodworking, Glad I bought that Delta Tenon Jig 30 years ago. 😊
The older Delta jig is a nice beefy jig
I was thinking the same thing. I bought mine about 30 years ago too. Worth every penny of the $100 that it cost.
Having said that, the tenoning jig is a specialty tool and more expensive these days. I appreciate Rob's everyman approach.
Great video as usual. I too invested in tenoning jigs all those years ago (seen on New Yankee Workshop). They’re significantly more expensive now but not nearly as nerve racking. 😂
Another fan of the Delta tenoning jig, also from 30 years ago. I learned to use Post-It notes on the metal faces to really get a precise cut, but now use a router plane to get as close as possible (getting easier with my eyes...).
I've been a career carpenter for over 40 years. While I admire the skill and patience of doing things with hand tools, I'm a power tool kind of guy.😋 I was almost loosing my mind when I saw you creating that wall to start the saw cut, and hand cutting those joints, because I simply don't have that kind of time or patience. Perhaps I could do it if I was living on a desert island with no power. You did a beautiful job with the hand tools! If I can do it with machines and power tools, that's the way it's gonna happen. Thanks for another great video!
Pretty much telling my exact story here. I've been building, adding to and renovating houses for about 45 yrs and never had time to piss around. Always looking for the quickest method to get the job done which doesn't mean sacrificing quality.
Over the last few years however I've set up quite a decent workshop at home and begun to build a bit of furniture and now have the time to mess about with a few more hand tools and fiddly joints etc. Still head to the power tools whenever possible though.
Educational without all the fluff. Thanks
I hate fluff
Always a good watch. Thank you. Love craftsmanship!
Thanks for watching and commenting
As always, an amazing display of logic and order of operations.
Thanks for commenting
Strong joint. Easy to fabricate. Looks good too.🙂🙂.
I love it
Another great class by the master~!! Thanks Rob~!
thanks for watching and commenting
I was just last night saying to myself to ask Rob about the bridle joint, then see this today! Any comments on using the joint when not at a corner?
Yes we have a sensing device that your thoughts registered on so we did it!!!!
Rob, any down side to using the bridal joint to build an entry door for my shop?
Love your videos, so inspired, just used your sharpening techniques and fell in love with my hand plane again. Thanks for that.
Chuck
Nope
Thank you so much it was very wonderful
Solid, strong joint. Tks rob
I agree
Thank you, You are a great teacher.
Thank you for watching and commenting
Awesome Rob thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching and commenting
I need this done with 6ft tall and 4ft long 2x2 pieces. Would jigs like you have work?
I am following may of your hand tools video. The editor cut away at 22:39 and did not show cutting the tenon. I assume it was identical to cutting the mortise and that is why. But I would like to see how you did the cleanup and final fit.
Yes you are 100% correct
Greetings from Australia
Nice workshop. So good to check out other TH-cam makers from all over the world.
Good tutorial!
Have subscribed and will watch more of your videos soon.
Regards James
One Handed Maker
Outstanding as usual .
Thanks again!
Hey Rob, great video as always. In person classes will always be best, but your videos are full of helpful methods/techniques. Where did you get that piercing (jewelers?) saw? I’ve been hunting for one with swiveling blade clamps but do not want to shell out for a knew concepts piece! Looking for something finer than my coping saw, because I want to use pinless scroll saw blades, but need the swivel! Again, great video, keep ‘em coming. Thanks.
Didn’t know it was so easy! Thanks!
An easy joint
Rob makes them all look easy.
Thank God for a Bridgeport !
Ok
Good demonstration, thanks
You are welcome!
Really handy info, thanks for another great expert video!
you bet
How would you go about adding drawbore pins to a bridle joint? They wouldn't necessarily be needed but could add some visual interest, particularly if done with a square head pin ... sort of green and green style.
Good evening from France I'd say that "real" drawbores would be tricky. When they're in a normal mortice and tennon there's only one axis of movement -- into the mortice. With a bridle joint you have two axes, so which way are you going to "draw"? It may look cool to put in two normal dowels, nicely shaped, as a decorative feature, but I don't see the need for drawbores with a bridle joint.
David gave a great answer. If you just want looks they dont need to be drawbore just add to pins for a green and gree you need a oversized square head
Thank you!
you bet
Great video as always! If you were making a frame for a picture would you put a rebate in before or after you put it together? Thanks for sharing! Take care.
Well you can do both but I would do it before
Hi Rob. Can I use some of your disigns and ideas to make a piece of furniture of mine? I realy like the styles and features you put into your furniture and I would love to recreate it!
Go for it. Send us some pics of your builds so we can post to our website
thanks
I would just like to clarify that it would take more to snap the M&T than Bridle, as Bridle provides greater leverage for turning forces.
You can look at the extreme end of it: Imagine a Tenon thats 1" vs one that's 12". Which one will break easier?
There have been a couple of videos testing various joints to failure and the bridle joint always wins out over M&T, look up the one by Mattias Wandell (I think thats how to spell his name).
@@tonyg9511 I've been searching his channel for the comparison but haven't found it as yet. But my point is, if you take this video for example, look at the size of the tenon he creates. If you do a M&T with that size mortise that is that thin, it's not gonna be strong by any means. There's a reason for creating an M&T with at specific ratios (1/3 the thickness, for starters) because you compromise the strength otherwise. If the tester isn't conscious of this when conducting tests, their results will be biased/skewed. Hence why I mentioned trying to snap a 1" tenon vs a 12" tenon. Good luck snapping that 1" tenon (assuming the actual tenon isn't thin). He even mentions similar early in the video, but this, the size he drew would be too big for that thickness.
@@thecsciworker291 it's not just about snapping the tenon, you also need to consider the glue area and the strength of the mortise.
Great vid..thanks! Would you recommend achieving sawing with the saw perpendicular to the workpiece (i.e. parallel to the bench top) or moving the saw back or forward slightly while cutting the cheeks?
Cut one line at a time. Horizontal or vertical line doesn’t matter which one to focus on first just don’t try sawing both at the same time
When marking the ends for the tenon on the hand one, instead of trying to match the marking gage cutter to the near side corner, couldn't you just bottom it on the inside face of the opposite shoulder and mark to the far side? To my mind, seating the cutter is a positive registration instead of trying to eyeball the feather edge of the corner.
what was the table saw blade you were using?
What are your thoughts on using a bridle joint end to end, to make a longer piece?
Nope. If you have to connect to pieces use a scarf joint
Hi, Around 16.14 you place your thumb on the brass back of the saw, is this to aid keeping perpendicular or for some other purpose? Thanks
At 6:14 i am clamping the wood getting ready for the miter cut??????
@@RobCosmanWoodworking The question related to 16:14, not 6:14.
Great stuff Rob. Is the blade on the table saw a flat top grind?
Yes a Flat ground blade will prevent those little ears
“PHP” Purple💜Heart Professor!
PHPis th ebomb
I wany Jo copy ur wood working wall piece love it 🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂
Curious to know which FTG table saw your using?
That was a flat toothed for the bridle joint
I apologize, I meant to ask what brand blade. I’m looking at purchasing a FTG blade and curious if you have any recommendations?
@@randygust3423 I bought a blade for my miter saw from Ridge Carbide. I've been very happy with it. They have a ftg table saw blade. I'm going to order that one next.
And dont forget to hit the 👍🏼
Please do
What would a bridle joint in the middle (or somewhere not on the ends) of the workpiece be called?
A bridle joint
A through mortise and tenon?
Perhaps an easier method, when using the table saw, would be to attach the support to the fence instead of to the work piece. Less messing about with a clamp, and it speeds up production.
You could do that but I prefer my way. Normally I just hold to the fence by hand and don’t do the clamp thing. Did the clamp thing for this video as I don’t think most folks will want to do it “ freehand” like I do.
maybe it’s the video, but it looks like your hand/fingers get real damn close to the blade. I guess you got a sawstop and all your fingers, so it probably just looked worse on camera. I prefer to build a simple jig that straddles the fence to provide a bit more clearance between the blade and my fingers.
No. I have a great sense of awarness of my ands and the blade. Been doing this all my life. Others have not so use a jig
I have a shop made tenoning jig from which I get very good results. I know Rob is a professional, but that same thing gave me a bit of a start.
👌👌👌
👌
Oh Rob... for extra credit... let's see a mitred bridle joint!
Its on the to do list
I am surprised this joint is stronger than mortise and tenon. I need to test that. Great video anyway!
Let me know how your test comes out
Good Job 😊 But the hands near to saw !! No good. Congratulations 🇧🇷
What, no hockey tape on the clamp handle?
Argggg What was I thinking????
I think a router bit is safer
I don’t but since we still live in a semi free country, you rout I’ll saw!
5:26 "..if you're not comfortable [standing the board on end]..." You shouldn't be comfortable with that maneuver. You have only the width of the workpiece bearing on the table saw deck and it must pass over the throatplate. Very unstable. I don't think clamping a scrap board to the top of the workpiece and riding it on the top of the fence is much safer either as you need to have your hand so close to a high blade. I'd use a tenoning jig or a bandsaw for those cheek cuts.
It’s people like you that my comment was directed at then.
And the winner is....
A spindle moulder.
I makes a flawless joint faster than your able to say bridle joint.
There are lots of ways to make a bridle joint. Most folks dont have a spindle moulder. I have one but prefer the table saw. Different strokes
the camera angle makes it look like your hand is way closer to the table saw blade than it actually is. I know you know what you're doing, but watching this gave me anxiety lol
The time it take to cut a bridal joint looks to be as long as a tenon cut to me. I still think its (the bridal joint) a stronger joint. To me, that is.
I concur
th-cam.com/video/fEm1DjAKZKY/w-d-xo.html
I'm quite disappointed in your use of the table saw and promotion of such a terrible and dangerous Jig. You were more concerned with possibly getting a small bruise from a thrown cutoff than mangling your hand!
Without getting into an apparent community moray of not discussing safety I will simply point out that your method requires the passage 16 times. 16 time it basically requires the building of this _jig_ for a single door. This is neither convenient or safe. I think this alone constitutes making a real jig and not this -thing you show.
Doing this purely by hand which you claim to do normally, (without the board or clamp) as it crosses into the *do not mention safety* moray I will not call you insane but only say repetition of an unsafe practice doesn't make it safe.
Finally shame on you for saying _better tools make the job easier_ and after all these years of still not having a tool, a jig for doing this function.
Blah, blah, blah!
Your hand is too close to the blade...becarful....bye bye hand!! ✋️ 🤚
So rude answers from Rob cosman, about safety suggestions from his viewers..wow didn't expect this behavior from him..
Don’t poke the bear!
No one wants to make this joint! matthias wandel made a vid the proves what a crappy joint it is.
I don't think so. Provide a link or it didn't happen. This is a very good joint.
Sorry but this is a very successful joint that has been used for hundreds of years without issue. Mathis lives right down the road from me, I will talk with him
@@weldabar th-cam.com/video/C_WyahD8lUg/w-d-xo.html
The bridle was the second strongest joint after the half lap in Fine Woodworkings very thorough joinery shootout test, issue no 203 in 2009.
@@CarmoniusFinsnickeri Yes indeed, and could have been first, IMO, if they would have made the tenon part thicker.