Gate Expectations » Tips and tricks

Avoiding cowboy builders & rogue traders

Jon — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:17:13 +0000

I don’t know about you, but it seems these days you cannot switch on the television or open up a newspaper without seeing or reading more scare stories about cowboy tradespeople. In truth, the vast majority of tradespeople are reliable and good at their job; a very small minority let the assorted trades down and [...]

Woodworking joints – Hinging and shutting joints

Jon — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:51:39 +0000

There is a large variety of hinging and shutting joints, the majority are complex, so we will just look at some of the more basic joints that can be found in doors, windows, tables etc. The details of the joints depend on the class of work and requirements, for instance, in airtight show-cases, the joints [...]

Woodworking joints – Joining timber in width

Jon — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:15:56 +0000

This type of joint enables narrow boards to be built up to cover large areas (floor boards, cladding, etc.), or built up to form wider boards for shelving, cabinet work, table tops, etc.

Woodworking joints – Joining timber in length

Jon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:01:22 +0000

Scarf joints These are the most important joints for the lengthening of timbers, and the most difficult to construct. They are used where it is required to keep the section of the timbers uniform in size. The two pieces in a scarfed joint are cut and fitted to each other, so that the same breadth [...]

Woodworking joints – Angle joints part 3

Jon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:08:55 +0000

The Tusk Tenon Another type of mortice and tenon joint used is the Tusk tenon. Arranged to weaken the timbers as little as possible, the tusk tenon is used in floor and roof construction. The tenon – which usually has a thickness of one-sixth the width of the material – is strengthened by projections left [...]

Woodworking joints – Angle joints part 2

Jon — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:56:32 +0000

Woodworking joints can be divided into three main classifications that correspond to their functions. Joints for increasing the width or surface of timber Joints in length for increasing the lengths of timber, Joints in width for increasing the width of timber, Angle joints.

Joints in length

This type of joint is used where the required length of timber is unavailable. The four main types are: Scarf joints, Laminated joints, Heading joint and Handrail bolt.

Joints in width

This type of joint is used to form wider boards for say work/counter tops, cabinet work or shelving or to enable narrow boards to cover larger areas such as flooring or cladding.

Angle joints

This group of joints is a broad one and covers a large variety of joints, such as mitre joint, halving joint, mortice and tenon, dovetailing, housing, bridle, etc.

In part one we shall be looking at angle joints.

Woodworking joints – Angle joints

Jon — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:54:29 +0000

The Mitre Joint

This is the most simple of the angled joints and probably the most commonly found joint around your home. The main use of the Mitre joint (Fig. A) is for skirting boards, picture rails and dado rails (external corners), architraves, mouldings and picture framing. Usually, this joint is used to form a 90 degree corner, with the two pieces of timber to be jointed being cut at 45 degrees.

Basic woodworking joints

Jon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:24:03 +0000

The main aim when jointing any pieces of timber together should be to cut the joints and arrange them so as to weaken the pieces of timber as little as possible. When the connection is effected entirely by means of timbers fitted together, it is called a joint. Most commonly, however, the joint is strengthened and secured by fastenings, such as: wedges, glue, draw pins, pins, screws, nails, etc. In nearly all cases simple joints are more effective than complicated joints.

Woodworking joints can be divided into three main classifications that correspond to their functions: joints in length for increasing the lengths of timber, joints in width for increasing the width of timber and angle joints.

Treating your wooden gates

Jon — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:27:11 +0000

Like all exterior joinery, our wooden gates and garage doors need protecting from the extremes of the British climate, if they are to last for many years. There are many types of treatments available from paints to stains and oils.

If you decide to oil your wooden gates or doors then be aware that you could end up having to regularly apply additional coats of oil every 2-3 months to keep the timber in tip-top condition.