Exposed Mortise and Tenon: The Joint is the Decoration

An extreme close-up of a furniture joint: a square horizontal member is inserted into an upright post with a through tenon, the tenon protruding 10mm beyond the outer side of the post and secured by a wedge of contrasting hardwood driven into a split. The wedge's color is two shades darker than the main body, and its end-grain direction is perpendicular to the main body, making that small piece the only pattern on the entire furniture. The tenon shoulders fit tightly, with no gaps visible, but subtle tool marks from hand chiseling are discernible. All surfaces are finished only with wood oil. Soft side lighting clearly shows both the shadow cast by the protruding tenon and the color of the wedge. Avoid: tenon cut flush and hidden, use of metal parts or screws, wedge being the same color as the main body, painted surface covering tool marks.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一件家具接合處的極近景:一支方形的橫料以貫穿榫插進立柱,榫頭穿出立柱外側 10mm 並以一枚異材的硬木楔子打入劈開固定。楔子的顏色比主體深兩階,斷面的木紋方向與主體垂直,因此那一小塊成為整件家具上唯一的圖案。榫肩緊密貼合,看不到縫隙,但看得見手工鑿的細微刀痕。所有表面只上木油。柔和的側光讓榫頭凸出的陰影與楔子的顏色同時清楚。避免:榫頭切齊藏在裡面、使用金屬件或螺絲、楔子與主體同色、表面噴漆蓋住刀痕。