Blacksmith simple mortise and tenon joinrey

In this video, I demonstrate how to join two pieces via freehand mortise and tenon.
website: www.gstongs.com
email: [e-mail]
If you would like to donate any amount, click the Paypal donate button in the homepage banner. Or, Paypal directly to my email. Either way I will receive notification and recognize you for the donation in a video. Thanks. Glen

[@bobjagger4258]

Your channel is one of my favorites! You show very practical techniques. I love it!

[@nazari_co]

I like your video and I watch every day, I really injoy watching what you make, you are making things in cool way, 👌

[@jimbotron]

This is another great tutorial! I like the look of this joint!

[@gstongs]

Jim, This is a simple example. A steel mortise and tenon joint can be pretty slick. Thanks.

[@thebalddevil3874]

I like to see the old methods of joining metal together, cheers for keeping the old skills up for people to see and digest.. 😁👍🤘

[@gstongs]

Me too, I'm fascinated by how old time craftsman joined pieces. Thanks for your support / kind comment.

[@BrassLock]

Very useful demonstration Glenn, thanks for posting. I just installed some paving slabs this afternoon, and my back hurts too! I hope yours gets better with some of your favourite Belgian beer (it's Friday, so you can relax and have a few extra 😅).

[@gstongs]

My back has really been acting up. But it's nothing new and after so many years, you get used to the pain and can work around it. Likewise, I hope your back feel better. I do need a good Belgian beer - better than any doctor prescribed medicine... Cheers.

[@28yogy4todd]

Very nice. You have the coolest anvils!

[@gstongs]

Bryan, Lots of folks seem to like my anvils. They suit me well... Thanks.

[@chuckturner5817]

You are improving ! - - - " Let's get started" is much better than " Here goes nothin' " ☺

[@gstongs]

Chuck, That's a funny observation. Probably makes the viewers trust my work more with the "Let's get started". But I'll probably alternate between the two as I'm really not sure sometimes. Thanks and Happy Holidays.

[@snugglytuna]

Man if this video isn't some perfect timing, got some big work coming up it's nice to get a refresher, thanks glen.

[@gstongs]

Glad you got something from this video. There are some techniques that I rarely do and so I also need a refresher course every now and then. To a large extent, these videos serve as that for me. Thanks. Glen

[@gregjordan8060]

Thank you glen for sharing!!

[@gstongs]

Greg, You got it. Thanks. Glen

[@philjackson3922]

Nice work. Thanks for all your effort

[@gstongs]

Thanks for your kind words and 11 championships...

[@DavidJohnson-kl2tk]

Love your ideas

[@bengluyas4104]

Thank you, and keep up the great work! 🙏🏻👍🏻

[@fiazchohan412]

Now this is a really useful video Nice one Glen!

[@gstongs]

Muhammed, Glad you can find this useful in some way. I'll finish out this piece, make something useful, when I have time. Hope all is well with you.

[@fiazchohan412]

Everything's well Glen, thanks for asking I have carpentry going as well, I made a scabbard for an antique Indian sword recently with no power tools.

[@waxnmoon8604]

Great video as always. Hope your back feels better soon 👍🏻⚒

[@gstongs]

Rick, My back pain comes and goes. I'm so used to it that it normally doesn't affect my routine. Thanks.

[@williamtimmons8791]

Great video Glen.

[@gstongs]

Much appreciated William.

[@reverendbrothergenerik7976]

Sorry to hear of thy back troubles. Might be a good time to consider a standing Anvil for occasional use. Also have to bear in mind the practice of 'girding the loins' meaning clenching the stomach before any task requiring back use. Took me 50+ years of doing it wrong to finally get to where my back is no longer an issue. Clench, then lift; a two step, seems a bit cumbersome. Beats pain. Also self adjustment of the lumbar facet joints is done from the front, as in, through the gut, not by twisting. Thanks for all you are doing.

[@gstongs]

Thanks for all the good information regarding back pain and ways to relieve it. I think the gird your loins way may be somewhat similar to how people say today that core muscles are important for back health. Im feeling much better these days. Take care.

[@jgclark45]

you sure made that look easy. I hope you feel better quickly

[@gstongs]

Thanks for watching and for your well wishes. Feeling better... Glen

[@1981rhino]

I haven’t done any non welded joints yet, I’ll have to give it a go soon. Thanks for the vid👍

[@gstongs]

Ryan, Electric welding is very convenient but there are many ways to work around relying on such welding. And fire welding can be very difficult and produce varied results. Thanks.

[@1956vern]

You may think your work is sub but to me your light years a head of me! Thank you for your demonstration!

[@gstongs]

Vernon, I guess everything is relative. But regardless of skill level, we all learn from each other. Thanks for watching. Glen

[@davephillips7550]

Nice job Glen

[@gstongs]

Dave, I'll keep doing my thing with these videos. Thanks.

[@daviddrinen1265]

nice job Glen

[@gstongs]

David, Thanks for watching. Good luck in your work and Happy Holidays

[@SSSmithing]

Good video that's a good idea turning while you forge the tenon

[@gstongs]

I find it works for me. When I keep the workpiece static and work one side at a time, I always wind up with the tenon being offset too much in one direction and needing too much correcting. For me, this way is slower but more accurate. Thanks. Glen

[@SSSmithing]

Glen GS Tongs your welcome

[@5005ginger]

Great job done! Thanks!

[@gstongs]

Rob, I'll turn this into something practical. Thanks.

[@jamesmcmillen4828]

Hammer control is key to forging a free hand tenon. In fact, I've started forging my mortise and tenons square instead of round, especially when there is going to be any twisting on the piece (corkscrew to handle for instance). Enjoyed, as always!

[@gstongs]

James, Square tenons is a great idea - would have made a more sound joint o this piece. And you're totally right, hammer control is key for freehand work. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@insperatus]

Do you use a square punch to make the hole too?

[@jamesmcmillen4828]

insperatus Yes sir. Kind of like a pritchel punch.

[@msblades5382]

great job Glen short and elegant .. Martin M&S Blades

[@gstongs]

Thanks Martin. And Happy Holidays.

[@msblades5382]

You to Glen Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you as well..

[@mikeverpaalen4934]

As all ways nicely done. Do you air cool for a tighter joint or water quench does it matter? Thanks

[@gstongs]

Mike, Air cooled or quenched, it shouldn't matter for this joint. Both ways, the steel (both pieces) will shrink when cold. This can be used to advantage for certain joints, when one piece is cold and the hot piece is allowed to shrink and tighten onto the cold piece, if that makes sense. I may make a video showing this. Thanks.

[@scottmetz5319]

just starting out i realy like that joint for small projects . Thank you. try an enversion table for your back . works great on mine.

[@gstongs]

Scott, Glad you like this and thanks for your suggestion. For my back, I find using a chin up bar really helps too... Thanks

[@Tromme100]

Really good video...

[@gstongs]

Thank you. I never did finish this piece. Another video maybe...

[@jackdawg4579]

clever using the pritchel hole to shape the tenon!

[@gstongs]

Jack, I have two pritchel holes on that small anvil so I figured I should put at least one to good use. Thanks.

[@matthewwise5317]

This is the first demo of this joint I have seen. Thanks for the vid. What would you normally use this joint for?

[@gstongs]

Matthew, I will probably make this into a small wall bracket. But this sort of joint can be used on any number of items though, depending on the piece (how weight is distributed), extra support might be needed. Thanks for watching. Glen

[@lenblacksmith8559]

Good one Glen, what about joining two pieces end to end if you can't weld, just a thought, don't know if you can even do it maybe riveting or something.

[@gstongs]

I'll have to think about that one some. Maybe half lapping and riveting would be the best answer. Thanks.

[@kimcurtis9366]

It is a good joint, Glen, but why not just forge weld the joint after setting the tenon? You could have just added some borax after setting the joint, reheated to welding temp and the added a bit more borax and smacked it to hold it tighter than it is. It Will eventually, with much use, loosen some! With the weld it won't! I do enjoy your videos and learn a lot! THANKS!

[@gstongs]

Kim, You make good point that forge welding should make a stronger joint. The main reason I didn't weld it is because it is not easy to reach welding temperature in my small gas forge. And if I dial up the pressure enough to weld, the very high heat and flux quickly wear down my forge's lining. I don't often forge weld but when I do, it's usually at a time when I am planning to re-line my forge. Some guys prefer gas but I much prefer coal for forge welding or at least I was much better at forge welding when I used coal. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Glen

[@bighammer587]

Another great tutorial Glen 👍 Any chance you can help me understand why you choose to use such a 'fat' punch to make your holes? I love the punch itself, watched your video of the making of it! Just seems like a punch with much less taper would work more efficiently. I have no experience with blacksmithing, but I'm gathering info and tools, etc. Thanks again for your videos, their very well done!

[@gstongs]

Mark, This is a good question / observation. The punch that I was using in this video is very old and has become shorter with regrinding over time and so become less finely tapered. And actually, after this video I took the handle off so I could properly set the taper better then re-handled it. However, you don't want your punches to be too finely tapered otherwise they will distort much easier. Lastly, I also use this punch to drift holes and so like it to be "fat" to suit that purpose. Good luck in your blacksmithing and thanks for watching. Glen

[@jamesmcmillen4828]

Whenever I'm riveting a tenon or a rivet, I like to have a countersink to the piece I'm riveting to. Using a "fat" punch will give you this countersink.

[@seanlosee7352]

Great short video. I just relocated and joined the local blacksmithing guild, and I noticed you were a sponsor of it...Central Maryland. Any ties to this area?

[@scottmetz5319]

Sean Losee.im brand new to blacksmithing . i live close to Hagerstown can you give me some local info .clubs steel suply tools ect.thanks

[@seanlosee7352]

Scott Metz hey there. There’s actually a guild closer to you called the blacksmithing guild of western Maryland located in boonsboro. I always wondered why it was called that since I lived in garret County near deep creek, and THAT’S western Maryland. If you are able to make it Uniontown PA, about 2 hrs west, Ed Claypoole out of Atlas Forge is a great resource for used tools/equipment

[@scottmetz5319]

Sean Losee thanks. i grew up in Frostburg im up there every weekend . thanks

[@seanlosee7352]

Scott Metz if you’re in Frostburg that regularly check out Mike Edelman. He’s the resident blacksmith at Penn Alps in Grantsville and has his home shop in Frostburg. Also, Kenny Braitman is another stellar blacksmith who lives in Frostburg/Finzel and might be willing to let you hang. His shop is called Carey Run Forge.

[@scottmetz5319]

Sean Losee thanks

[@Citizen-1]

Sing happy birthday to Finland; Finland 6.12. 2017 100 years old, great huh?

[@gstongs]

Happy belated birthday to Finland.

[@camelcitytattooshopp]

wonderful class today im for ever in awe at the cean smooth work now for the hurtin fo certain... being a first class white trash blue colar for most of my 50 years back issues are a common place, humans are now and for ever been creatures of habit, same chair for dinner same couch direction of tv so on and so on, break those habits and you will see a change for the better. a uneven floor (dirt gravel wood) in a work place makes it easier on the main joints make your whole world uneven.

[@gstongs]

George, Your advice is sound. I put a pad under my butt, mainly to change the angle I'm working at just a little bit and it has helped. Thanks for sharing. Glen

[@christophercraft957]

Okay, your tenon...reminded me of some nipples I saw once...or twice, lol. Great lesson in joinery, glen. Sucks your back is hurting. I know that once it starts there is not a comfortable position to get relief. Hope it soon stops. Thanks for sharing what you know.

[@gstongs]

Christopher, I'm used to my back hurting so it never stops me but it can sometimes throw me off my concentration. Those must've been some hot (literally) nipples... Thanks for your well wishes.