Mortise and tenon joinery of log members

A method of joining a plurality of elongate log members using mortise and tenon joinery, the method comprising:

• selecting a first log member to comprise a mortise bearing member;
• locating a longitudinal axis of the first log member extending centrally through the first log member in a longitudinal direction along a length of the first log member;
• selecting a second log member to comprise a tenon bearing member;
• locating a longitudinal axis of the second log member extending centrally through the second log member in a longitudinal direction along a length of the second log member;
• forming a tenon at one end of the second log member comprising a first mating surface of reduced diameter which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the second log member;
• measuring a selected distance in an axial direction between the first mating surface and the longitudinal axis of the first log member;
• forming a mortise socket in the first log member comprising a second mating surface in which the mortise socket is arranged to matingly receive the tenon therein such that the first and second mating surfaces are abutted with one another;
• wherein the mortise socket is formed to have a depth relative to an outer surface of the first log member such that the second mating surface is located at said selected distance from the longitudinal axis of the first log member when the first and second mating surface are abutted with one another;
• wherein the mortise socket is formed using a mortise forming device comprising a pair of work holders supported on a frame at spaced apart positions by:
• engaging opposing ends of the first log member with the pair of work holders such that the longitudinal axis of the first log member extends along a central axis extending between the pair of work holders;
• providing a rotatable mortise cutter arranged to form a mortise socket in the first log member;
• supporting the mortise cutter for movement in a radial direction relative to the central axis extending between the pair of work holders;
• and
• controlling a distance of the mortise cutter relative to the central axis so to located the mating surface of the mortise socket in the first log member at the selected distance relative to the central axis of the log member.

A method of joining a plurality of elongate log members using mortise and tenon joinery, the method comprising:

• selecting a first log member to comprise a mortise bearing member;
• locating a longitudinal axis of the first log member extending centrally through the first log member in a longitudinal direction along a length of the first log member;
• selecting a second log member to comprise a tenon bearing member;
• locating a longitudinal axis of the second log member extending centrally through the second log member in a longitudinal direction along a length of the second log member;
• forming a tenon at one end of the second log member comprising a first mating surface of reduced diameter which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the second log member;
• measuring a selected distance in an axial direction between the first mating surface and the longitudinal axis of the first log member;
• forming a mortise socket in the first log member comprising a second mating surface in which the mortise socket is arranged to matingly receive the tenon therein such that the first and second mating surfaces are abutted with one another;
• wherein the mortise socket is formed to have a depth relative to an outer surface of the first log member such that the second mating surface is located at said selected distance from the longitudinal axis of the first log member when the first and second mating surface are abutted with one another;
• wherein the mortise socket is formed using a tenon forming device comprising a pair of work holders supported on a frame at spaced apart positions by:
• engaging opposing ends of the second log member with the pair of work holders such that the longitudinal axis of the second log member extends along a central axis extending between the pair of work holders;
• arranging one of the work holders to comprise a central spindle engaging the respective end of the second log member at the central axis of the work holders in fixed relation to the log member and a tenon cutter surrounding the central spindle including at least one cutting blade for forming the tenon;
• rotating the central spindle and the tenon cutter relative to one another about the central axis of the work holders so as to rotate the log member relative to the tenon cutter;
• and
• displacing the tenon cutter slidable along the central axis relative to the central spindle from a starting position in which the central spindle projects axially towards the opposing work holder beyond the tenon cutter and an ending position in which the tenon cutter projects axially towards the opposing work holder beyond the central spindle so as to surround an end of the log member and form the tenon therein.