Are there any guidelines for a tapered wedge? I am joining a 10x10 wall post with a half dovetail mortice and diminished haunch to a 10x14 tie beam also with a half dovetail tenon. I have a 2x2x10 opening for the oak wedge. any help would be appreciated, Thanks, John...

John: You could make two wedges for each pocket and drive one in from each side, at the same time. I saw this done recently at the Gateway raising. They should be long enough so that both ends of each are outside the timbers before they start getting real tight. And they were made out of hardwood, I believe. You can pound the inside one in more later if the timbers shrink. Jim

Jack Sobon just wrote an illustrated paper which features the joint you speak of. Go back to the home page and follow the link on the bottom left of the page.

Shaun