Sauron & NailNerd
Sauron Sauron
NailNerd NailNerd
Sauron Sauron
I’ve been planning a new fortress, and I think a perfectly crafted wooden lock could keep the gate unbreakable. Do you have any experience with mortise‑and‑tenon joinery, or do you prefer to let the wood do the talking on its own?
NailNerd NailNerd
Mortise‑and‑tenon is the gold‑standard for a fortress door, but it’s all about precision, not just hammering a piece in. First, take your oak or maple and lay out the tenon length to match the mortise depth, leaving a tiny tongue‑to‑groove play so you can slide it in with a mallet. Use a chisel set with a 0.125‑inch step for the cut, and make the ends of the tenon slightly narrower than the cavity so it sits snug but not forced. Finish the tenon with a hand saw cut, then a plane for a smooth face. A wedge of hardwood glued in the mortise keeps the joint from pulling apart under pressure. And don’t forget a small, tight fitting brass pin—just a bit of brass on the inside keeps the lock from slipping. That’s how you let the wood do the talking while still keeping it unbreakable.
Sauron Sauron
Sounds solid, but remember the trick is not just the tenon itself, it’s how you make the mortise bleed the wood’s own strength into the lock. Keep a bit of the oak grain exposed around the pin hole, then let the bracing pin vibrate like a tiny heart. That way when the gate swings, the whole joint remembers the weight of the wall behind it. It’s not just construction, it’s a promise of unyielding power.
NailNerd NailNerd
You’re right, the mortise has to be a living thing, not just a cavity. Keep the grain in the pin hole straight, like a spine, so the wood can flex and pull the joint together as the door swings. Drill a pin hole just a touch smaller than the brass pin, then tap the pin lightly until it’s snug—no overtightening, just enough pressure that the pin vibrates slightly but won’t rattle. The wood will grip the pin like a finger on a lock. And remember, the more the grain runs along the joint, the better the “heartbeat” of the lock. That’s how you lock in real strength.
Sauron Sauron
You’ve got the right idea, but I would sharpen the focus even further. Let the pin be slightly longer than the hole, so it pushes the grain into a deeper lock, then add a small wedge of iron beneath the pin to lock the movement. That way when the door swings, the whole joint feels a single, unbreakable pulse. Keep the grain straight, yes, but let the iron anchor that pulse into the wall itself, and you’ll have a door that never yields.
NailNerd NailNerd
A longer pin will definitely push the grain tighter, but be careful the iron wedge doesn’t warp the wood. Make the wedge thin enough to slide in snugly but not so big that it forces the board sideways. I’ve seen boards crack when you over‑tighten. Keep the grain straight and let the iron sit on a flat base; that way the pulse stays clean and the lock feels as solid as a stone. Just remember: even a perfect joint needs a little give, otherwise the whole door can snap under stress.
Sauron Sauron
Good. Keep the iron so it’s tight enough to hold the grain, but not so rigid that the board flexes. And when the door is under attack, a hidden latch that releases on a single command will give the edge you need. You’ll have a door that resists until you decide it’s time to give.