Japanese Woodworking and Joinery: A Beginner’s Guide to the Tools and Techniques Used by Master Carpenters in Japan

The Carpenters Tool Study Group, a collective of Japanese woodworkers, presents a solid primer on sashimono, “the Japanese technique for assembling furniture and other wooden items” using interlocking wooden joints instead of nails. An overview of necessary tools notes that adjustable bevel gauges are useful for marking the angles of tenons (wooden protrusions designed to be inserted into other pieces of wood), and that dozuki saws are ideal for cutting perpendicular to the grain. There are no instructions on how to build a complete piece of furniture; instead, the authors outline how to create myriad different wooden joints. For instance, to make cobblestone assembly joints, the authors show how to use a saw and chisel to remove rectangular pieces from the edges of wooden boards so they interlock when pushed together. Other techniques shown include attaching wooden beams to a flat board by carving out recesses in the board that specially designed projections on the beam can slide into, as well as chiseling a variety of complex prongs that fit into corresponding holes on other pieces of wood. Detailed photographic instructions demonstrate the basic techniques involved, and the intricate joints constitute a creative, aesthetically pleasing alternative to nails. Experienced carpenters looking to elevate their craft will get the most out of this. (May)