3/4 inch pegs - measured where exactly?

[Preserved]

Hi everyone,

I'm building a little TF garden pergola, and would like to make my own pegs this time. I've got some nice dry, straight-grained white oak.   My question is: are 3/4 inch octagon pegs measured on the flats as 3/4??    

[Roger Nair]

So the number I would offer is 23/32 flat to flat, however you should do a mock-up and arrive at your own spec of what is tight enough but does not wedge and over stress the bores.  If you are working on a shaving horse, place a go-no-go bore through the horse.  Your hand and eye will learn the spec

[Preserved]

Thanks Roger.  I'll start with that and see how it fits.  

[jander3]

agree with putting a hole in the shaving horse at desired size.  It only takes on or two tries to cut a peg that will bite but not hang up when you whack it home.

[Brad_bb]

So are you draw boring or pegging line to line (peg same dia as hole)?  Either way I prefer to start with GREEN log rounds.  You use a froe to cut them into squares, then octagons.  Throw them right into a tub of water.  I like to use the rubbermaid rectangular totes with lid.  You could put a capful of bleach (not much) in there if they will sit for quite awhile before you get to them.  Pull them out wet and drawknife a point on them if line to line, or tape them if for draw boring.  Then set them aside where there's some air circulation so they can start to dry.  If they're line to line, you can size them after a month or two or more.  You want them to be fairly dry.  You can create a sizing die by drilling your hole in a 1/4" to 3/8" plate.  You want the edges of the hole to be sharp.  If they have a burr that's fine.  Now you can drive them through the die with a 3LB sledge.  If still too snug, drive it through the die a second time.  It gets compressed a bit the first time and re-expands as it comes out of the die.  The second pass it does not.  If it's still too snug, then your drilled hole is too big.  This is me last November.
Pounding pegs - YouTube

[Dana Stanley]

I saw a video of a guy who made a die out of a pipe. same principle as Brads plate. He had it mounted to a log and had a slot hewed out so the just dropped out. He split them out of a log wit a fro. A PRO's way of making Oak pegs 'FAST' for Timber construction - YouTube