Mortise Location

[brendonv]

Looking through various pictures, and my new Sobon book...

I've noticed the mortise never seems to be in the center of the timber.  It looks to be offset to the outside of the timber, about the same width as the tenon size (1/4 of timber).

Is there a rule of how far from the side it should be that I missed somewhere in my new readings and understandings of timber framing?  It looks to be off the edge 1/4 of the timber size.

Thanks,

the newb

Brendon

[moonhill]

You could make up your own rule, reinventing the wheel.  As you are using Sobon's book stick to that system, square rule suggest 1-1/2" from the shoulder for a 1-1/2" mortice and 2" from the edge for 2" mortices.  Sometimes this can vary due to girts coming into a post form each side and forcing the tenon on the dropped tie to the center.   There are ways around the conflicting joinery, that is where the fun begins. 

Tim

[Jim_Rogers]

Read this post:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,13965.0.html

It has the basic joint layout information in it, and the reasons why.

Then keep asking questions......