Dating all the way back to Neolithic times, the mortise and tenon is the oldest wood joint known to mankind. While the specific provenance of the joint is unknown, I’m willing to bet the inventor wasn’t a virgin.
In the thousands of years since, craftspeople have developed an almost absurd variety of joints, some of which you learned in the ID shop at school, some of which you’ve never heard of, and that one that you can always see in your head but have forgotten the name of. To help you remember for the next time you’re building something out of wood, or to give you some alternatives for any current designs you’re working on, here are some visual guides:
Joints by Application:
Joints for Chairs, Frames and Tables
Joints for Tabletops and Cabinets
Joints for Boxes and Drawers
Joints by Machine:
Typical Router Joints
CNC Mill Joints, Corner
CNC Mill Joints, Tee and Cross
CNC Mill Joints, Splice
CNC Mill Joints, Box
CNC Mill Joints, Miscellaneous/WTF
Books
Here are some books that those of you researching or making joints may want to peruse:
The Joint Book: The Complete Guide to Wood Joinery
The Complete Guide to Joint-Making
Joining Wood: Techniques for Better Woodworking
Classic Joints with Power Tools
If you’ve got any more joint resources you’d like to see included, please let us know in the comments and we’ll expand this section.
via Core77
Reference: The Ultimate Wood Joint Visual Reference Guide