In today’s course after making a mortise and tenon joint, the assignment was to make a dovetail joint. I’ve made dovetails before, and while they’re always good practice, I felt the urge to push myself a little further.

Lately, I’ve been researching different approaches to building my own workbench. During that process, I came across the castle joint and became intrigued by its strength, visual character, and suitability for heavy structural work. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to try something new.

So instead of cutting another dovetail, I asked if I could work with a square beam and attempt a castle joint.

I started by carefully drawing out the joint, taking my time to think through each line and measurement. Once everything was marked, I began sawing with a Japanese handsaw, focusing on accuracy and staying true the sensei’s words: “lines are holy”. After fitting the main sections together and making sure everything sat snugly, I moved on to cutting the internal interlocking mechanism.

To my surprise, and relief it, fit perfectly.

There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing a complex joint come together, especially when it’s your first time attempting it. The clean fit felt like a small but meaningful milestone.

More than the joint itself, I’m happy that I chose to challenge myself. It’s a reminder that growth often comes from stepping slightly beyond what feels comfortable.

One joint and one small success closer to becoming the woodworker I want to be.