Flathill:
We don't bore the holes usually until just before we put it together for the final time, if we're going to take some time to cut the joints.
If we're going to put it right together then we only bore the mortise holes first, put the tenon in and check the measurements. If they are off we trim and adjust the shoulders of the pieces until all is right.
Then we poke the bit into the mortise peg hole and then draw bore the tenon hole.
Then we put it together and the peg pulls the joint tight.
If you're going to put it all together in your yard, I'd bore the holes, draw bore the tenons and then don't push the pegs in very far just enough to hold it together. Then using a "peg pusher" you push the pegs back out to disassemble it.
Then move it to where you're going to put it together.
When it's where it's going to stay, then drive the pegs all the way in.
Never re-bore holes, or bore out pegs.
You can look at the frame on my webpage and you'll see the pegs sticking way out.
This is so I can disassemble the frame and move it to where it will be erected at the customer's location.
You need to have nice tapered pegs with small points and a good peg pusher.
My peg pusher is a brass dowel, just a bit smaller then the peg hole size so that it catches the peg point cleanly and doesn't get wedged in beside it.
Hope that helps.
Jim Rogers
