Combining wood w/o glue?

Question

i'm going to work at a summer camp and i want to make a wooden chair out of cedar logs (4" diameter) without using glue, so i can just toss it in the forest with no mind as to polluting.

anyway, i'd be doing this in many places, so its not just 1 joint, but,

if i drill say a 1/2" hole in to logs and tap a 5/8" or 9/16" dowel rod into the hole, will that be enough to hold it in place?

Answer 1

You're certainly on the right track, in the JOINT thinking, you might even consider some method of Pegging the construction. Obviously primitive "furniture" was often fabricated without glue.

   Part of your thinking should address points of stress, and bracing them. If you have access, you can fabricate some type of lashing, adding bracing at various points of sway and stress, or get your hands on some Hemp or Sisal rope, which would degrade eventually.

Just my two "sense"

Answer 2

No,it's not enough.in cold wet weather wood swells,in hot weather it shrinks,even with glue you would be in trouble,being 'round wood complicates the matter,best to lash them together with rope.

Answer 3

You can peg them like you mentioned and be ok. but Id suggest using a little larger dowel, and drill your holes slightly undersize. Sand your dowels a little to taper them before driving them through the holes.Another alternative would be cutting a slot through the log ends and making a wedge to drive into them. Cedar is a great choice for outdoor furniture with no finish on it as it resists decay, if you can find cedar dowels, you will be lucky. Or, instead of dowels, you could whittle some smaller branches down to make your dowel pegs. It sounds like a neat project you got going there, best of luck with it.