An Experimental Woodworking Joint: An Alternating Half-Lap with Through-Tenons

This Ourou shelving system employs an unusual wood joint. It was developed by French industrial designer Guillaume Bloget, working with craftsman Antoine Rivie`re. "I wanted to make a wooden shelving system, without nails or screws, completely removable so that it could be stored flat," Bloget explains. "After going back and forth between drawing and prototyping, we found a self-locking solution, capable of locking the assembly as the shelf was loaded." To explain what you're...