Advice please? Joinery for simple rack to hold two bottles

So I have these small pieces of Osage Orange, and want to use them to make a little rack to hold two bottles of body oil or whipped body butter (maybe a bottle of each) for my SIL’s birthday.

I’d really like to use some kind of tongue and groove type of thing that would be stable enough to hold firm without screws or glue so that it can be taken apart and put back together easily.

Below is a very sloppy, slapdash drawing of what I’m imagining. I was thinking of having two square notches on both top and bottom pieces that don’t go all of the way through, and have a deeper recess in the middle, for the extended bits of the supports to slide into. And then two holes in the top piece to stabilize the bottles. Maybe even add an indentation at the bottom for each bottle to sit in.

Doable, you think? Doable…this evening….?

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Those are known as a mortice and tenon. You might find it easier to use a pair of round dowels, as it can be done with just drilled holes. I don’t know if that does everything you need it to do

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Gretchen:

A wedged tenon would be one solution. To take the assembly apart just knock the wedges loose. If you make the wedge out of a contrasting wood it would add a little uniqueness.

Drill a hole for the bottles and use a roundover bit to create a recess for them.

Bill

Gretchen:

Keep in mind that making something so it can be taken apart and put back together is always more challenging. Glue and sawdust to compensate for poor joinery is not an option.

I learned this fact when I made a rocking horse for my granddaughter. It had to be broken down for shipment. And still hold up to the rigors of a 2 year old :slight_smile:

Painted and Finished

Bill

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