re: Dragon Claw Stool

This is a very beautiful example of this type of stool construction. As I understand it from other posts by builders of stools like this, it seems that the main problem is getting the joints together and that they have to be cut in a way that leaves some slop in the joint to allow for assembly in it’s tight confines. My thought is that the main problem could easily be solved by using loose tenons and driving them in through the open mortises on the legs. I can’t see that any significant reduction of strength would result from this approach since the stretchers do not appear to bear much weight or stress when in use. This should greatly reduce the complexity, (and as a consequence maybe the fun too), but I think it would work.