Bad for Dracula

I'm not good with cryptic clues. I'm old enough to remember puzzle books. A selection of word searches and crosswords aimed at keeping me (the child at the time) occupied.

Word search, fine but I was awful at Crosswords. So I offer it up to you. What's bad for Dracula? What were you tied to for heresy while a fire was lit? A strong wooden post with a pointed end? Yes! A stake!

I was prompted to research the word “stake”. Until recently my closest association with the word stake was vampires and a secure location for bizzare punishments. Fencing is fence posts, I'm not a “stake holder”. Joinery? WTF is “Staked Joinery”?

I was exposed to this interesting concept whilst having a browse on Instagram. I follow a furniture making company. They make really stunning work. A touch pretensious with the marketing, but hey, it goes with the territory.

A bench was for featured for sale with “staked” construction. It was a simple but well executed piece. But staked? It had round tennons with wedges in them. When did staked joinery become the phrase du jour?

It doesn't take long to find the source online. For some reason I seem to remember it in a book, but I might be dreaming. No matter.

Ultimately we're free to call joinery what we want. I'll call it as I see it, round tenon. I'll put “staked joinery” in the pile with “hand stretched pizza”, “made with real ingredients” and “made in the UK from global components”. The bullshit pile.

I often wish I could ham things up a bit, you know, really sell an idea. Though I realise that I'm pretty piss poor at that.

If you're having fun in the shop and making good stuff, you call it what you want. My round tennons will not be erroneously labeled as staked.

I warded you last time, DIY makes me grumpy 😂.