The wood welding technology has been used to make environmentally friendly wood products. This study was aimed to optimize the rotational welding parameters to produce high-strength wood joints using the Response Surface Methodology. Black spruce (Picea mariana) was used as substrates; sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and hickory (Carya spp.) were used as dowels of a diameter of 0.75 inch. Wood joint specimens were made taking three welding parameters into account, including hole-diameter (Φ), density of wood substrate (ρ) and rotational speed (S[subscript R]). Hole-diameter/dowel-diameter ratio (Φ[subscript φ]) was employed to discuss the results. The push-out tests were conducted using a universal mechanical testing machine. The effects of each parameter and their interactive effects on the maximum push-out load (P[subscript max]) and stiffness (K) of joints were examined. It was found that among the three chosen parameters, Φ was the most significant factor influencing P[subscript max] and K. S[subscript R] and ρ did not have a significant effect on two responses. The optimum welding parameters were found to be that Φ was 0.64 inch, ρ was 0.45 g/cm³ and S[subscript R] was 900 rotation per minute. The joint verification test using the optimized parameters showed that P[subscript max] and K were 700% and 225% larger, respectively, than those of push-in maple dowelled specimens. Another verification test showed that P[subscript max] and K increased by 415% and 220%, respectively, compared to the push-in hickory doweled specimens. A potential of applying this technology could be to reinforce existing wood joints or make laminated wood products such as beams. Keywords: Push-out load, stiffness, density, hole diameter, rotational welding, wood joints, hardwood dowels.
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