Breadboard Ends

[Tom Scott]

Are there any rules of thumb for number and size of tenons for the breadboard ends of a table? I'm building a coffee table that is 24" wide. Are 3 pegged tenons sufficient?

[Cody Colston]

I don't know of any rule-of-thumb for the tenons but I would use four 2 1/2" wide tenons across a 24" width. Place the outer tenons 2" from the panel edge. Place the two center tenons three inches apart. A groove and stub tenon between the mortised tenons helps to keep the panel aligned and flat. The two center tenons can be glued but the two outer tenons need pegs in elongated holes to allow for movement of the panel...probably not more than 1/16" on each side.

205607

[Mike Zilis]

Thanks, Cody! This one is being filed away for later reference.

[Harlan Barnhart]

Here is a very small version of a breadboard end I made. It's several years old now. So far, so good.

[John TenEyck]

I'll be the last person to argue against the need to accommodate seasonal wood movement with good design and construction, and the advice above seems appropriate. But I just thought I'd pass on the results of a couple of experiments I did just to see what would happen when you break the rules. I made two cutting boards with breadboards ends, out of maple, about 14" wide. I attached the breadboard ends with nothing more than glued in biscuits, 4 per end. The boards are more decorative than functional, but are now about 15 years old and they are as nice today as when I made them. I check the ends occassionally just to see if the glued up plain sawn center panel is proud or shy of the breadboard ends; rarely do I feel much difference and it's never very much. I find this curious since I would expect the panels to change about 1/4" in width seasonally according to the formula in Hoadley's book.

[Tom Scott]

Thanks for the replies. Are there preferences for running the stub tenon to the end or stopping it short so it doesn't show?

[Cody Colston]

Thanks for the replies. Are there preferences for running the stub tenon to the end or stopping it short so it doesn't show?

It's purely personal preference and I have done it both ways. It's not difficult to center a stopped groove using a plunge cut at the router table.

[Aleks Hunter]

Use a spiral upcut bit in a table mounted router to cut the mortise and leave the ends intact, but leave around 1/8" on either side of the outboard two tenons for the inevitable movement, and only peg the center tenon.

[Bobby O'Neal]

I'll throw a noob question out there. I've never made breadboard ends before. Taking Cody's example, if you secure the two middle tenons with glue, why is that not enough to hold the bread board securely? Why do you need to peg the outside tenons?

[Rick Fisher]

On seasonal wood movement, I agree.

I have built things without considering it and had no problem.

Recently I installed 12 drawer fronts on my bench, made the gaps as tight as possible, 4 drawers high. The drawer faces have swelled so much that opening any one drawer opens all the drawers. lol

I fixed it last night, seperating them with a rubber mallet, and planing the top of each drawer face with a smoother.. but in this case, seasonal movement was a problem.

I think seasonal wood movement is a crap shoot.. but never worth the risk of not considering it ..

[Cody Colston]

I'll throw a noob question out there. I've never made breadboard ends before. Taking Cody's example, if you secure the two middle tenons with glue, why is that not enough to hold the bread board securely? Why do you need to peg the outside tenons?

On a 24" wide panel, like the one in question, the middle tenons cover one third of the batten length. That leaves 2/3 of the batten unsecured if it isn't pegged. The batten can be slightly sprung, a bit shaved off the center with a plane to pull the ends in tight when the middle is clamped, but why not peg them and not worry about the ends pulling away from the panel and leaving an unsightly gap? That's the reason for the two outer tenons. If the batten ends aren't going to be secured, then there would be no need for the tenons.