Breadboard ends with Domino Floating Tenons

[Prashun Patel]

I want to add breadboard ends to a desk I'm making. I've seen two approaches to this:

1) Drill all mortises tight on the table, drill the center mortise tight on the breadboard, and the outer breadboard mortises wider. Glue the tenons into the table, and only apply glue to the center tenon on the breadboard side.

2) Drill all mortises tight on both the table and breadboard end side. Then drill oversized peg holes through the outer tenons on the breadboard side. Then peg all the dowels on the breadboard side.

Is one better than the other? Are there other approaches?

[Jeff Monson]

Prashun, This dresser top breadboard is done with domino's, it has held up for 3 years now still looking like the day I built it. I used 5 domino's to attach it, all were on the tight setting. This sits at our cabin so it see's 20 below to 95 above temps and constant humidity changes. It is quartersawn oak so maybe a little more stable.
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[Prashun Patel]

Jeff, my top is also qswo. I think it'll be fine even too if I glue all the dominos tight. However, I'd like to do it 'right' and allow for theoretical expansion. My table is also about 24" wide, so at that width, I'd prefer not to take chances.

[Sam Murdoch]

Prashun I think your # 1 approach will be great. I can't see that the extra work of # 2 is needed at all.

[Prashun Patel]

I like the aesthetics of the dowel pins. I think I'll drill the tight mortises on the breadboard side, pin THEM, then float the wider tenons in the table side.

[Mike Heidrick]

#1 is the recommended approach to all domino flat work. Festool (the domino book anyway) says to make the secondary+ slots wider to aid in joining them.

[Mike Henderson]

I did #1 with slight modifications. I glued the center then put countersunk screws at the ends, with elongated holes. Then I plugged the holes so you can't see the screws.

But I'm one of those people who don't like exposed joinery.

Mike