lock-mitered apron to heavy 54x44 tabletop?

[Enrique Bava]

I have a 54 in. long table top to miter for a mitered, across-the-grain (the apron is made of a slice of the main panel cut off) the width is also important (44 in.) Can I attempt to lock-miter the miter cut instead in a regular size (smallish) router table? or should instead cross cut the miter in the table saw and then use splines or buiscuits?

should I make a custom made super-tall mega fence to cut the tabletop in the vertical direction instead of the apron?
thank you in advance.

[Matt Day]

I'm not following what you're trying to do. Could you explain your design more or include a picture?

Normally aprons dead end at the legs so there's no mothering of them.

[Peter Quinn]

If your plan is to stand up a 44" X 54" (Standard convention is to to list Width X Length) table top on a small router table, that may not work. Chances are its not going to be perfectly flat and that all affect the fit of a lock miter. Tall fence or not its fraught with potential for failure or marginal results. Plus for that drop edge look its always better if you can't see the joinery which is not the case with a lock miter. This sounds like a good use for a domino! If not in the budget or tool chest a biscuit jointer could help, or a plunge router to let in some stop splines.

[Jamie Buxton]

Trying to move a big table top through a small router table or even a table saw is asking for trouble. The thing is so big that you can't move it precisely. You'd do much better if you move the cutting tool past the top rather than trying to move the top past the cutting tool. For instance, you could cut a miter on the top by using a track saw, or a circular saw and a straightedge. You could cut the miter on the apron with the table saw. Then you fasten those two pieces with splines or biscuits.

[Art Mann]

My experience with lock miter bits is that they are very demanding and require precision setup and cutting technique. I agree with the other guys that you will have an extremely difficult time cutting the profiles accurately enough to fit well and look good.