Coffee Table Apron Joinery

[Jason Scott]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to show you my first joint on the aprons of the coffee table, they will all be handcut dovetails. This joint went ok, have some fine tuning left, I'm not sure this hand cut stuff is all it is cracked up to be lol, it takes forever. Let me know what you think, this is just rough fitted.

[Guy Germaine]

By far better than I could do. Nice work. That's going to look greatwhen it's done.

[gary Zimmel]

Jason

Nice work on the handcut dovetail.

You could do them with a machine but I believe any time I make a project with hand cut dovetails the satisfaction of the finished piece is greater.

Can't wait to see the table finished.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Very nice work. What method will you use to attach the legs? Alan

[Doug Shepard]

Don't even think about setting any coffee on that table:D It looks great.

[Dave Ray]

Nice looking joints, Jason. Will be a pretty table. Not sure what I am seeing in the middle of the top.... is it sawdust or an inlay? Tired old eyes get fooled sometimes.

[keith ouellette]

Very nice. I'm glad to see the inlay problem went away with a trip to the drum sander.

[Jim Becker]

Great job!

[Jason Scott]

Thanks guys,

This joint came out very nice, I did the next one not too long ago and it came out ok, not as tight as this one, so so shimming may be necessary, man you make just one tiny cut wrong and that is it, a gap :rolleyes: But I have already placed a tiny shim in and sanded it flush and you can't tell...I really am taking to heart what some of you said in my first coffee table post, "That the mark of a good craftsman is not being perfect, but being able to hide small mistakes to look like it's perfect"...So I am trying not to beat myself up on the one with the gap.

To answer the question about the leg, I will Cut away a good portion of the leg with the dado stack and then affix it to the inside aprons with screws. Unless some one would like to suggest another way.

And Dave, yes it is a Japanese Maple Leaf inlay.

[Jeff Wittrock]

Nice looking dovetails Jason. Those are really going to stand out on the apron. I'd really like to see pictures of it when you're done.

[Greg Cole]

Jason,
Nice job on the DT's.....

Greg

[George Bregar]

Thanks guys,

This joint came out very nice, I did the next one not too long ago and it came out ok, not as tight as this one, so so shimming may be necessary, man you make just one tiny cut wrong and that is it, a gap :rolleyes: But I have already placed a tiny shim in and sanded it flush and you can't tell...I really am taking to heart what some of you said in my first coffee table post, "That the mark of a good craftsman is not being perfect, but being able to hide small mistakes to look like it's perfect"...So I am trying not to beat myself up on the one with the gap.

To answer the question about the leg, I will Cut away a good portion of the leg with the dado stack and then affix it to the inside aprons with screws. Unless some one would like to suggest another way.

And Dave, yes it is a Japanese Maple Leaf inlay. Nice dovetails Jason. Connection of the legs could be a problem though because you will have a cross grain issue and that mechanical connection will weaken over time. The mating area is pretty narrow but doesn't take much movement to loosen a screw. I would also glue half the width of the apron (the top half) to the leg, and would use a tenoning jig rather than a dado stack to notch out the leg. This would provide a smoother face to face surface for that glue up.