3 easy question ( I think)

[Bill Huber]

I a building, I believe its called a Mission Style, table for a TV, 95 lbs. of it. I have 2 tables that we bought a few years ago and I want this one to match them.

The questions are.

1. Should the legs have a small bevel on the ends were they hits the floor?

2. Should I stain it all before I put it all together?

3. Where can I get figure 8s, not sure if there is another name for them but they are to connect the top to the apron.

I was thinking with all the small parts it would be best to stain it first and then glue it up, just don't know if the stain will hurt the glue.

Your thoughts on this.......

Thanks.


91992

[Craig D Peltier]

Bevel is a preference or to match a design.

Stain before might be easier for drips unless your using a wipe on style and easier to get in between the spindles. Im not the authority on knowledge on this topic.

Figures 8s are on woodcraft.com I have bought them elsewhere as well. Some are flat an some are hollow and raised. Either one works just as fine. You can alos make your own tabletop fasteners to allow for wood movement.

[Bill Huber]

Bevel is a preference or to match a design.

Stain before might be easier for drips unless your using a wipe on style and easier to get in between the spindles. Im not the authority on knowledge on this topic.

Figures 8s are on woodcraft.com I have bought them elsewhere as well. Some are flat an some are hollow and raised. Either one works just as fine. You can alos make your own tabletop fasteners to allow for wood movement.

Craig,

Is there another name for figure 8s, I can't find them on Woodcraft or Rockler.

[Tom Esh]

A small foot bevel / chamfer definitely helps prevent chipout if it gets dragged around. If you keep it 1/8" or less it won't be noticable on a hard floor, and pretty much invisible on carpet.

I can tell you from bad experience if you don't do some pre-finishing, trying to get at all those spindles after assembly will make you crazy.:D I'd pre-finish as much as possible, protecting glue joint surfaces with painters tape. It also makes cleaning up any squeezeout sooo much easier.

Not sure what fig 8's are, but Woodcraft has these nifty fasteners I use a lot. (I think they're also called z-clips.) http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=1036
Just cut 1/8" kerf 1/4" deep 1/2" from the edge along inside of the top rails and pop them in.

[Brian Kent]

Rockler calls them desk top fasteners:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=786&filter=fasteners

[gary Zimmel]

Bill

I have done the legs on my mission projects both ways. However I like the looks of a 1/8" chamfer on the bottoms of the legs if they are sitting on hardwood floors.

I also try and prefinish as many of the small parts as I can before glueup.
The mission headboard and footboard I built had about 94 spindles. Way easier to finish them first. (used lots of blue tape)

LV also has those figure 8 connectors but I mostly use the table mounting clamps from them to attach tops. (same clips Tom is talking about)

[mark page]

Bill,

Al just posted a video on his buttons he was talking about on his blog. You might check it out if you haven't already seen it.

[Frank Drew]

A small foot bevel / chamfer definitely helps prevent chipout if it gets dragged around.

I think this is an essential step for just the reason Tom cites; another way is with a small ball-bearing guided rounding over bit in a trim router -- takes about 30 seconds per leg.

[Ellen Benkin]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Rockler definitely has them. If they don't call them figure 8s, try table top fasteners.

[Doug Shepard]

I've always put a champfer on the bottom of legs just to play it safe. A disc sander with the table tilted is about the quickest way plus they're already sanded smooth. I haven't tried the figure-8's but the Z-clips mentioned work great. You can use a biscuit jointer to cut the slot just where you need them or do a kerf the whole length.

[Ron Bontz]

Hi Bill.
Well if I may. As far as the staining etc. I would dry fit, lightly mark with a pencil or marking knife the joint line then use painters tape. I would also stain, and laquer all but the last coat, and lightly sand before assembly. Then spray away after the thing is ready. It has always worked great for me on those type of projects.
As far as the desk top fasteners I prefer the heavier steel fasteners "figure 8s". The zip clips and light weight "figure 8s"are ok for lighter furniture or things that aren't likely to be picked up by the table top. People have a habit of grabbing those desk/table tops to move them. Just my dimes worth. Best wishes.