How many figure 8s do I need ???

[Bill Huber]

Well I have been down and out for the last 6 weeks, had some surgery and then some problems after that so I have been not able to do anything for the last 6 weeks or so..... but I am doing much better now and am trying to get back at it.

So my question is I have a slab table top that is 1"x24"x48". This is the top for my mission TV stand, how many figure 8s should I use, I am thinking 4 down each side and one on each end, so what is the right answer.

Thanks....

[Casey Gooding]

If you aren't going to be moving this piece a lot, you would probably be fine with two on each long side and one on each end.

[Von Bickley]

Bill,
I have no way of knowing about how much it will weight or what kind of use it will get.

What you suggested sounds like that would be about what I would use.:)

[Bill Huber]

Casey, I will not be move at all, once its in place and the TV is on it, it will be staying right there.


Von, It is made of red oak and will have a 95 lb TV setting on it.



Here is the basic drawing.

95910

[Bruce Page]

I hope that I'm not the only one that doesn't have a clue what you guys are talking about..:confused:

Glad you're feeling better Bill.

[Mike McCann]

Bill

have you checked these out instead of the figure 8's. I believe they allow for more movement. You can get them at rockler

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=784&filter=table%20hold%20down

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/34215-01-500.jpg

[Bill Huber]

I hope that I'm not the only one that doesn't have a clue what you guys are talking about..:confused:

Glad you're feeling better Bill.

I will tell you I had no idea what people were talking about when they told me what to use to attach the top to the frame.

They hold a slab of solid wood to it frame so it can move.


http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=786&filter=table%20hold%20down

95923

[Bill Huber]

Bill

have you checked these out instead of the figure 8's. I believe they allow for more movement. You can get them at rockler

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=784&filter=table%20hold%20down



I looked at those after I had the frame together and I guess I could still cut a groove in the frame but it would be harder then just to go head and use the figure 8s, I think.

[Maik Tobin]

Figure eights will work fine at the ends, but not along the sides (the long lengths). They will only allow movement from side to side. Using them along the width will actually restrict movement and could actually cause a split. I use them at the ends only and the clips referred to above for the sides. I generally cut slots with my biscuit cutter and put two on each side of the table. They will also assist in keeping the top on flat, which figure 8's will not.

[Mike McCann]

Bill

you do not need to do a slot all the way around. I was told just use a bisquit jointer if you have one to make the slots where you need them.

[Fred Voorhees]

Figure eights will work fine at the ends, but not along the sides (the long lengths). They will only allow movement from side to side. Using them along the width will actually restrict movement and could actually cause a split. I use them at the ends only and the clips referred to above for the sides. I generally cut slots with my biscuit cutter and put two on each side of the table. They will also assist in keeping the top on flat, which figure 8's will not.

I have often seen posts where, to me, it seemed as if those that posted didn't realize this fact that figure eights along the long sides would possibly restrict the wood movement. And that is true, but I would think, though I have never used them, that this would only be true if you positioned the figure eights at a definite 90 degrees from the side. I would think that if you positioned them off of the 90 degrees one way or the other, they would still work as they are intended to do. With that said, there is a reason why I haven't used them yet.....looking at them, I just can't put a whole lot of faith in them.

[John Thompson]

I don't use the figure 8's as mentioned but do use the table-top fastners that Mike mentioned. If I did use figure 8's on the sides I would cut the groove bout 1/2' deep and over-lap the figure 8 just shy of 1/4' into the slot. That would allow a combined total of 1/2" for side to side expansion.

I haven't had any problem doing that with the double L TT fastners with red oak and see no real problem if figure 8's were used in lieu. But.. I do make sure that my stock is sitting around 10% moisture content when the finish is applied as that is about what it is in my home.

Sarge..

[Howard Acheson]

Figure 8's are not a good choice. They should only be used on the end of a solid panel. They do not allow for movement when used on the along grain edge of the panel. The wood movement will be straight into the edge and the fasteners will not swivel.

Much better to use the other fasteners or to make similar type wooden buttons. These allow movement in all four sides of a panel and are much stronger if you ever have to lift the table.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I hope that I'm not the only one that doesn't have a clue what you guys are talking about..:confused:.

Figure 8's means those little clips that hold a table top on without confining it too much. They allow wood movement.

It took me a moment too. I never purchased anything manufactured to accomplish this.

[Jesse Cloud]

When I try to figure out how many fasteners to use for a table top, I consider that the biggest stress it will probably ever have is when someone tries to lift the piece by the top.

[Johnny Kleso]

Figuer 8s work fine on all sides if they are mounted at a 45* angle so they can expand and contract..

[Toney Robertson]

This whole figure eight on the side thing had me perplexed when I saw David Marks do it on one of his shows. He never addressed the situation and it sure looked like he put them at a 90 degree orientation.

I wondered why he did that.

Toney

[Doug Shepard]

I use the Z-clips that Mike mentioned and just use a biscuit jointer to slot for them. On a table top of your size I'd probably do one on each end and either 2 or 3 on the sides. In theory you could do one on each side since you just need it for locating the top to the base rather than weight bearing. I doubt you're going to lift that by the top very often. But my tendency to overbuild says use more.

[Sean Kinn]

Z-clips "slots" can also be made with about 4 non-through adjacent drill holes cleaned up with a chisel on a piece that is already assembled. Not as slick as a biscuit joiner, but worked just fine when I forgot to cut the grooves in the apron prior to glue up.

[Maik Tobin]

I have often seen posts where, to me, it seemed as if those that posted didn't realize this fact that figure eights along the long sides would possibly restrict the wood movement. And that is true, but I would think, though I have never used them, that this would only be true if you positioned the figure eights at a definite 90 degrees from the side. I would think that if you positioned them off of the 90 degrees one way or the other, they would still work as they are intended to do. With that said, there is a reason why I haven't used them yet.....looking at them, I just can't put a whole lot of faith in them.

I am not sure I understand what you are saying. Figure eights by their definition move from side to side. Since they are "pinned" in two places, they have no room to move any way but sideways. Even if you position them off 90 degrees, it would seem to me to serve no purpose as it will still be ristrictive as far as the grain is concerned. To perform as you suggest, they would have to be able to move in an arch or even stretch, which they can not because they are "pinned" in two places that must remain the same distance from each other.