Split leaf table fit together day 1 and day 2 doesn't? (new build)

[Mike Dowell]

I'm building a split leaf table which is 44" round and has a 10" leaf. I'm using Ash, and the wood was dried very well(solar kiln, then acclimated a couple weeks in my shop). We milled the top to 1.25" thick, created two halves, then cut it to a circle. After that, I set the leaf in, and marked with a square, my pin lines. Drilled and installed using a self centering dowel jig and installed the pins. Drilled the female holes one size bigger and the top with leaf fit together perfectly. I then trimmed up the leaf flush. The next day, I took the leaf out and slid the table together but it was tight. I tapped it together and noticed that the halves were off 3/32, almost 1/8". IMPOSSIBLE!

After a while of pondering, I decided that when I drew my pin lines, despite using a square, the lines were not exactly straight, and so the table fit together perfectly with the leaf, but without it, the two halves were off. This theory made sense even though I used a square, which that part doesn't add up. Anyway, just for the hell of it, today(2 days later) I put the leaf back in and went to push the table top back into one piece - doesn't go. It's crooked and now not only are the halves off, but the leaf is off too. It's a total mess. I was originally going to come on here and as for a recommendation on how to mark and drill so that the pins line up both with and without the leaves, but now I realize, they were fine to begin with. I bet the day I installed the pins(when the table with leaf fit together perfectly), had I removed the leaf, the two halves would also have fit perfectly.

I should note that this table top is just sitting on my tablesaw, it is not attached to a base or anything. I understand the table top will grow and shrink, but along the grain? That much?

What's going on here? Really need a life vest if any of you have one.

Thanks.

Leaf
Overall

[Sebastien La Madeleine]

Just a quick tought, any chance the leaf ended up the other way around? (and the dowels not being perfectly symetrical?)

[Steve Jenkins]

When you mark for the pins put the two halves together without the leaf and mark the holes then set the leaf in and mark both edges. You should be able to plug the holes with matching edge grain and they won’t be very noticeable.

[Mike Dowell]

Just a quick tought, any chance the leaf ended up the other way around? (and the dowels not being perfectly symetrical?)

oh.my.

So, the table was upside down! Wow. I feel dumb. OK, so now it is back to fitting perfectly with the leaf installed, but without, it's misaligned. It still fits smooth but is off a 16th.

[Mike Dowell]

When you mark for the pins put the two halves together without the leaf and mark the holes then set the leaf in and mark both edges. You should be able to plug the holes with matching edge grain and they won’t be very noticeable.

Will do. And thanks - I'll report back.

[Andrew Hughes]

That's a very interesting build Steve. I would also like to suggest that you use a cabinetmakers triangle it really saves lots of mistakes.

[eugene thomas]

I build round table years ago. Had three leafs and took lot of pluging and drilling after screwed up fist go around.