Dining table advice

[Floyd Mah]

Here's a few hints on making nice chisel cuts. Think of the chisel's purpose as primarily to remove waste: a knife with leverage. Use a straight edge and a razor (or utility knife) to score and cut the first 1/16" of the wood below the surface to outline the mortise as well as the shoulder of the tenon. Be mindful of the angle of your cuts. When you use the chisel, remember that it is a wedge, and will try to travel in a direction that is governed by the wedge, not just the face of the chisel. After your razor cuts, if you set the point of the chisel near, but not in, the cut, you can chip out the wood near the cut. Remove the waste and you have a nice shoulder to guide the rest of your work. I've been lazy in the past and have tried to use the chisel to start my work, but invariably end up with a ragged cut because I wasn't able chisel in a completely straight line. As Jim said, no one sees the inside of the mortise. Only the shoulders are visible. If you are careful to start with straight lines, you can produce a joint that looks like it was done by a craftsman with just a little practice.

[andy bessette]

FM--good post.

[Yonak Hawkins]

For a table like that I see no reason why screws wouldn't work. My teacher instructed me to use screws in my first woodworking project in 8th grade shop and the stool has held for 55 years.

You may want to screw aprons to the table top and attach the legs to the aprons using lag bolts and braces.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Yeah, I see most of the anti-screw advice as "because the other methods are cooler and more artistic" rather than anything practical. The table I'm working on will have very simple lines and blocky legs, so it's really idea for pocket screws. They'd probably work fine without glue, but I'll ask if he wants them glued.

[Jim Morgan]

Like all techniques and devices, pocket screws are appropriate for some applications but not for others. Connecting table top to aprons - fine, especially if non-center holes on cross-grain aprons are elongated to allow for wood movement.

On the other hand, directly screwing legs to aprons - not so good. The problem is that when the table is pushed or pulled, the legs can exert considerable leverage at the top, almost directly in line with the screws. The likelihood of joint failure under this circumstance is not insignificant.

A better solution is to use diagonal braces. These can be secured to the aprons with pocket screws (no forces will be directly in line with these, so unlikely to pull out), with a lag bolt into the inside corner of the leg, pulling it tight against the ends of the aprons. The leg-to-apron joint can be supplemented with dry-fit dowels or dominos, or even M&Ts, increasing strength while preserving the possibility of knocking down the table for moving.

[Brian Holcombe]

Yeah, I see most of the anti-screw advice as "because the other methods are cooler and more artistic" rather than anything practical. The table I'm working on will have very simple lines and blocky legs, so it's really idea for pocket screws. They'd probably work fine without glue, but I'll ask if he wants them glued.

Wooden connections are more rigid than pocket screws and they do not rely heavily on a tiny section of short grain, with a hole in it, to remain intact for their function.

[andy bessette]

Yeah, I see most of the anti-screw advice as "because the other methods are cooler and more artistic" ...

And some are said to have a tin ear for music.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Good point, I've seen the diagonal braces with hanger bolts, and that seems both easy and very strong.

[Peter Christensen]

IMG_E3743.jpg

I have used corner blocks and hanger bolts for tables and like them because you can take them apart when you want to move them. For a big table I would use 2 hanger bolts. Glue and screws into the skirts and screws into the top have larger holes to allow for movement.

[Carlos Alvarez]

IMG_E3743.jpg

I have used corner blocks and hanger bolts for tables and like them because you can take them apart when you want to move them. For a big table I would use 2 hanger bolts. Glue and screws into the skirts and screws into the top have larger holes to allow for movement.

I like that a lot. I think that will be my plan. Yes, I know it's not traditional and cool, but I don't have a single care for the furniture parts you can't see, much like I don't care about music I can't hear.

One question...what are the vertical screws for? Do they go all the way into the table top?

[Peter Christensen]

Yes they are holding the top. The holes are enlarged so the top can move. It is a narrow table. On a wide table I use clips or buttons all around the skirt.

[Carlos Alvarez]

It is a narrow table. On a wide table I use clips or buttons all around the skirt.

This will be my first full-size table. Before this, I've only made things that are maybe 18x18 at most. In fact nearly everything I've built is 100% glued and clamped. This is a 7-foot dining table that will end up around 3' wide I think. Can you elaborate on the clips/buttons? Never heard of that.

[Peter Christensen]

IMG_E3745.jpg

These are metal clips Lee Valley sell. You can buy from you favourite supplier or make the wooden versions called buttons. I cut my slots with a biscuit tool or you can use the table saw as the LV add shows.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I know it's not traditional and cool...

This actually is a pretty "traditional" way of assembling tables...albeit it stems from the manufacturing industry since it's practical, easy to execute, strong and gives the ability to knock down when necessary. It's pretty common, actually.

[Yonak Hawkins]

..Or make your own .. simple :

table apron attachment.jpg