Table Legs to top

[John TenEyck]

I live in central California so my humidity is reverse of yours dry in summer and damp in winter. I looked it up and San Francisco, whose climate does not vary that much, has a 20% change in RH over the seasons.
Bil lD

I was referring to the RH inside your house. The RH outside is really higher here in the Winter, too, but once you warm up that air inside your house it's much lower. The RH inside a house in San Francisco likely experiences an RH swing much greater than 20% for the same reason, though likely not to the extremes we have because it doesn't get nearly as cold there.

John

[Jim Riseborough]

So my final idea is to just dowel at the middle. 2 rows with 4 dowels at the center, about 2" spacing. Yes, it will restrain the very center two boards, but im confident its not going to explode. Will let you know how things go.

Table Dowels.jpg

[Kevin Jenness]

Why do you want to permanently fasten the top and leg assemblies? It will be much easier to move them separately in the future if detachable. I would suggest one unglued dowel in the center of the stretcher for location and wood buttons or steel s-clips in a groove or figure-8's to hold the top down to the stretcher and allow for the inevitable seasonal movement.

On second look, it appears you may not have any stretchers between the "trestles", in which case you may need a more rigid attachment than buttons or figure-8's will provide. Large screws or lags in oval or oversized holes in the stretchers may be the way to go.

[Jim Riseborough]

Why do you want to permanently fasten the top and leg assemblies? It will be much easier to move them separately in the future if detachable. I would suggest one unglued dowel in the center of the stretcher for location and wood buttons or steel s-clips in a groove or figure-8's to hold the top down to the stretcher and allow for the inevitable seasonal movement.

On second look, it appears you may not have any stretchers between the "trestles", in which case you may need a more rigid attachment than buttons or figure-8's will provide. Large screws or lags in oval or oversized holes in the stretchers may be the way to go.

See updated pic, the cross tie thats doweled in will be the permanent fixture, the legs can unbolt.

I want it to be 'fastener free' look. I know I could put a stretcher down the center and fix that into the table, and bolt everything to it. At the worst that could come later.

Table Dowels.jpg

[Lee Schierer]

See updated pic, the cross tie thats doweled in will be the permanent fixture, the legs can unbolt.

I want it to be 'fastener free' look. I know I could put a stretcher down the center and fix that into the table, and bolt everything to it. At the worst that could come later.

Table Dowels.jpg

You could put threaded inserts into the bottom of your table top, in place of your dowels and then counter bore holes up through the cross member and attach the table top with a couple of long bolts that would be hidden unless you climb under the table and look up.

[Jim Becker]

So my final idea is to just dowel at the middle. 2 rows with 4 dowels at the center, about 2" spacing. Yes, it will restrain the very center two boards, but im confident its not going to explode. Will let you know how things go.

Table Dowels.jpg

That should be fine you you really should also use some figure eights out at the ends to keep the top flat. Even with substantial weight, it can, yup...move.

[Dan Hahr]

Not sure where you came up with this design, but it is lacking in strength and function. The design without stretchers will not protect against racking. The top attached only at the center will not resist warping as it surely will not being restrained by proper attachment methods. I would pay attention to those who advocate a change to the design.

The use of fasteners to attach table tops is the proper way to do this. Dowels are not appropriate in this situation.

Dan

[Kevin Jenness]

This may have been suggested in your earlier thread on this project, but one way to make a reasonably strong, removable connection would be to use some steel plates aligned with the length of the tablescrewed up into the top and down into the stretchers. Something like 1/4" x 3" x 10" fastened with # 14 panhead screws into the top with elongated holes where needed, flathead screws in the stretchers and mortised halfway into each surface. The dowels and figure 8's could work but seem marginal to me. Pocket screws don't really belong in the mix. Dancing on this table is not advised.

[Jim Riseborough]

This may have been suggested in your earlier thread on this project, but one way to make a reasonably strong, removable connection would be to use some steel plates aligned with the length of the tablescrewed up into the top and down into the stretchers. Something like 1/4" x 3" x 10" fastened with # 14 panhead screws into the top with elongated holes where needed, flathead screws in the stretchers and mortised halfway into each surface. The dowels and figure 8's could work but seem marginal to me. Pocket screws don't really belong in the mix. Dancing on this table is not advised.

Not sure where you came up with this design, but it is lacking in strength and function. The design without stretchers will not protect against racking. The top attached only at the center will not resist warping as it surely will not being restrained by proper attachment methods. I would pay attention to those who advocate a change to the design.

The use of fasteners to attach table tops is the proper way to do this. Dowels are not appropriate in this situation.

Dan

Dan, Kevin, thanks for your concern.

I have looked into this. I am not too worried, the leg assembly does have a bottom stretcher, and its a significant connection. As you said, we wont dance on this. I was surprised how much capacity the wood dowels have, just 2 of them in line I was upwards of 200lb capacity at 12" offset. I am going to use 6 dowels, plus 8 of the "figure 8" type devices, (they are 3/16" plates in reality) they will be fastened with 5/16" threaded screws into anchors epoxied into the table and the legs.

In light of these connections, the whole thing also will have some Virendeel truss action. I am truly not worried about racking, but my back up plan is some "X" bracing with steel cable and hardware like you see for hand rail if it does rack.

Jim

[Jim Riseborough]

Got it all assembled. Its very stout. hardly any movement unless you really put your back into it.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0FlB...dynxpGnrDnZr3w

[Jim Becker]

Seems to only be a picture of a leg on the carpet at that link, Jim.

[Jim Riseborough]

Seems to only be a picture of a leg on the carpet at that link, Jim.

supposed to be a video. Might have to click the thumbnail bottom left.

[Lee Schierer]

Got it all assembled. Its very stout. hardly any movement unless you really put your back into it.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0FlB...dynxpGnrDnZr3w

You need to click on download once you get to the site to see the short video.......

[Jim Becker]

Very nice! I like the design for sure. Your helper clearly made the project go smoother, too.

[Jim Riseborough]

Very nice! I like the design for sure. Your helper clearly made the project go smoother, too.

Lol thanks, he likes to be involved in everything.