Recently I began the reproduction of a 17th-century Butterfly Table. The original piece, in the Berkshire Museum in Massachusetts, was constructed with plain, square, flat joints in the top between the center fixed leaf and the outer hinged leaves. While this works well, I want to replace it with a stronger and more beautiful rule joint.

Here is the SketchUp design showing rule joints.

 

While the rule joint looks to be quite simple, the details are complex, along with the positioning of the special hinges. Here is a dimensioned drawing showing these details. Notice, in particular, that the center of rotation is raised slightly from a position you would expect. This offset is important for a smooth rotation without gaps.

I’ve prepared a set of four short videos (in a Playlist) capturing my SketchUp process of converting the original joints to rule joints.

Tim

KillenWOOD.com

More from Tim Killen

	SketchUp to shop: 18th-century molding Tim Killen demonstrates how SketchUp helps him shape an 18th-century molding by hand.
	Managing a dining table with massive components To help manage this large project, Tim Killen designed this farmhouse table with five separate assemblies.
	Recreating a Childhood Memory Tim Killen brings create plans from a friends decades-old sketches to help a friend build a part of his childhood.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Blackwing Pencils

If you've listened to Shop Talk Live, you've heard them talk more about these pencils than you could possibly imagine.

Buy at Amazon

Stanley Powerlock 16-ft. tape measure

With its smooth lock, tough case, compact size, and excellent accuracy, this Stanley tape is perfect for workshop use.

Buy at Amazon

Drafting Tools

Add a hole guide to this kit, and you'll have the tools you need to work out your designs with scale drawings.

Buy at Amazon