Replies

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Jan 20, 2003 12:20am | #1

   I'm confused what you mean by "width". In general, breadboard ends are sized for appearence, not by rule.

2. 
   dpearce | Jan 20, 2003 03:50am | #2

   Hey Red, I don't think that I have ever come across a "general rule", but I can tell you that in my "general experience" I usually dont make the bread-boards wider that 3 inches.  My concern here is that someone is eventually going to pick up the table to move it, and all of the weight is going to be dependent upon the tenon inside of the bread-board.  Wider boards will only increase the chances of this happening, and disaster can't be far away.  I have not had this problem with the 3 inch boards, and I find that the appearance is just fine, even on larger tables. good luck. [email protected]

1. 
   alias | Jan 22, 2003 03:52am | #3

   hey d- i plan to make table top 42" wide and 78" long 1 1/2 " thick with full length spline. as it stands today they'll be 5 boards, my question is how deep should the mortise be. are there any pointers you could give me, about this procedure?? i'd appreciate it very much. thanks again.....bear

1. 
   jgaiennie | Jan 22, 2003 04:24am | #4

   Bear,

   With (preposition opener, whoops - these woodworkers are hard on people who use bad grammer - oh well - guess I'll fall out of favor with some) such a wide table top, you definitely need to allow for differential movement.  I dunno if it was in FWW, but I read a real good article about a year or so ago about how to do bread board ends on a table top.  The bottom line is that you need to allow for shrinkage and expansion of the top relative to the length of the end - cross grain movement relative to long grain movement.  And don't expect the ends to stay flush in the long run.

   (Return entered for the sake of the grammatically concerned among us, and with consideration and respect for those who like short paragraphs - lol - I love ya'll)

   The gist of this article was to tennon each table top board, or in the case of a glue up this wide - a few tennons across the width with one in the center.  The tennon in the middle of the table width is glued (and optionally pegged) in a tight fitting mortise to the breadboard end.  The rest of the mortises are wider than the tennons, such that the tennons float in the mortises.  Don't glue the floaters.  The floating M&Ts should be pegged, with slotted holes in the tennons to allow for differential expansion / contraction of the table top relative to the bisquit board ends.

   How much slop should you incorporate in the slots?  You could use the wood shrinkage calculator on Wood bin - isn't that where I saw that?

   Oh, and for a 42" wide table, I'd make my bread board ends about 2 3/4" to 3 1/4" inches wide, but as has been said, that's not by any rule of thumb - just personal preference.  Hey, they could be 8" wide if you're into the heavy look.

   Does this too brief explaination cover what you're looking for?  I hope so.  Look for that article - it was really a good one and far more informative and thought out than my post.  Sorry, I don't remember the source.  Real likely to be FWW.

   jdg

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 22, 2003 04:51am | #5

   >> preposition opener, whoops

   What are you talking about? Beginning a sentence with a prepostion has never been an error. There used to be a rule against using a prepostion to end a sentence with. We repealed it though, after Churchill dismissed it as arrant pedentry.

   >> ... with consideration and respect for those who like short paragraphs ...

   Thank you. I noticed it and appreciate it. It really does make a difference.

1. 
   jgaiennie | Jan 22, 2003 02:20pm | #10

   Thanks Dunc,

   I stand corrected.

   I was telling my wife about this forum the other day and how much I enjoied it.  Not only woodworking, but English lessons too. 

   jdg

2. 
   alias | Jan 22, 2003 04:53am | #6

   thanks jd i remember the article, and frankly forgot. i planned for four tenons and glue two. but i will search for that article, thanks bud..... cheers bear

2. 
   dpearce | Jan 22, 2003 05:45am | #8

   Bear, When you say you are going to use a full length spline, do you mean that you are going to use a spline as a "floating tenon" between the table top and the bread board?  If so, I would make it about 1/3 the thickness of your boards, in this case about 1/2" thick. I would also mortise it about 1" into both the table top and the bread board, so the spline would be 1/2" x 2" x width of the top.  I think a more durable plan would be to make a tenon on each end of the table top about 1" deep and 1/2" thick, and then attach it, but make sure that you don't glue it!  If you need more info about this, feel free to ask.  good luck. dpearce

1. 
   alias | Jan 22, 2003 06:24am | #9

   thanks much -d- , i'll take you up on that offer ...staywell bear

2. 
   Timberwerks | Jan 22, 2003 05:41am | #7

   Today I just started a Cherry top that is 54"x16". I decided to go with 2.5" ends with 1.5" mortises. I based this on what looked right to me. Maybe you should try a full scale  drawing of the edge and see what look's best for you.

   Dale