Hello Woodworkers,
I have a situation regarding the use of the router table that I would much appreciate some feedback and advice on.
I’m building a consul table for a family member and given the requested dimensions of the table are fairly challenging from a joinery perspective (i.e. location of the solid slab legs to be located 1 1/4 inches from each end of the 90 inch table top). So far I’ve cut mortises into the bottom of the table top and tenoned the legs into the underside of the 1 1/2″ thick table top to a depth of 1″ to add stability to the legs and assist with possible racking. I’m now assessing the best approach to attach the long aprons (which are 2 3/8″ in width x 1 1/2″ thick) to the legs. I’m contemplating one of two (2) approaches – 1. traditional mortise and tenon, and
2. use of sliding dovetails.
I would prefer to use sliding dovetails and cut them into the legs using the router table with a 7/8″ dovetail bit. My problem is I can only access the bit on one side of each leg using the fence and feeding from right to left. The solid leg slabs are made of soft maple and are 1/1/2 inches thick x 18 inches wide. I was wondering if I could relocate the fence to the opposite side of bit (facing the opposite direction) to rout the other dovetail mortise into the legs. I plan on making a single pass with a 7/8″ dovetail bit and I would rout out the majority of the waste first with a straight bit to lessen the stress on the dovetail. I’m just not sure if this is a safe procedure.
Conversely I can mortise and tenon the aprons into the legs with a 1″ tenon and pin them.
I’ve been woodworking for 4 years and have made a number of pieces of furniture, so I have some experience. But I have not come across this situation until now. I prefer not to use a handheld router to cut the dovetails, if possible, given the size and type of the bit.
Any assistance or advice would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Replies
Cutting the slots for sliding dovetails is best done with 2 bits - start with a straight bit to cut out most of the waste and then cut the dovetail once most of the waste has gone. Very light cuts are lower risk.
That having been said, Mortise and Tenon joints have been used on this sort of furniture for a very long time. They are excellent at resisting racking forces and much stronger than the sliding dovetail, which is, if you think about it, naught but a very short tenon.
Consider what will happen if your leg gets kicked - you will have enormous forces on the top of the joint. If the table is dragged, then the bottom of the joint is going to be stressed and only a thin sliver of wood will be resisting either action.
Will your plan work? yes. Will it last? maybe. Will it cause you pain and suffering for minimal benefit? Absolutely.
Considering the narrow width of the aprons my call would be twin mortise & tenon. You have an inch and a half of thickness you can take advantage of. Small shoulder on the outside, none on the inside and a 3/8 gap in between.
If the choice is just m&t or dovetail it would depend on how close the apron is to the outside edge of the leg. If it's close go m&t, if you have room cut one or two big beefy dovetails. A routed dovetail is too small for this application IMO.
Thank you very much Rob SS and MJ for your guidance. Based on your comments I'm going to go with traditional M&T joints and drawbore pin them.
Your comments are much appreciated. It's certainly nice to receive other woodworkers perspectives and advice, something not readily available to me working in my shop alone most of the time.
Thank you again.
All the best
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