Garret Hack’s article on breadboard ends from issue #110 is guiding my construction of a cedar vanity top with oak ends. The drawboring is next in my process and I’m thinking of using brass rod. Should I be mindful of any special considerations using it? Please share advice RE sanding and finishing when brass is in the mix. Since I haven’t yet bored the holes I would also appreciate rules of thumb regarding which diameter rod to use; my tongues are approximately 1.5 inches square.
Thank you, and keep up the good work.
Joel Wetzel
Dublin, TX
Replies
Dublin,
I talked with a few editors about your project. We are concerned brass may too soft when you drive it home in the mortise. However, you may have a high quality brass rod. You don't need any special finish or sanding for it.
If you're using a 1.5" tongue, we were thinking of a 1/4" peg. There is no real formula for this though. It's important to take seasonal expansion into account for this design. Therefore, make you mortise holes a little larger on the tongue towards the ends of the table.
Let us know it this helps.
Sincerely,
Gerald La Starza
Fine Woodworking
Hi Gerald, I just found this question in a search. I was thinking of doing to same thing. Did you ever give it a try, and if so, how did it work. I could see it maybe being too soft to drive it home.
Thank,
Christian
I built my bench using drawbores pinned with brass. The first pin did not "make the turn" and penetrated below the offset hole. I pulled it out and tapered the tip at about the angle of a regular pencil sharpener (belt sander) and waxed it. All of the pins went in one and out the other side easily.
The foot in the photo is 4" wide and the leg 3" wide reclaimed SYP that was rock hard. I had no issues of softness or deformation in the brass.
Thank you! That is quite helpful. I’ll give it a go (on a test piece first).
Did you stain and polyurethane your wood after inserting the brass rod? Or did you finish the wood first and then insert the brass? I also want to use brass pins but I'm using a dark wood stain and I'm not sure if I will have to clean the stain from the brass before polyurethaning the piece... and how do I do that without damaging the surrounding stained wood.
I did not use stain or poly, just a coupla coats of oil. The brass won't absorb stain, and if it gets dirty just wipe it off while still wet or use a q-tip dipped in solvent if it's dried. If you leave the brass just slightly proud an ROS will level it to the surface nicely.
I made a traveling desk with a slanted hinged top many years ago.This top was 3/8 ths tick and had breadboard ends,clearly no where the size of your project. I don’t remember how they were attached but when they loosened i re applied them using brass pins.It survived to this day and the brass looks great
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