I am building a cherry table about 6′ by 3′. I have turned the legs in the usual harvest table fashion. I intend to put a bead along the lower edge of the aprons. My question is this: what treatment would be best for the mortise and tenon joints?
— no pegs because recent FWW tests show that they do not add strength (frankly in 40 years I have yet to see a yellow glue joint fail)
–pegs the same wood as the legs
–snazzy dark coloured square wood pegs.
I have also put pegs in from the underside, but this is awkward. Any advice would be appreciated.
Oz
Replies
My opinion only. I think with modern glues no pegs are necessary but I like them anyway.
Dowels driven in with fake end caps to your liking?
How long do you want your table to last?
I think that most glue joints fail because they are not properly prepared - either not enough glue or too loose of a fit. But still, glue joints will fail. This brings up an interesting point: do you reinforce the joint with pegs to make the joint hold together longer, or leave the pegs out to make the table easier to disassemble to repair? Me? I'd use hide glue and some snazzy dark square pegs. I don't think that pegs would add much strength in the short term, but will ensure the piece stays together much further down the road.
Pegs on harvest table.
Thanks for your comments. They are much appreciated. I thought that the table might look overdone with turned legs, a bead along the bottom edge of the aprons, AND fancy dark square pegs. So far everyone has gone for the fancy pegs and no one for a different solution.
One step at a time
I don't usually plan too far ahead. If I were you, I'd turn the legs and cut the joinery and put the table together. Then decide if beads are too much. If not, cut the beads. Put the table together again. Now, would pegs be too much?
Flexibility to adapt thwarts all failures.
FWIW, I'd go with no pins, but make the M/T joint beefy enough to hold its own. To me, pins don't match with the traditional turned legs of a harvest table.
IMHO
On a harvest table I would opt for no pegs. Or if you want pegs for when (if) the glue fails- although that is unlikely with modern glues and good joinery, I would suggest pegs from the inside of the leg so they are hidden.
Jeff
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