Replies

1. 
   _mj_ | Apr 27, 2020 09:17pm | #1

   Not sure the math works on this..can you posr a sketch?

2. 
   reptilicus | Apr 27, 2020 10:59pm | #2

   it's like they show in the article "Better Way to Attach Tabletops" in FWW #213. The shouldered cleat method. I don't have a drawing yet

3. 
   lat_axe | Apr 28, 2020 03:37am | #3

   The DT cleats are like a breadboard end in that their long grain direction is at right angles to that of the table top they're supporting. You could make the cleats from a piece cut off the ends of the table top, so that the grain direction is the same as that of the table top. But that would make the cleats fragile things lacking the strength to remain intact. They would likely split in one or more places.

   So, given that the only sensible arrangement is to have the cleats with their grain in the same direction as their long length, those cleats will have to be able to move in the DT slots cut in the underside of the table to take them. I note that the article you reference finishes with, " Now wax both the slot and the cleat and drive it home". Even though the cleats are meant to be a tight fit they must be able to slide in the table top slots to deal with any differential wood movement as the humidity changes over the seasons.

   Lataxe

4. 
   muskokalayne | Apr 28, 2020 06:41am | #4

   Check out Andrew hunters dovetails cleats in FineWoodworking I think that might help.

5. 
   mschlack | Apr 28, 2020 04:56pm | #5

   Looking at the FWW 213, that approach clearly requires the table top to have the dovetail slot across the grain and the cleat itself to have a dovetail cut with the grain. Is there something other than that you are trying to figure out?

   Your only alternative would be to glue a board across the bottom of the table top into which you would cut the dovetail slot, if for some reason it was important to you to have that slot with the grain. Actually, since you want to shoulder the cleat, you could actually just use two thin boards (the height of the shoulder), bevel one long edge of each with the dovetail angle, and then mount them on the underside so that they each snug up to the cleat. That might work.