I am in the process of designing a workbench for my home shop. My current plan is to make a solid top (about 27″ wide) out of 12/4 maple, surrounded by an apron of 8/4 maple. The ends and sides of the apron will be joined with dovetails (which seems to be fairly traditional). My question is how to deal with expansion in the top with respect to the apron? It seems like if the top expands, it will pop the dovetail joint apart. Is that right? If so, how do I design the joint to account for the expansion?
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Replies
When I made a bench last year I used 8/4 maple ripped to 3" wide strips and then laminated the strips together to make a 3" thick top. With this grain orientation the primary direction for growth/shrinkage is not accross the bench top. I too included a dovetailed apron and after a year it has worked out fine, the dovetail is holding up.
John
The traditional look you are referring to may be where a shoulder and/or an end vise is connected. To incorporate a non-moving apron such as you describe would not allow for movement of your solid top. Better to forget the continuous apron and opt instead for a floating breadboard end, perhaps attached with a sliding dovetail.
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