Thread: Advice on table design

Originally Posted by ian

what sort of wood is your "hardwood"?
If it's Vic Ash, it is likely quarter sawn and thus fairly stable.
If it's unspecified rough sawn F17 construction grade, then there a few more considerations, one of which is eyeballing the stuff.

You are not building a bridge strong enough to support a B-double -- IMO, even 35 mm is over thick -- you don't need to waste wood by using 45 mm thick boards. also at 45mm thick your table will be pretty heavy.

and M8 threaded inserts seem to me to be way too far over the top strength wise.



Your hoop legs are essentially very big shallow boxes, open at the top and bottom.
I think -- but it's only think -- domino'd butt joints will be strong enough.
Personally I'd like to see finger joints, or at the very least a rebate incorporated into each Domino'd corner.
Box corner joints get much of their strength from the precision with which the joint is laid out and cut. Do you have the skill, tools and patience to do achieve this?

It will be plain sawn reclaimed vic ash or brand new plain sawn high feature messmate (from britton timber). I'm happy to stick with 35mm if think its adequate.

Cost wise M8 inserts I'm happy with and seem to be pretty easy. Can you suggest something thats just as easy to join the top/base? Open to suggestions

Doing finger joints is probably out of my league at this stage. I would need a jig of some sort to make it? I've seen youtube videos where people do it on a table saw with a jig, but if I'm doing a tall narrow piece (vertical part of the hoop) I would need a pretty sturdy jig. Would like to learn to do it in future thats for sure.

I reckon I can do a rebate+domino so that sounds like an achievable plan for me!