Somebody help please!!!

[anygivensunday9]

Hi Everyone,

Im pretty new to woodworking and I am attempting my first real piece of furniture - an end grain butchers block on a frame. Im basing it on a Triton plan, and building it out of recycled Iron Bark and spotted gum.

The plan calls to join the bottom 75 x 75 horizontal rail to the 75 x 75 vertical legs with biscuits. The only problem is I dont have a biscuit joiner, and I am a bit worried that even if I did the joint might not be strong enough and i might get some racking. I have been considering joining them with pocket hole screws or dowels - would love to do a loose tenon arrangement, but not really confident in my abilities to go that far! I do have a very basic router table and general use handtools.

Can anyone offer any advice on how to easily solve this little problem?

Many Thanks in advance!!

[Sir Stinkalot]

The biscuits in that situation would not aid in the strength of the joint and it may be the case that the Triton plans call for it as they have a Triton biscuit attachment available. A tenon would be good but if you have limited tools and confidence a couple of dowels will also work well. Remember to post some pictures!

Cheers

Stinky

[Ueee]

Personaly I would go with pinned m&t joints, but dowels should be more than enough. One other thing to note is you are working with a hard to glue timber, the spotted gum. I would forget any thoughts of pva and go with a polyurethane or epoxy. Either will be hard to clean up but will stick!

[anygivensunday9]

I was thinking about using titebond 2 - or should I go with araldite? Is there a particular length or grade of dowel that would suit it better? I'm getting resawn timber from Kennedy's at narangba - pretty impressive stuff. Hope I do it justice!

[vk4]

I have been using a SIKA polyurethane glue , I got from Bunnies, and I have found it excellent , It does foam in the joint and the excess can be cleaned off with a sharp chisel , very easily if done with in 1-2 hours .


Jeff
vk4
PS, you must be close to me , I'm at Kallangur.

[anygivensunday9]

I am close by - Just down at Deagon. Thanks for the advice guys. Im picking up my timber in a few days, and I think I will go with the dowels. Might leave the loose tenon arrangement for the next project. Does anyone know where i can get a jig to help me drill the dowel holes straight?

[anygivensunday9]

out of interest - this was my first serious project - 2 seat outdoor rocking chair. Made with recycled 17mm ply frame and utility grade pine for the slats. need to work on my finishing a bit!!