How to attatch a table top?

[gypsy1274]

My sister wants me to make a table for her. Making the base and table top is easy, what I don't know is how to attatch the table top to the base. Can anyone help me with this?

Thanks in advance.
Nicole

[Wongo]

See post 57, 58 and 59 in this thread http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=85686&page=4

[Waldo]

G'day Gypsy1274,

Buttons. :2tsup:

Trying to find somewhere to show you...

(hope I'm not being naughty using this reference)

[gypsy1274]

Thanks so much for the replies. How do you cut the square holes for the buttons?

[Waldo]

If by that you mean in the apron, a Domino if you're lucky to have one, but it can easily be done to with a router.

[gypsy1274]

So, I would use a plunge router to make an oval hole and then a chisel to make it square?

Please forgive my ignorance, I'm new at this.

[Waldo]

You'd need to make the oval hole wider than the button is wide to allow for seasonal movement, so, no you don't need to chisel the hole square at the ends.

[Wongo]

Hey mate. They are a few things to consider here (See the diagram).

Just imagine the table top is expending and contracting across the grain, see the red arrorws.

The purpose of the buttons is to hold the top but allow the movement at the same time.

I marked the location of the buttons in 3 different colours (or colors).

Green: You want these spots to be fixed so if the table does move, it will move evenly from the middle

Red: You want to cut the slots wider than the width of the button

Blue: The button should not be right against the apron. I will leave it 1/4 inch away from the apron.

Finally you don't really have to square the ends of the slot. You can do but you dont have to.

I hope it helps.


http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=94572&stc=1&d=1232586545

[Waldo]

Beautifully done mate. :aro-u: :2tsup:

[Boxer of Orwell]

So following on from the discussion about buttons, at the other end of the spectrum I'm making a table for outdoors using powder coated steel as a frame and a 65 mm thick blackbutt top. Because this is outside stuff, I am going to make the top as a series of planks with a few mm gap between each of the planks. I had assumed that each plank will deal with it's own movement because of the gaps, so I planned to fasten each plank securely to keep it stable.

Is going for brute force and maximum control a mistake? It usually is in life but I learn slowly and only from my own mistakes.

Planks will be about 180mm wide. Outside planks are made as a frame (like a picture frame in technical terminology) and because they come quarter sawn from the outside of the log they vary in width from about 200 - 250mm. Blackbutt is the WA species E. patens.

Any thoughts welcome. "You're barking mad" is okay. Thanks

[old pete]

Hi Gypsy1274,

Good advice there re the traditional means of attaching the table top with traditional timber buttons or cleats engaging in slots ( use a slotting cutter in a router for this, or cut the slots with a biscuit cutter or with a Domino cutter ).

There are however two or three proprietary systems that involve the use of inexpensive metal cleats or figure 8's for achieving the same effect. They are a lot easier and quicker to install than the timber cleats. Your local joinery shop will sell you a few. Ask for counter top fasteners.

They are in both the Hettich and Hafele catalogues but you likely won't be able to purchase a small quantity from there unless your local agent for those companies sells in that format by breaking the original packing and selling small numbers.

The golden rule is that end on timber movement is close to negligible but cross grain movement should not be restrained by fasteners. Good luck old pete:roll: