Thread: Coffee Table Top Attachment

It's a very good habit to allow for timber movement in pieces, regardless of the size. It may not be needed... but wood doesn't always do as you expect.

Personally I'd make simple timber buttons; cheap, allow for movement and no harder to install than angle iron.

If you prefer to use angle iron, then it'd be a good idea to "oval out" the drilled holes for the table top, make them into short slots.

What Skew said.
I'll post some pics of buttons & how they fit tomorrow, as I'm just doing a similar job now.

Hey,

I agree- wooden buttons would be the way to go.

Here is a good thread (post 8 has a great diagram) - https://www.woodworkforums.com/f187/h...ble-top-87924/

Andy

I found figure 8 were ok to use. I did find it hard to get my hands on them thou.

Next time that I get to make a table I will look at buttons.

Old thread, but some ideas here.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/ho...buttons-49571/

I normally use sliding dovetails to attach a top to a frame, even on a smaller table to yours (400x800), easy to fix and take apart.

Pics as promised

Holy cow, I can't even believe how good this forum is. I came back expecting maybe 1 or 2 short posts, not a bunch with links to photos and diagrams. Amazing.

My second question is, what's the best and easiest way to go about making these buttons and cutting the grooves into the apron? I have a pretty limited amount of tools right now (read: almost none, done all my cutting with a hand saw then cleaning it up by painstakingly sanding and planing). I had been thinking about getting a plunge router, as it seems like this comes up as the go to tool for just about everything however.

Also, what kind of wood should I use to make the buttons? Do you usually use scrap stuff lying around or something else?

Power saw and router needed, or if you have a mate with a power saw they are usually 6mm thick to fit in the groove in the table the groove is made with a router again if you have mate with a router

I have nothing to add! These folks are aces!

In the example shown, I cut the slots for the buttons on the TS, but they could be done with a router or biscuit jointer. I made the buttons from scrap hardwood, so they're 12mm thick, but they could be thinner. I did mine on the TS, but other times I've done them by routing a rebate on the end of a board, then cutting them off and dividing them on the band saw. Or the rebate could be cut by hand - good practice, and not much slower. There are lots of ways to skin this cat.