Hidden joint

**thompy** · 23rd April 2011, 04:26 AM

I've a table i wish to make, however no plan of it, i was able to take pics and get the timber measurements from it so i can can easily do the materials list / cutting list, and it all seemed so simple until i got to the joinery.

My initial thought was dowels, but i now know thats wrong, i was unable to take the thing apart or tilt it over to see an underside or the ends of the posts.

I then suspected biscuits, however for the sizes i'm not sure it'd be enough strength wise, then i thought stopped double opposing dovetail kind of thing from the ends of the posts on two edges but the timber grain wouldn't allow that unless i had a bowtie kind of shape to lock the crossing grains together >I< kind of. I think it'd be too much for that type of joint perhaps, the downward weight would want to separate the joint too easily.

I then thought about triangular blocks to reinforce the horizontal cross's at the halving lap joints and matching corner rebates in the posts then nailed or dowelled into from the post ends kind of like a massive biscuit in the corner horizontally. That doesnt seem right either.

There is no visible sign on the outer two sides of the legs for nails or screws and it has me stumped. I know for sure the horizontal legs use a half lap joint to make the X, but the upright posts have me scratching my head, i didnt go quite so far as to get a magnifying glass to look for hidden nailing chisel marks, but i did get under it and looked for them.

It's not super important, i can just bolt it through 4 bolts top 4 bolts bottom, but that wont allow me to sleep soundly (lol). perhaps i'm just tired, and overthinking it. Any thoughts guys.

Neal.

**Wizened of Oz** · 23rd April 2011, 09:08 AM

Want to build yourself a dust catcher, do you?

The stretchers and feet have half-lap joints and the columns are simply glued in place. It's all facegrain to facegrain gluing so the glue joint is stronger than the wood. Nothing you do will make the joint any stronger.

**mic-d** · 23rd April 2011, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Wizened of Oz

Want to build yourself a dust catcher, do you?

The stretchers and feet have half-lap joints and the columns are simply glued in place. It's all facegrain to facegrain gluing so the glue joint is stronger than the wood. Nothing you do will make the joint any stronger.

Yup, but I bet dollars to doughnuts they used dowels too, if the way the top is mounted is anything to go by.

**3 toed sloth** · 23rd April 2011, 10:44 AM

Could be a skewed screw through the end grain into the lapped cross section, or more likely, being mass produced, there's a few skew nails from the nail gun, if anything.

**thompy** · 25th April 2011, 01:26 AM

Yeap, it figures that the only place i couldn't look at, at the time, probably holds the secret. Thanks for the input guys. Going to go with the glue, and skew screwing from the endgrains of the of the posts into the X's and clamping.

It'll be hidden, nice and easy to get done, fit in with the chairs i'm also planning, satisfy the wife's balance sheet and decor ideals, and catch the dust, and do what a table needs to do

.

I dunno y i didn't think of it before, i dunno y i seemed to be overcomplicating my thoughts on it, cheers again.

Neal.

**ajw** · 25th April 2011, 12:48 PM

There's another way - although I think it's highly unlikely in this situation. You can use dowels at 45 degrees. The image shows a top-down view of how it would work.

ajw

**ravna** · 25th April 2011, 01:47 PM

Neal....Incredible that's the exact table I designed and made over forty years ago when we were super poor...made out of pine studs. Still use it every day, and as Wizened of Oz says...definitely a dust catcher. No secret joinery for mine...simply large screws and matching timber plugs, fret not nobody will look or pick it apart. Do your own thing.

**thompy** · 25th April 2011, 03:24 PM

Thanks ajw and ravna, at this point i wont get to make it for a little while off, however i'm now armed with a lot more idea's on the joint than i had previously. I'm now confident i can recreate the dust bunny trap and replace the steel/glass one that we currently have.

Neal.

**thompy** · 2nd May 2011, 02:32 PM

Always the way for me of late. While snooping around a demolishion yard / closing down sale for some pipe for my pipe clamps, the misses comes across a pine table;

"How much?" she asks the poor guy (he never had a clue as to what was about to happen), "Make an offer.." says he, i cringe, "5 bucks" she says. "The boss was after about 15 i think." he replies. She says "Then he wont take 10, so i'll have it for 15 then with the chairs.." he just nodded.

Good deal, and as i'm a little dissapointed i didn't get to make my own dustcatcher and chairs i can now try to bargain my way up on the "tools i didn't have to buy to make it" front. It's still a solid table (could use a resanding) and its all screwed together with buttons over the top, so its maintainable.

The place didnt have any pipe to suit, darn it.

Neal.

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