Thread: What joints should I use ?

OK here's the joint I used for the top cross piece. Tenons into another crosspiece(block) which will be glued and screwed to the uprights as per two photographs attached.

The reason I decided to proceed this way is because being a garden table extra joint support might be required with frequent furniture movements, and rough garden handling.

I am putting some thought into extending the base strength as well including creating additional weight at the floor level.

The temperture reached over 90o far. in the workshop yesterday and same forecast for next few days( unusal weather) so play has stopped for the timebeing!!!

Why would a moderately warm summers day make you stop working?

90° may be moderately warm to you Bob but people acclimatise to their surroundings.
90° is a heatwave in UK which is seldom reached.
There was only one recorded day above 100° a couple of years ago.
I was in South Africa 30 years ago and was walking round in shirt sleeves on my arrival when most were wearing warm coats because it was autumn there.
I know of one lady on holiday who was sunbathing in her bikini in June when everyone was complaining about the cold.

Yeah Dewy, I know. I came from London myself about 35 years ago.
I can remember my brother coming home from the tropics in the middle of our English summer. (He was in the navy and they flew him home) and he was walking around in his navy duffle coat shivering and complaining of the cold for weeks.

I flew back to London from South Africa in May '75. It was the hottest summer for years but it snowed the day I arrived. Never known snow in summer before. lol

Still too hot to work in the workshop again during the day but prepared 4 more cross pieces in the evening but it was still in the eighties.
Going out at 8am this morning to start joint these pieces until it warms up again, forecast 6 degree drop coming but still warm.

Marked up the 8 mortices and set up my jig to cut the mortices for the cross rails which support the extending legs.
Managed to cut the pieces within the hour but temp reached 25 cent. by 9.30am .
Pics attached .
I mark a centre line for my mortices and use the pointed bit to set the cutting position on the blue line as per two pics attached.

Picture shews blue line more clearly also yours truly included

Now ready to do the tenons for the crosspieces ( which swinging leg supports will travel on.
Thoughts are now considering how to create strength for the pivot action required, and I have found a piece of oak (which I cut down thirty years ago from a fence on a previous property and have used as a wheel stop for my motor cars since that time, alas its time has now come for final use). Picture of this forlorn piece of timber attached. I look forward to posting its new location at a later date.

Good day yesterday, table frame assembled and stood on bench, no glue or fasteners, I wonder if I could get away without glueing!!!

The title of this forum refers to this crosspiece picture, and my soloution. Still unglued and not screwed at present.


Weather now returned to normal, about 70 far. grey skies, and raining .

The first end frame glued this morning and I am pleased to report the weather im[proved from this to this.

Ah good old English weather. Crap one day, not much better the next.

all table frames now being glued at present clamped and awaiting glue to mature.
End to a perfect day, woodwork went well , peaonies in full bloom and a perfect sunset . Pics attached