Different's worst nightmare - a mitre-jointed table

**Rocker** · 12th June 2005, 01:24 PM

I am building a table from a design originally published in FW#27, and reprinted in the FW book 'Tables and Desks'. All of the table's joints are mitred, as in the diagrams below. The second diagram is a plan view of the legs and aprons, which are all made from 20 mm thick stock. The original author cut the mortices for the floating tenons that reinforce the leg/apron joints on a router table - a tricky and hazardous procedure. He also cut the slots for the splines that he used to reinforce the mitre joints joining the leg halves to one another on a router table, using a 45-degree angled fence - an even more tricky and hazardous procedure.

I had been put off building the table in the past out of fear of screwing up these router-table procedures; but it occurred to me that the mortices could easily and safely be cut on my morticing jig, and the joints between the leg halves could be reinforced by biscuits instead of splines. So now I am using up my left-over stock of jarrah to build the table, of which I shall post pictures in the next week or so when it is completed.

I hope I am not tempting fate by committing myself to post pictures before the table is completed.

Rocker

**derekcohen** · 12th June 2005, 01:32 PM

I had been put off building the table in the past out of fear of screwing up these router-table procedures

Hi Rocker

I look forward to seeing the progress and end result. It sounds fun!

But this construction appears to be the type more easily done with a backsaw and ... gasp ... gulp.... a shoulder plane! :eek: There I said it!

Regards from Perth

Derek

**martrix** · 12th June 2005, 01:59 PM

Hi Rocker,
I say go for it. I am sure with your creative thought process, you can knock this over with one-eye shut! Just break it down into small process's. I have done mitred tennon's before with a router and a jig,http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=17095

I did ask you at the time if your jig could do this, however you may not have seen my thread. Any way good luck and looking forward to the result's

**Rocker** · 12th June 2005, 02:24 PM

Martrix,
I missed your thread on your cradle restoration, so did not respond earlier to your query on my tenoning jig. My jig is primarily intended for regular straight tenons, but I think that, with some creative use of spacers and clamps, it could have been used to cut the angled tenons on your cradle's legs. Nevertheless, it would have been easier on your cradle to use floating tenons, and just cut two mortices for each joint; that is what I would have done in your place.

Anyway, if you would like the plans for my tenoning jig, PM me with your e-mail address, and I will send you them.

Rocker

**Rocker** · 22nd June 2005, 07:02 PM

Well it is finished without any major disasters - see http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=18559 .
I think it would require exceptional dark-side skills to make the table by cutting the mitres with a backsaw, as Derek suggests. But dark-siders are welcome to try

Rocker

**derekcohen** · 23rd June 2005, 01:24 AM

Hi Rocker

Your table is terrific! Easily up to your usual high standards.

You have roused my curiosity about the joint, and what is required to cut it by hand. Let me have the details, and I'll give it a go.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Rocker** · 23rd June 2005, 11:11 AM

Derek,

I am not sure what details you need, but here are the key dimensions of the table parts, before shaping:

Leg halves (8) 20 x 75 x 735
Short aprons (2) 20 x 75 x 370
Long aprons (2) 20 x 75 x 550
Top 20 x 420 x 600

The length of the mitred faces on the tops of the legs and the aprons is 105 mm. The radius of the curved edge on the legs and aprons is also 105 mm.
The mortices are 8 x 55, and 22 mm deep. The straight part of the legs tapers from 44mm at the top to 32 mm at the bottom.

The Turbocad drawing below shows the finished shape of the top of the leg.
I imagine that it would not be too hard to cut the mitres on the tops of the lege and ends of the aprons on a shooting board, but I think the mitred long edge of the legs would be very hard to cut accurately with hand tools. Cutting a groove for a spline in that long mitred face (assuming that you spurned using biscuits to reinforce the joint) would also not be easy by hand-tool methods.

Rocker

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