Thread: Biskit joining slabs for table top

There are loads of threads here about tables. It seems to be one of the first things that people like you and me attempt. I had my own table thread a few months ago and got lots of advice.
The blokes who know lots here will probably ask you:
How dry is the timber? Was that tree only recently felled and milled?
Is the table going to be outside in the weather? That will have a bearing on just about everything.
Scott

Originally Posted by Moose3125

I am just in the planning stages of the first big project I have ever taken on and am very much an amateur wood worker. I had a tree felled on the boundary of a neighboring property, the tree loper suggested that i have it slabbed as it is a nice timber for furniture. Australian Gadagi (spelling ) a beautiful red timber.
The slabs are approx 3500 x 330 x 50mm thick. I want to build a large outdoor dining table for the patio. I am thinking 3000 x 950 by the time I lose some off the end of the slabs from the checking and what I will loose in width when they have a straight edge put down each side. I intend to keep the natural edge on the outside.
My design is still more on my head than on paper, but I envisage bisquit joining the slabs after they have gone through the thickness planer and had a straight edge put on them so they can be joined. The legs will be two shorter slabs biskit joined to form a 600 x 50mm slab "leg" at each end joined by a spreader with a through Mortise.

Couple questions

1. With a table top of this size will the legs be substantial enough to support it securely? If so what do you recommend for the best type of attachment. Given my limited skill I was not keen to mortise the legs into the top, however what about a mortise/tenon into a seperate block that was screwed with large guage coach screws into the table top? Open to suggestions
2. How many bisquits do I need to put in over a 3 meter section? and how many sash clamps should I use for glueing these together?

I am sure I will have more questions as time goes on, specially regarding finishing but one thing at a time.
I appreciate any insight guys can offer.

Thanks,

I would think that 600 wide legs will be more than adequate.
Any means of attaching the legs to the top has to allow for timber movement especially if the grain direction is at 90 deg to each other and if the width of the cross grain piece is more than say 100mm,
If you limit the length of the block (into which you cut the motice) to say 150mm with one coach bolt size for size (in it's hole) and the other end allow for movement by making a slot ( it only needs to be a little longer) you will probably be ok, 2 blocks would be a minimum but 3 might also work and be a little stronger
You should only need the bisciuts to help with alignment of each board so say 1m apart
Sash clamps with the correct edge preperation 2 will do, in the center, one top, one on the btm like in the pic these boards are only 1800 long so for 3m long tho 4 could be more practical

gluing top boards together.JPG

Hope this is of some help
Pete