Thread: Construction Help please

Buttons!

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Buttons!

Hey,

I am unfamiliar with that. What is it, and how to?
(Sorry- newbie here).

Cheers!

I did a quick Google search for Wood Buttons and found the answer on another thread on this forum.

Only problem I can see in doing that is- both the top and the leg frame have already been glued and screwed together... (Think I made a proper mess up on this one).

My apologies for the short answer; I'm a bit rushed for time this arvo. It'd be more difficult, true. But it's still quite doable.

Do you have some fine chisels? (Even a biscuitter will do in a pinch.)

It should be a fairly simple matter to "square out" the upper drill holes for the pocket screws, making them into suitable slots for buttons. They're not in the ideal position, but would still work nicely.

The buttons would need to be fairly "chunky" to reach down that far, but they'd work and it's something that you can refine on the next version.


There are a couple of excellent WIPs on these forums showing the use of buttons. I'll go hunting and post some links once I have more free time.

Three methods are shown here. I tend to use method two, do you have access to a biscuit jointer to cut the slots?

Hmmn- ok. Sounds like a good challenge.

I'm hoping Santa or HWMBO will buy me a Biscuit Joiner for xmas. (One from Carba Tech for $120 seems like it'll keep me entertained).

So I get this right (I'm more a visual person rather than written instruction), Use the joiner to make the "holes" then chisel them out to fit the button? Or make the button to the biscuit size like a home made biscuit except one end is screwed into the top the other glued into the frame?

you could also use This type of clip . They need to be installed at an angle of 45 deg to the rail but only require a rebate in the top of the rail which can be drilled with table assembled . I also know them as figure of eight clips and flush table clips. Allboard Distributors have them and I think Bunnings also

I've always used method 3 - wooden blocks into slots.

Never glue a table top to the frame. From your posts I think you have already done that. Depending on the thickness of the top and the timber, hopefully any movement will break the glue joint and not the top or the joints of the timber frame.

To fix it? - wait and see what happens. Almost certainly something will - and hope that it isn't the top that splits.

Don't forget the photos of the finished table

you could fix with blocks screwed on that have elongated slots to allow for movement

QUOTE: From your posts I think you have already done that. Depending on the thickness of the top and the timber, hopefully any movement will break the glue joint and not the top or the joints of the timber frame.

Hey Barnsey-
No the top hasn't been glued to the frame. (Was going to but thought I'd ask on here 1st. Just as well I did. Could have been bad. The table top has had it's final assembly - biscuited and the base has been glued and screwed together but both parts hadn't been joined).


Will certainly put pics up when it's done- keep in mind it's only a simple coffee table- nothing fancy tho.


Cheers for All the suggestions- will practice some of them on scrap so when I have another joinery issue I'll know what to do!
Philisa88

Great, as I said the blocks - option 3 would be my suggestion. You could cut the slots with a router, biscuit cutter - might need 2 or 3 cuts to get the slot wide enough or the old fashioned way with a chisel. Ideally you should be able to rotate the block out of the slot on the screw axis to remove the top at any time but that allows all you to retain all the fixing points in place and aligned.

Jamie

Santa got me the Biscuit Joiner!

So will head to bunnies and get some clips and put this baby together soon!

Cheers all
Hope you had a safe and merry Christmas.