Inspired by NC Archer and a Terry Gordon youtube I have decided to build myself a new bench that I can access from all sides. I will be building it out of oregon from my late father's collection. You know the sort, "this will come in handy". Well he didn't live long enough for it to come in handy and he was 84 when he died! Well I don't intend for it to become my sons' problems so intend to put it to use now.
My thinking is 1.5m x 0.65, it will have one of Terry's tail vices and most probably one of his face vices as well.
The legs will be 100x100 which I have already machined up.
I would like some input on the top. I will be using the pieces that measure 133x70 but have grooves in either side of them. It appears to me that in a previous life they may have had a floating tongue (probably not the correct terminology). I don't want to fit top side rails as I am hoping that at 70mm thick, support will not be required. If that fails then I can stand the timbers up and the top thickness will be 100mm after cutting off the grooves. Obviously end rails will be fitted.
Having never done mortise and tenon before I want to try that on the bottom rails. Is there a generally accepted standard relationship between the timber size and the tenon width and depth?
Thanks