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Breadboard tenon length

767 views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  cmacnaughton 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm building a farmhouse table and the top will be 4/4 maple with breadboards. I'm planning on using haunched tenons and corresponding mortises. I have a couple questions: for 3" breadboards, what should the tenon length be? If it's more than 1", what's the best method to cut the mortises? I'm having trouble finding mortising bits that cut deeper than 1". Would I need to chisel deeper than that by hand?

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Follow up question: do I even need breadboards? The finished size of the top will be 60×38" with an apron inset about 2" on all sides. My wife would actually prefer the table without breadboards, but I was concerned with cupping.
 
#3 ·
I think you can get away without the breadboard ends. You will want to check the end grain and alternate the grain direction with each adjacent board. I would also use something to align the boards like a spline, biscuit, or dowels
.
If you do use breadboards you can cut a deep mortise using a router and a spiral bit and making incremental cuts to get the desired depth. Most of those bits are 2+ inches long.
 
#4 ·
I think you can get away without the breadboard ends. You will want to check the end grain and alternate the grain direction with each adjacent board. I would also use something to align the boards like a spline, biscuit, or dowels
.
If you do use breadboards you can cut a deep mortise using a router and a spiral bit and making incremental cuts to get the desired depth. Most of those bits are 2+ inches long.

- LesB
Thanks, Les. I intend to use biscuits when I glue this up. I think I'll probably skip the breadboard for this. It's kiln-dried hard maple and with the apron attached with z-brackets I think I'll probably be ok. Famous last words…
 
#6 ·
Maybe just use cleats?

- avsmusic1
The z-brackets are essentially just metal cleats, no? And I can use a kerf-line (or my biscuit jointer) in the apron rather than cutting a wider dado for wooden cleats. Am I missing something? This is my first dining table, so I'm sure I probably am missing many things!
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
i was thinking more to keep things flat in lieu of breadboard ends - basically just some strips that run perpendicular to the grain on the table top boards, and are attached underneath with extended screw holes on the outer attachment points to account for wood movement

i'm not sure if I'm describing this well - does that make sense?

Check out pages "34" & "35" - specifically the image on the bottom of page 35
https://www.finewoodworking.com/media/TabletopsFlat.pdf
 
#9 ·
Ah, I see. Hopefully the z-clips to the apron will accomplish this, much as the buttons to the apron do in the PDF referenced. I will not have any drop leafs to worry about.

- cmacnaughton
those should work fine ive also used the figure 8 brackets quite a bit.
 
#10 ·
Ah, I see. Hopefully the z-clips to the apron will accomplish this, much as the buttons to the apron do in the PDF referenced. I will not have any drop leafs to worry about.

- cmacnaughton
personally i tend to prefer the belt and suspenders approach and the cleats are SO easy to make that attaching a couple is worth it. I'm not convinced the 8 brackets would be strong enough to hold anything flat
 
#11 ·
personally i tend to prefer the belt and suspenders approach and the cleats are SO easy to make that attaching a couple is worth it. I m not convinced the 8 brackets would be strong enough to hold anything flat

- avsmusic1
That's a valid point. It'll be a war between my minimalist and utilitarian sides.
 
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