Best wood for *functioning/live* sliding dovetail

[Tom Overthere]

I use this for a lubricant instead of wax: SLIP IT Photo

Oooooooooooo! Never heard of that! Thanks, Scott!

[Tom Overthere]

The Knots forum part is free but there are other portions of Taunton's site that are fee-based, If you already are a FWW subscriber the fee is a lot less though.

Thanks, Doug. I'll mosey on over when I get a chance.

[Alan Schaffter]

I use oak (white and red) for the legs with mating dovetails on my adjustable height assembly table.

[Tom Overthere]

I use oak (white and red) for the legs with mating dovetails on my adjustable height assembly table.

[ AMAZING ASSEMBLY TABLE PHOTO ]

HOLY MACKERAL, Alan!

I spent several evenings last week reading online about various Torsion Box assembly-table designs. In each case, the torsion box table was set atop a large, monolithic storage cabinet - which provides lots of needed storage, but allows no HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT. Seeing your photo made me laugh right out loud! Not because it's funny, but because it's so doggone CLEVER.

Are you willing to give details regarding the dimensions of the dovetails and the adjustment racks? And also, how you attached the legs to the torsion box table top (assuming it IS a torsion box construction...?)

This is an amazing forum. Last week I asked a question re. dovetail jigs, but haven't found time to go back and see all the amazing replies there. Lack of time - and also I'm afraid the amazingly creative replies will open up far too many new directions for me to research/comprehend/afford. My head is spinning...

[M. A. Espinoza]

I use oak (white and red) for the legs with mating dovetails on my adjustable height assembly table.

Not top hijack the thread but any details on your adjustable legs? I think I could use that idea.

[Larry Edgerton]

I made some compound slides about thirty years ago out of ash. I made the cabinet to hold wrenches for my dad, and each drawer has to have at least 100#'s of iron in it, and they still work with one finger after all this time. I was kind of hoping they would wear out as I am not that proud of that cabinet, it was my first project when I bought my first table saw. I used stick graphite as a lube, but that would be ugly. In other cases I have used Topcote, and buffed it off so it does not show, works well and is easily repeatable as needed.

I don't like maple in this instance as it is a little less stable, but it does have a nice tight grain.

What are you making?

[Alan Schaffter]

HOLY MACKERAL, Alan!

I spent several evenings last week reading online about various Torsion Box assembly-table designs. In each case, the torsion box table was set atop a large, monolithic storage cabinet - which provides lots of needed storage, but allows no HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT. Seeing your photo made me laugh right out loud! Not because it's funny, but because it's so doggone CLEVER.

Are you willing to give details regarding the dimensions of the dovetails and the adjustment racks? And also, how you attached the legs to the torsion box table top (assuming it IS a torsion box construction...?)

This is an amazing forum. Last week I asked a question re. dovetail jigs, but haven't found time to go back and see all the amazing replies there. Lack of time - and also I'm afraid the amazingly creative replies will open up far too many new directions for me to research/comprehend/afford. My head is spinning...

Not top hijack the thread but any details on your adjustable legs? I think I could use that idea.

First, table manufacturers used sliding dovetails all the time to support expanding tables leaves or fold-downs.

Here is a closeup shot of the leg dovetails on my assembly table:



Sorry to hijack the thread, but . .

Now about my assembly table. Yes, it is a torsion box, and I'll put a link to my NCWW posts about it which have a lot of pics and info, but I don't want to give out too much, because I sold an article about it to a WW mag which I am just finishing. Actually, as of now, it is slated to be two companion articles in the same issue, one about my adjustable legs, the other about torsion box engineering and how to build one like this, more easily and quickly than the David Mark/Wood Whisperer table. The article(s) should be out by summer.

Link to threads about it at NCWW.

Construction

Finishing

Though my original design is still working great, for the article I made some changes and improvements and developed a few techniques that simplify construction of the table and the legs/mechanism. At the request of my editor (who hasn't seen the table) I also included a way to add simple diagonal bracing if desired by the builder (I haven't needed it) .

[Tom Overthere]

Well, Alan, that's about as good as it gets.

I visited the NCWW links you provided, and fell over. In my online wanderings, I've stumbled into that site a number of times, but always figured I'd be persona non grata in that I live elsewhere. The fact is though, I was born in Fayetteville and might try to see if my Tar Heel origins are still worth over anything at NCWW

QUESTION: What tool did you use to cut those big dove tails on the legs? Leigh, Omni, etc?

Thanks a LOT for sharing your creativity and engineering talent with me and everyone here. And good luck with the article!

[Tom Overthere]

I made some compound slides about thirty years ago out of ASH. I made the cabinet to hold wrenches for my dad, and each drawer has to have at least 100#'s of iron in it, and they still work with one finger after all this time. ...I used stick graphite as a lube, but that would be ugly. In other cases I have used Topcote, and buffed it off so it does not show, works well and is easily repeatable.

I don't like maple in this instance as it is a little less stable, but it does have a nice tight grain.

What are you making?

Hey, Larry.
Thanks for the insights. I highlighted the specifics (not to disregard the rest of your comments) and am glad to read of your success with ash. Compound slides holding 100 lbs for thirty years is a real testiment to the suitability of the material (and the skill of the maker ). I'll look further into ash vs maple (vs oak vs lignum vitea). As for what I'm making, that'd be "nuthin" yet. Just scribbling at the drawing board, designing a moveable top for an end table.

[Alan Schaffter]

Well, Alan, that's about as good as it gets.

I visited the NCWW links you provided, and fell over. In my online wanderings, I've stumbled into that site a number of times, but always figured I'd be persona non grata in that I live elsewhere. The fact is though, I was born in Fayetteville and might try to see if my Tar Heel origins are still worth over anything at NCWW

QUESTION: What tool did you use to cut those big dove tails on the legs? Leigh, Omni, etc?

Thanks a LOT for sharing your creativity and engineering talent with me and everyone here. And good luck with the article!

NCWW is a great site- really aimed at NC folks but others allowed to join on individual basis. I believe viewing is open to anyone.

I used a dado blade to remove the waste, then ran the legs across my router table using an 8 deg DT bit from my Leigh set to cut the profiles- it was actually pretty easy. I cut all the sockets first, then fit each tail to its own socket in case there were any differences in leg size that would affect the tail size.

Thanks.

[Tom Overthere]

Thanks, Alan. Tis a Thing o' Beauty and an engineering feat.

In response to your generous contribution, maybe we can turn this thread into a STONE SOUP of Assembly Table Ideas.

I intend to build a torsion box according to your method (didn't like the idea of toenailing multiple short lengths of 1/2" MDF). Yours is a quicker/better construction process and, I'm pretty sure, lends superior strength/rigidity.

I'll add this ingredient (every healthy soup has "greens" in it): A removeable pair of fences - one for the short side(s) and one for the long side(s) of table - to create a reliable 90-degree corner to assist in assembling square frames of all types.

Multiple T-nuts can be set in the table's wood side rails, and the fences can be installed removed as needed - attached to any side as needed. When not in use, store 'em up in the rafters or behind your cross-cut fence (don't stand them in a corner as they might bow). You could also mount a couple of T-nuts on the wall, and just hang them there, using one of the knobs...

SEE IMAGE BELOW: (if image doesn't appear, try hitting your browser's Refresh button or keyboard F5)



And fellas, this is just the tip o' the iceberg. A recent This Old House episode showed a gliding-sled assembly table system BensonWood whipped up for assembling pre-built interior window casings. I recorded the show and sketched out the design. Parts of it were overkill (sez me) so I intend to "boil it down to basics" and implement it along with these "square corner" fences - added to Alan's outstanding torsion box table. Should be GREAT if I can pull it all together...

STONE SOUP NEEDS LOTS OF INGREDIENTS.
WHO ELSE WILL TOSS IN A ROCK OR TWO?