Coffee table design

[Carl Eyman]

Doesn't use mortise and tenon joinery. Most high quality dining tables use this type joinery because comercial furniture must be capable of being knoxked down for shipping. I've always found it sturdy and suited for the purpose. If anybody is in doubt about what I mean I'll try to find pictures in a catalog and point it out. But Not just now It is now 9:30 PM and my wife is trying to get me to stay awake another 2 1/2 hours to usher in the new year, I'd rather go to bed.

Happy New Year One and All! See you next year.

[Jerry Crawford]

Unfortunately, I don't have a drill press. so doing the mortises are a problem. I do have a forged steel and wood handled bit brace, but that is a museum piece. Thanks for the advice. I will check out rocker's website.

Dan

Dan, you can cut mortise's with a chisel and mallet. You don't need to go to the extreme of a drill press or brace and bit. Those are nice to have I agree but museums are full of furniture created before the industrial revloution. Chopping a mortise is really a piece of cake as long as your layout is accurate. Same with the tenon. Lay it out and remove the cheeks with a chisel and DT saw. If your making through tenons chop your mortice from both sides and you get neat tight joints without any tearout.

[Dan Mages]

If I go with mitered corners like Jamie suggested, how can I do mortise and tendon joint if it is 4/4 to 4/4 stock?

Dan

[Jim Dunn]

D-mn Jim, I can't believe I am able to contribute to some solid suggestions. I'm serious, I must be learning, or at least able to absorp, something from whatching so many ww shows. Also this forum is a great place to learn also!

Happy New Year

[Carl Eyman]

I'll post Rockler's pictire of a corner bracket and a direction to their catalog

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product...Hanger%20Bolts

[Dan Mages]

Sadly, my tool shop is closed for the weekend, so I cannot get a couple of things I need to complete the base. However, I did clean up the top and did a dry fit. Here is a picture of the 4 boards for the table dry fitted together. The overal size is 40x25.

Carl. Thanks for the info on those clips. I will check to see if Woodcraft has them. They are about 20 minutes closer to me than Rockler.

The second to the bottom board is a bit bowed by about 1/8 in the middle. I should to be able to straighten it out during glue up. Will this cause problems down the road?

I am not sure about the board at the top. The other three pieces have some pretty wild figure and the top one seems to be a bit too tame. Should I leave it in, or should it go? I can always reuse it for the apron.

Thanks again for the advice.