Breadboard Technique

[Carl Eyman]

In my woodworking experience I've had little contact with breadboard ends. I am now making a drop board for a desk and have milled the board with three tennons on each end that are 1 3/4" in depth (from left to right) and 2 1/2" in width (from front to back) They are 3/8" thick. I plan to use the pin tecnique to fasten the ends to the board. Keep in mind these tenons are spaced across the width of the drop board such that the middle tenon is on the center line of the board and the other two are spaced out toward its corners. Now, obviously, the purpose of the ends is to prevent the board (it's a 15" wide piece of wood) from cupping or warping. Should I glue the center tenon on each side and let the rest float?. The pegs in the outer tenons will pass through elongated holes in those tenons. Should these pegs be glued to the end board? Not to the tenon, of course.
The only time I've done this was some 30 years ago on this maple table. At the time I didn't own a router - much less a router table; so I didn't use mortise and tenons joinery, Yet the leaves have not warped and one can notice seasonal movement between the ends and the leaves.

[Alan Turner]

Carl,
On the several breadboard ends I have made, I have glued the center tenon, and 2 1/2" is about the max. I have also glued the pegs only, and just a small drop. I have also used a T&G the whole length, which I assume you have done as well, but I did not see it mentioned.

Is this just a straight end, applied? Or, is it mitered at the top of the lid? If so, then I think I would glue the tenon at the miter, and let the balance float downward. I have not made one of these, but have been thinking of it.
A drop front desk is on my short list of things I want to build. Some of the galleries I have seen pictured are just amazingly well done, and while I was previously intimidated by them, esp. with the amount of carving needed just to get the moldings right, I think I could handle it now. All I need is a couple of hundred spare hours.
Please post your piece when complete. I increasingly love 18th C. work.

[Jim Becker]

Carl, somewhere on my web site is an article that describes how to do breadboard ends in detail.

[Steve Inniss]

Carl,

I would agree on glueing the middle pin and tenon(depending on it's width -perhaps just the middle if a wide tenon.) I would glue the outer pins - just a drop as Alan suggests, only to hold them in place. And use elongated holes as you have planned.
I recently made a table to suit the style of a family member. Due to the design it definitely called for a breadboard end. However, it was only 12" wide so only needed a center pin which I glued in place, with just the center area of the centre tenon glued. Through significant changes in the humidity of it's immediate environment, I have noticed quite a bit of movement of the top when viewed against the breadboard end. It was great to see how well this "mechanism" works. I have seen the same from multiple pin, wider tops - but this was an extreme test. -Steve

A couple of production pics...

[Carl Eyman]

You agree very closely on the technique. One difference is in how many pins to use, and whether to go all the way through with the pins. Since this is a drop front the pins will be visible even if they are half blind. Using 1/4" dowels appeals to me, Jim, except they may be more visible than I wish. Yes, Alan, I do have a tongue the full width minus about 3/4" each end. You bet I will post a picture when it is done. If it isn't worthy of a picture, I'll go to New York and take a picture of one in the Townsend exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and say it is mine. Would I like to see that exhibit. If I lived as close as you two guys, you couldn't keep me away.

[Carl Eyman]

Thanks Steve - great work. Mine will be blind on the ends, but otherwise similiar. Oh, Alan, I'd love to try that mitered end bit, but haven't got the guts.

[Alan Turner]

Carl, if you can mark accurately, and use a hand saw and a paring chisel, I don't think it is beyond your reach at all.

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Hello Carl. I would use 3 pins on each leaf. I would glue the center one on the center board but on the two hinged boards I would glue the one closest to the joint. If you glue the centers of these 2 the expansion and contraction would be more noticable as well as potentially causing problems with the hinges. If you build the 3 tops with the breadboard ends the full width of the panels and the hinges are on the panels, the width of the boards could shrink and cause the breadboard ends to bind against one another. Hope this makes sense. Peter