When I started in on the top for the Blacker table the first thing I discovered was that the two boards I’d glued up for it had cupped. There was roughly a 1/8″ cup over 22″.
Whoops, almost 1/8″ gap over the 22″ top width.
Both of the individual boards appeared to have cupped slightly, but part of the problem was the glue joint. So I decided to rip, re-joint and re-glue the top. I used cauls to align the two boards for the re-glue. After 24 hours in the clamps I pulled it and re-checked…it looks good. Most of the top is dead flat, with a tiny bit of cupping at one corner.
It’s flat!
So I quickly but the tenons and assembled the top with the breadboard ends.
I roughed in the step for the tenons using a dado stack on the table saw, then used a rabbeting plane to dial the fit in just right.
Layout for the tenons – there are four 1.375″ long tenons on each end, and a continuous .375″ stub tenon to help keep things flat.
Success, breadboard ends are (mostly) done. I need to do a little fine tuning and cut the slots for the splines still, but I’m on the downhill side of this. I’ll do the inlay on the top next I think.
I take it that you aren’t going to glue any of this but just pin it? It looks like you got a nice tight joint line on both sides.
hey ralph, you both are doing breadboard ends at the same time!! if it were me,i’d glue the center tenon but I’ll be curious to see what Mcglynn does.
I’ll probably put some glue in the middle, but primarily the end cap will be held on by 4 screws through the end cap into the end grain of the 4 tenons. The screws hide under the 4 ebony plugs on the ends and each one is in a small slot to allow for wood movement.