Hey all,
I've got a furniture design question. I'm nearly a total newbie, having
made a couple of shelves for a shelfless bookcase I got at an auction
(hey, a trade for Mr Lincoln), a pine table for my cats to eat off of
(had to get the food above the 6 pound dog).
My plans come from the book
_Authentic_Arts_&_Crafts_Furniture_Projects_, subtitled "From the
Editors of Popular Woodworking", and the project is the Stickley side
table on the front cover (and on pages 56-59). Anyway, the measured
drawing has inch-wide tenons on the ends of the (inch-and-a-half)
aprons, fitting into mortises on the legs that are an inch and an
eighth. Seems a little sloppy, but wood moves, so it ought to be OK.
My question is with the alignment: when the top of the apron aligns with
the top of the leg, then the top of the tenon will be flush with the top
of the mortise, and the bottom of the tenon will be an eighth above the
bottom of the mortise. Is that right? Or should I "slide" the mortise
up, so the tenon is centered in it?
Chris
Seems a little too loose for my comfort... You may not see the mortise if
you center it, but I'd still tighten up the whole shebang... Tom
> Chris Wood wrote: [email protected]
>Date: 09/05/2003 8:09 PM US Mountain Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>Hey all,
>
>I've got a furniture design question. I'm nearly a total newbie, having
>made a couple of shelves for a shelfless bookcase I got at an auction
>(hey, a trade for Mr Lincoln), a pine table for my cats to eat off of
>(had to get the food above the 6 pound dog).
>
>My plans come from the book
>_Authentic_Arts_&_Crafts_Furniture_Projects_, subtitled "From the
>Editors of Popular Woodworking", and the project is the Stickley side
>table on the front cover (and on pages 56-59). Anyway, the measured
>drawing has inch-wide tenons on the ends of the (inch-and-a-half)
>aprons, fitting into mortises on the legs that are an inch and an
>eighth. >My question is with the alignment: when the top of the apron aligns
with
>the top of the leg, then the top of the tenon will be flush with the top
>of the mortise, and the bottom of the tenon will be an eighth above the
>bottom of the mortise. Is that right? Or should I "slide" the mortise
>up, so the tenon is centered in it?
>
>Chris
>
Someday, it'll all be over....
You want the expansion to occur in the direction where flush doesn't count.
Principle is consistent throughout woodworking. You don't want the top
lifting off the legs under pressure from expanding aprons.
That said, a 1/8 gap is for 6" or more. For your aprons, a loose fit is much
more appropriate.
"Tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Seems a little too loose for my comfort... You may not see the mortise
if
> you center it, but I'd still tighten up the whole shebang... Tom
>
>
> > Chris Wood wrote: [email protected]
> >Date: 09/05/2003 8:09 PM US Mountain Standard Time
> >Message-id: <[email protected]>
> >
> >Hey all,
> >
> >I've got a furniture design question.
Anyway, the measured
> >drawing has inch-wide tenons on the ends of the (inch-and-a-half)
> >aprons, fitting into mortises on the legs that are an inch and an
> >eighth. >My question is with the alignment: when the top of the apron
aligns
> with
> >the top of the leg, then the top of the tenon will be flush with the top
> >of the mortise, and the bottom of the tenon will be an eighth above the
> >bottom of the mortise. Is that right? Or should I "slide" the mortise
> >up, so the tenon is centered in it?
> >
> >Chris
> >
> Someday, it'll all be over....
In article <[email protected]>,
"George" <[email protected]> wrote:
> You want the expansion to occur in the direction where flush doesn't count.
> Principle is consistent throughout woodworking. You don't want the top
> lifting off the legs under pressure from expanding aprons.
Ahhh, I get it now. I do want the top of the mortise and top of the
tenon to be flush; it makes the top of the legs/aprons always line up,
providing a flat surface for the top of the table.
> That said, a 1/8 gap is for 6" or more. For your aprons, a loose fit is much
> more appropriate.
The aprons may expand in width (the tenon is only an inch wide, so 1/8th
for expansion is generous.
On the plans, there are panels that runs between the aprons and
stretchers below. The grain in the panel will be vertical, so the panel
should not change length. Mortises on the legs have an extra 1/8th inch
on the "inside", that is, the mortise for the apron has an extra 1/8th
on the bottom, and the mortise for the stretcher has an extra 1/8th on
the top.
Thanks for the information.
Chris
> "Tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Seems a little too loose for my comfort... You may not see the mortise
> if
> > you center it, but I'd still tighten up the whole shebang... Tom
> >
> >
> > > Chris Wood wrote: [email protected]
> > >Date: 09/05/2003 8:09 PM US Mountain Standard Time
> > >Message-id: <[email protected]>
> > >
> > >Hey all,
> > >
> > >I've got a furniture design question.
>
> Anyway, the measured
> > >drawing has inch-wide tenons on the ends of the (inch-and-a-half)
> > >aprons, fitting into mortises on the legs that are an inch and an
> > >eighth. >My question is with the alignment: when the top of the apron
> aligns
> > with
> > >the top of the leg, then the top of the tenon will be flush with the top
> > >of the mortise, and the bottom of the tenon will be an eighth above the
> > >bottom of the mortise. Is that right? Or should I "slide" the mortise
> > >up, so the tenon is centered in it?
> > >
> > >Chris
> > >
> > Someday, it'll all be over....
>
>
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