How Would You

7/15/17, 4:24 PM #1

Mark Mandell
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How Would You

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Make these joints?

This is a section view of the joint between a leg "cluster" and its foot.

The assembly consists of a 2"x2" bridle joint with the 1" legs joined at the cross. The table is a modified trestle 37" x 72".

"A" is glued, face grain to face grain, with pins.

"B" is also face-to-face and pinned, but inset into the cross pieces.

The glue patch on each face will be 1" x3"

The complicating factor here is that the cluster members are tapered on 2 faces so, if using the inset option, there will be some precise handwork involved.

I know that the inset option will make a stronger joint, given the support on the shoulders, but since there will be only racking stress on these joints, I'm tending toward the glue and pins in option "A" being sufficient.

Comments requested.

Re: How Would You

7/15/17, 6:16 PM #2

Keith Newton
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Re: How Would You

Keith Newton

There is a third option, which is to cut a rabbet on the back side of the legs, so the part let in is straight, while the tapper is overlaid. A dado blade on the TS will make all that easy to cut, if you keep the inside corner against the fence and table, feed one end then flip and feed the other.

Re: How Would You

7/15/17, 7:03 PM #3

Mark Mandell
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I See

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

your point. I could also do it on the router table.

Since the legs are tapered 1" over their 27 -1/2" length, the amount of taper in the 3" glue patch is pretty slight only about 1/9" which ain't much to fudge.

I take it you think "B" is the better joint?

Re: How Would You

7/15/17, 9:51 PM #4

Keith Newton
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Re: I See

Keith Newton

Yes B would be my choice. That's like asking, which is stronger, M&T or dowel pins.

Re: How Would You

7/17/17, 11:29 AM #5

Bill Tindall, E.TN.
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Re: How Would You

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I am unsure I understand the arrangement. We are looking down from the top? Don't understand what is tapered. In any case, if the legs are cross grain of the foot by 3" that joint will fail over the ages if simply glued, option 1. Essentially, if I understand, you have a glue arrangement similar to a corner block on a 3" bracket foot. The glue on corner blocks has often failed in antiques and there is a lot less stress on them than this leg.

How Would You

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