Attaching trestle table top to trestle legs.

[Sparky]

So I'm building a trestle table and have avoided using and metal fastners of any kind. I am wondering what's the best way to attach table top to legs. I am also still adding breadboard ends. Gotta do a bunch more sanding to make the hand hewn a little less textured for practical use. I have seen before a few creative methods of attaching tops on here before. It has to be removable and allow for expansion. Thanks in advance for the great ideas that your sending my way

 

[Sparktrician]

I used only dominoes to attach the top to my table base.  So far, no issues, and that thing is SOLID!!!  Pictures tonight when I return to base.

 

[Sparky]

nice table, thank for the pictures, once I add the breadboard ends it will help avoid warping the top so might not need the actual fastening of fastners and could get away with dominoes

 

[jmbfestool]

Well you are making it more difficult but if you insist!

The way I would achieve it would be to router 2 stop dovetail grooves one for each leg.

You can either widen the groove with the dovetail cutter or using a straight cutter.  If you use a straight cutter you end up with one side angled the other straight. 

This would make it easier but still do the same job.

Going with the one side straight.  After deciding the width of the groove you made I would machine a lenth of timber which would have the dovetail routered on one side to match.
It would then fit into the slot and slide across.  Now to stop it coming back out you will have to glue little blocks or a continous strip. Glue ONLY onto the piece of timber not the tabletop.

This will do three things.  It will allow for the top to move freely in its width but also help hold the table flat and best of all it gives you a fixing point. 

You can either position it so it sits to the sides of your legs and using a couple of dowels you can fix it into place.  Then if you want to remove the top simply pull the dowels out.

Or you can position it so the battern lands on the legs which you then would need to groove to allow it to drop in and then have a dowel going through which would still need to be removable

 

[jmbfestool]

I know my explanation is poor.

So just doodled on my phone the idea.

The doodle is a cross section of the table because you wouldnt obvisouly router the groove right through to the edge of the table although it would make it easier I dont think you want to see grooves from the side.

So the blue lines ive drawn are your legs

The black lines are the table top and battern.

The red lines is the extra timber which needs glueing onto the battern Only either a full strip or in blocks once the battern is in place to stop if from coming out of the groove.

The circles are holes for the dowels to allow for easy assembling and to disassemble later on if you want to move the table.

I hope this helps

[attachimg=1]

 

[Sparky]

You bet I understood what you ment. I kinda like the idea of a sliding joint for that. I appreciate the fresh ideas sometimes a guy just gets stuck thinking one way and doesn't see other options that make so much sense.

 

[jmbfestool]

This is how it looks like underneath

[attachimg=1]

 

[jmbfestool]

You bet I understood what you ment. I kinda like the idea of a sliding joint for that. I appreciate the fresh ideas sometimes a guy just gets stuck thinking one way and doesn't see other options that make so much sense.

Good good. 

Yeah its basically a sliding joint.  Ive never tried this my self normally I would be using screws lol but after reading your request I had to think how would I achieve this if I had to do it without fixings.  This was the first thing I came up with.

 

[Kev]

Does it really need to be fixed? There's plenty of weight in the table and the ample support in the base. You could velcro that lot and still be ok [eek] [big grin]

 

[Holmz]

One could screw it on. Unless you have a guest under the table that will be looking up, then it may not matter.

 

[jmbfestool]

One could screw it on. Unless you have a guest under the table that will be looking up, then it may not matter.

Well thats what we would all do but he did specially say he has avoided using metal fixings and would like to carry on with this theme to fit the top down

 

[Sparky]

It's a build that's just for fun and time has no meaning. It's like building a boat in your basement sometimes you build things differently when your doing it because you find a peace or relaxing enjoyment of not having deadlines or wages to consider just a respect for your project.

 

[Holmz]

...

Well thats what we would all do but he did specially say he has avoided using metal fixings and would like to carry on with this theme to fit the top down

Thanks [member=5671]jmbfestool[/member] - I am reading better with a coffee in hand.
And it makes sense.

 

[Sparky]

Finally got it all finished.
Used osmos poly x matte finish.

 

[Sparky]

I went with oversized domino's to attach the tabletop thanks sparktrician for the idea.