Breadboard end

[coyote]

  I am starting a new project, a coffee table. I'd like to use breadboard ends on the top and am trying to figure out how to do this with the domino. I don't want to go through using a tongue and groove and slotted screw holes and pegged tenons. The top is quartersawn white oak, one and a quarter inches thick, I'm going to edge glue and domino five boards five inches wide each. The breadboard ends will be the same thickness and 3 inches wide. I did a mock up last night using some scrap, I edge glued three 5 inch wide boards together. In the end of each board I made 2 #10 domino slots on the narrowest setting and then glued the dominos in all the holes. On the breadboard (which is 5 inches wide because it was the only scrap I had that was one and a quarter inches thick and I didn't feel like ripping it narrower.) I made the center two mortises on the narrowest setting and the others on the 2nd setting. I then sprung the mating edge of the breadboard by sanding the center slightly concave.I then attached it by gluing only the center 2 dominos and leaving the rest unglued. When I clamped it down the center gap closed nicely making the ends really tight. Today I unclamped it and secured it to my bench with the joint overhanging the end of the bench. I smacked it pretty hard with a mallet a few times and it didn't budge. My question is will this last over time. I'm fairly new to woodworking and have never done this before and as I stated I didn't want to attempt the traditional method. Thanks for any input.

 

[tiralie]

Welcome to the FOG coyote.

I don't want to go through using a tongue and groove and slotted screw holes and pegged tenons.

Just curious why? These joints are definitely challenging but can be fun and extremely satisfying...at least the first couple are.

I made the center two mortises on the narrowest setting and the others on the 2nd setting. I then sprung the mating edge of the breadboard by sanding the center slightly concave.I then attached it by gluing only the center 2 dominos and leaving the rest unglued. When I clamped it down the center gap closed nicely making the ends really tight.

This is sounds like a good plan. For what it's worth, I would do it exactly the same way if I was to do this, not that it's right or wrong. Is the bread board end also quarter sawn oak?

Today I unclamped it and secured it to my bench with the joint overhanging the end of the bench. I smacked it pretty hard with a mallet a few times and it didn't budge.

With all due respect to your test, while it did test the strength or holding power of the domino, I doubt that it proved that the bread board would not separate under the internal stresses of expansion or shrinkage that the panel will.

My question is will this last over time. I'm fairly new to woodworking and have never done this before and as I stated I didn't want to attempt the traditional method. Thanks for any input.

Quarter sawn hardwood shrinks about 50% less than flat sawn stock so you have reduced the issue by half. A 36” wide top, made with flat sawn lumber, can move more than an inch with a 10% change in moisture content.
What is the moisture content of your quarter sawn oak?
In my view, moisture loss in a heated and air conditioned home over time (years not months) will affect the top more than anything else.
I would bet that your joint will stay together a lot longer than mitered corners without mechanical fasteners (dowels, dominoes etc.).
Tim

 

[coyote]

Tim.  Thanks for your input. I plan on making more than one of these and I thought that if this would produce a solid joint it may save me some time. Thats why I posed the question because I don't want to do it this way if you guys who know more about this stuff than I do think that the joint may fail. Yes the breadboard end is quartersawn oak and I was hoping that springing the joint would keep the ends tight against the table without having to cut slots in the dominos and pegging them            Thanks again Bill

 

[tiralie]

Tim.  Thanks for your input.

No problem. Sounds like a nice project and a creative solution.

I plan on making more than one of these and I thought that if this would produce a solid joint it may save me some time. Thats why I posed the question because I don't want to do it this way if you guys who know more about this stuff than I do think that the joint may fail.

I dare say there are folks on here reading this now that know a lot more than I do about this.

Yes the breadboard end is quarter sawn oak and I was hoping that springing the joint would keep the ends tight against the table without having to cut slots in the dominos and pegging them            Thanks again Bill

If your wood is at 8-9% moisture content, and you acclimatize it after your initial milling (before final sizing) I think you should be Ok with this technique.
Good luck.
Tim

 

[jacko9]

Bill,

Another site where you might want to pose this question is the "Old Woodworking Machines" web site where they have a Woodworking forum where people discuss topics like this @

http://owwm.org/

Jack