Farm House Table with the Domino 500

[Kyle 09]

I am interested in building a farmhouse table for my wife as a surprise while she is away. she is only gone for a few days and I would like it to be complete by the time she returns. to help me build it quickly I would like to use my Domino 500 in the construction. for the table top I have no concern in using it but attaching the aprons to the legs I'm not sure about. overall tabletop dimensions are going to be roughly 72"x32" 1.5" thick 30" tall. legs are going to be 4X4. the aprons will be 1.5" thick maybe 3"-4" wide.

So will the domino 500 size dominos be able to hold up with a table that size? I could to traditional mortise and tenon but I don't have the time and I don't really want to do something like a pocket hole.

one thought I did have was to use the domino and then use a pattern bit in the router to make the holes deeper and cut my own domino to length for more strength?

Any thoughts that don't include buying the DF 700?

 

[Sparktrician]

You could use 8mm dominoes with 4/4 material for the aprons, or 10mm dominoes with 5/4 material.  You could also use 90/45/45 corner braces (cut to fit around the legs) inside the apron-leg-apron joints to reinforce the joint.  Here I would not hesitate to use pocket screws to install the corner braces, but screw them in from the top before assembling the table top to the leg/apron assembly. 

 

[Steven Owen]

I am interested in building a farmhouse table for my wife as a surprise while she is away. she is only gone for a few days and I would like it to be complete by the time she returns. to help me build it quickly I would like to use my Domino 500 in the construction. for the table top I have no concern in using it but attaching the aprons to the legs I'm not sure about. overall tabletop dimensions are going to be roughly 72"x32" 1.5" thick 30" tall. legs are going to be 4X4. the aprons will be 1.5" thick maybe 3"-4" wide.

So will the domino 500 size dominos be able to hold up with a table that size? I could to traditional mortise and tenon but I don't have the time and I don't really want to do something like a pocket hole.

one thought I did have was to use the domino and then use a pattern bit in the router to make the holes deeper and cut my own domino to length for more strength?

Any thoughts that don't include buying the DF 700?

You could use the DF 500 for the table top and use a router to create mortises and make loose tenons for the frame.  There’s no law that says you have to use dominos for everything. 

This is the perfect project to practice some traditional jointing methods.

Visit the Wood Whisperer’s site.  He has a couple of videos on easily creating loose Tenon joints with a router and a couple of hand tools.  It’s not all that difficult.

 

[greg mann]

With 1 1/2 thick aprons you could put two rows of dominos in and have a lot of strength. Those joints will only be stressed by lateral forces and not by weight, unless you have any Kung Fu guests that want to sweep the leg. In that case the weight will be your friend.

 

[ericvancronk]

If you are in SoCal you could use my Domino 700.

 

[PaulH99]

I made something very similar a couple months ago. The top was made from reclaimed "two-by" lumber that I jointed and ripped to width. I used the largest (10 mm x 50 mm) Domino that can be cut with the DF 500 and spaced them about nine inches apart. The aprons were attached in a similar fashion. I used the narrowest setting on the DF 500 so that none of the Dominos were loose. Everything aligned properly.

Just remember to use a good glue and lots of clamps!

I am interested in building a farmhouse table for my wife as a surprise while she is away. she is only gone for a few days and I would like it to be complete by the time she returns. to help me build it quickly I would like to use my Domino 500 in the construction. for the table top I have no concern in using it but attaching the aprons to the legs I'm not sure about. overall tabletop dimensions are going to be roughly 72"x32" 1.5" thick 30" tall. legs are going to be 4X4. the aprons will be 1.5" thick maybe 3"-4" wide.

 

[butzla]

I've been reading how the Domino joint is one that is weak.  Back in 2009, I made a porch swing using Dominos made with my 500.  After many years out in the weather and even with 2 large people swinging on it, it's just as tight and strong as the day I made it.  So with a resounding YES, you can use a domino to build a farm table.