Breadboard ends

[Cato]

I am building a breadboard end table top for a coffee table and was wondering if you need to leave a small reveal or plane it flush with the table top?

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I made mine flush. I think even a slight reveal would interfere w/ anything you sit on the top.

Bill

 

[Jeff]

+1 to a flush fit. However, it's a matter of personal aesthetics and preference. Check out a recent video series by Greg Paolini at FWW. His Arts & Crafts oak coffee table has Bb ends which are slightly proud of the top.

 

[jlwest]

Why would you want to keep them proud? The top should not move up and down with humidity but rather side to side.

 

[Cato]

Thanks for the input guys, this helps me a lot!!

The table I am building is pretty much from the video series by Greg Paolini at FWW.

This is my first breadboard end and I agree with you guys and would rather have them flush so as not to unbalance a drink etc., but I wasn't sure if there was some structural or wood movement reason that required them to be proud.

I am always just a bit nervous as I tackle some more complex projects. Fun to watch it take shape, but a little nervous that I will screw something up on the table top.

Gregory used all QS white oak, but I chose mahogany and walnut, and left off those little panels at the end of the table cause I liked a little cleaner look to it.

My table base is done, sanded, dry fitted, and just have to cut a few slots for the table top fasteners, so I am going to mill and glue up the top this weekend.

 

[KenOfCary]

Sounds very nice. Don't forget to post some pictures of the finished product here. For that matter Work In Progress pics are also very much appreciated here.

- Ken.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Why would you want to keep them proud? The top should not move up and down with humidity but rather side to side.

I believe they are left proud in this case to serve as a design element, not for anything structural. I think I would also prefer them to be flush.

 

[Jeff]

Why would you want to keep them proud? The top should not move up and down with humidity but rather side to side.

Just a clarification for all of us. Quartersawn wood moves up and down across its thickness to some extent, but considerably less across the width. That's why it's a good choice for table tops, etc. On the other hand, flatsawn wood has two components of movement; one is radial and the other is tangential. They're generally in a ratio of about 1:2 respectively. So a flatsawn top can get thicker, but that's less noticeable than the tangential movement across the width.

http://www.tuktupaddles.com/lumber.html

 

[KenOfCary]

So if using the same Quartersawn wood for the top and the breadboard ends the difference in movement across the thickness should be almost identical, one would think.

Just thinking out loud.

- Ken.

 

[Jeff]

So if using the same Quartersawn wood for the top and the breadboard ends the difference in movement across the thickness should be almost identical, one would think.

Just thinking out loud.

- Ken.

We have consensus. :thumbs_up Perhaps we should solicit other of like mind to go to Raleigh or D.C. Oops! Mea culpa! I gotta learn to think before speaking.

 

[Howard Acheson]

For aesthetic reasons (and I really don't like breadboard ends) I will generally assemble the breadboard that then run my router down the joint with a pointy sharp taper bit to create a shallow depressed line. This hides the chipping that occurs under hard finishes as the joint moves. Makes for a nicer transition from one grain direction to the other grain direction.

 

[KenOfCary]

For aesthetic reasons (and I really don't like breadboard ends) I will generally assemble the breadboard that then run my router down the joint with a pointy sharp taper bit to create a shallow depressed line. This hides the chipping that occurs under hard finishes as the joint moves. Makes for a nicer transition from one grain direction to the other grain direction.

I like that idea. I'm about to build a coffee table similar to the one mentioned. I may just have to try that. Maybe with a 1/8" bead bit I have. - Ken.