Breadboard tabletop mortice lenth

drchristian

New User
David
Building dinning table from white oak with 3/4 top with breadboard ends. The breadboard is 4” wide. I was thinking of going with a 2” mortice and tenon and a 5/16 tenon. I am thinking of doing a full width mortice, no haunch to help keep the end from breaking if leaned on. Am I thinking right? I just am concerned about the breadboard breaking if lead on too heavy.
 

Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
Well, I'd just do three mortise and tenons with the rest haunched. Depending on the wood choice, grain choice I wouldn't worry. Unless you're expecting a five hundred pound gorilla to sit on it then I'd just make the tenons with mortise deeper. On average that really should be two thirds of the width of your breadboard. Other than that it'd be great if you share your progress with some pictures, that'd be awesome.
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
I’ve built a few bread board end tables from pine and cherry (8/4 and 6/4). I used three tenons on each table with a haunch similar to what is described and pictured in this article:


The tables have stood up to college students and younger children.
 

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mpholway

Board of Directors, Events Director
Matt
Staff member
Corporate Member
David, et al.,

Pardon my ignorance but you used the phrase "no haunch to help keep the end from breaking ". Would someone please describe what that means in the context of woodworking as I am unfamiliar?

Thank you,

Matt
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Matt,

The article I linked to explains the haunch. It’s more to help with alignment and to keep the perpendicular boards flat than strength. Some like to extend the haunch all the way to the end instead of leaving it short like in the picture. The tenons add strength. (I think this is what you’re asking?)

Zach
 

Willemjm

Willem
Corporate Member
I always do full width, about 1 1/2” short of each top side. Glue only 3” center and pin the rest with elongated holes to allow for expansion.

The last one I did over 40” width moved about 1/2” between winter and summer.

I do the BB slightly wider than the top with slight radiuses where it matches the top sides, so it looks nice when it shrinks and the top and BB are not same width.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Well, I'd just do three mortise and tenons with the rest haunched. Depending on the wood choice, grain choice I wouldn't worry. Unless you're expecting a five hundred pound gorilla to sit on it then I'd just make the tenons with mortise deeper. On average that really should be two thirds of the width of your breadboard. Other than that it'd be great if you share your progress with some pictures, that'd be awesome.
Dittos on this. 1/2 as deep as the BB will be plenty strong enough.

I will caution on one thing, though. Check the grain pattern in the BB you want to avoid anything quartersawn or highly rift sawn, as the possibility exists the the board could simply break along the grain if a heavy enough force was on it. You won't have a problem with QS white oak, but I'm mentioning it because I've seen it seen it happen, particularly with softwoods.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
This is how I did mine and it has help up well for about 10 years. I ran the pins from the bottom and did not go all the way through to the top surface (stopped about 1/8" shy). I glued the center pin and elongated the end ones with just enough glue to keep the pin in the breadboard. Had approximately 5/16" total movement across the 40" top (5/32" from each side). I did haunch mine due to the same concerns about the end splitting.

The picture is with the table top laying upside down.

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