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Morris Dovey
 
Posts: n/a
Default newbie: how to assemble table frame

(in
) said:

| So, I got the table legs cut (and rabbet joints in them). Now to
| attach the top frame to the legs, how do I make sure that the
| individual member of the frame gets attached exactly 90 deg. to the
| leg?
|
| I mean.. it is hard to hold down the leg and frame and then put a
| screw so that they are jointed at 90 deg.... even if they are
| clamped down...
|
| In general, how is the assembly done? face down? but then once you
| have two legs joined to one member of the frame, how do you
| assemble the pair.. there is no 3-way 90deg. clamp available..
|
| it is hard to explain in words.. but if you get the gist, how do you
| assemble cut parts where one part is laying horizontal on the table
| and the other part is to be joined 90 degree vertically, to hold
| it, square it and then put to drive a nail or a screw..
|
| i guess it cant be done unless there is another person helping or
| there is a horizontal-vertical clamp?

Since no one else has responded, the guy who doesn't build furniture
will give you his best effort. Where I screw up, someone will probably
jump in to correct me (I really do love the way usenet works :-))

I think the "frame" parts are called "aprons". The trick is to mount
the aprons to the (face down) table top with a gap at each corner. On
the inside of each corner you add a diagonal brace with a hole in the
center. Take a moment to visualize this.

Now you can fit the leg into the corner gap and drill a pilot hole
through the corner brace into the inside corner of the leg; and then
pull the leg tight against the apron parts with a lag screw.
Alternatively, you could install an anchor bolt in the pilot hole and
draw the leg tight using a wrench to tighten a nut on the machine
threads.

I like the anchor bolt (wood threads on one end and machine threads on
the other) approach better because it allows for repeated
assembly/disassembly without wearing out threads cut into wood. Anchor
bolts are a bit more expensive but (IMO) worth the added cost.

I wouldn't use nails to assemble a table.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto