Woodworker's Journal 2009-33-2, страница 37

Milling the Dovetailed Wedges

Now for the wedges that stabilize the table leaves. I used some leftover cherry that I found in die shop, with the idea of contrasting elements. There are several ways to go aboul this: you can make them straight or tapered in their length, or you can dovetail one side or both, generally in the spirit of easier fitting. The problem with dovetail slots is that the mating surfaces of the dovetailed areas are generally not conducive to creating a solid glue joint, as they're often half end-grain. The only real positive glue surface in this particular assembly is on the flat underside of the wedge where it meets the flat horizontal surface of

Using a plunge router with a fence affixed, the author plows short grooves that become mortises for the apron's split tenons. He squares the rounded ends with a mortising chisel and a few well-placed blows from a mallet.

the housing, or cut-out part of the table leaf. With all this in mind, I decided to make them straight, to maximize glue surface, and use enough self-control to make them fit perfectly, sliding into place with easy taps of my mallet and a beater block.

I first cut the housings using a small plunge router equipped with a 1/4" straight bit guided by a clamped-on straightedge. I made two straight cuts at the narrow points of the housings and removed most of

Ihe waste from the housing. I then chucked a 9/16" dovetail bit into my router and, leaving ihe fences in place, cut the angled edges of the housings. Nice and simple. I

_ then made a practice

wedge using ihe same dovetail bit in a router table to attain my aforementioned precision fit. When I was satisfied, I made all the wedges at once. They all fit just the way I wanted them to, no hand planes or shooting boards required.

Woodworker's Journal April 2009 1 5

Routing the Basic Rule Joint

By matching a 1/2" cove-cutting bit to a bearing-guided 1/2" roundover bit, you have everything you need to form a classic rule joint. Test your setup on scrap stock of exactly the same thickness as your table top and leaves. Use multiple passes to achieve your desired cut — especially in hard maple. Locate and mortise in your rule joint hinges as shown in RH Rockier's rule the drawing below, and you'll I I pint router be well on your way.