Woodworking Archive

Shop Tip Small Pieces

A push block and an auxiliary fence and tabletop with openings cut to fit the router bit make routing the rail stops a little safer.

used on the legs and stretcher. The box at the bottom of the opposite page shows how I did the job. It's a good idea to make enough edging for the top and the drop-in leaves. You'll want to leave some extra length on the edging and then trim it flush after it's glued in place.

ATTACH THE EDGING. Attaching the edging to the top is a challenge. Once glue is applied, things get a bit slippery. So to help keep the edging aligned, I nipped the heads off some short brads and drove several along each edge. Then before adding glue, I pressed the edging in place over the brads. The brads keep the edging from shifting as the clamps are tightened.

BREADBOARD ENDS

Breadboard ends are usually added to a tabletop to keep the surface flat. Since this tabletop is plywood, the breadboard ends serve a different purpose. Instead, they form part of the extension system.

The breadboard ends pull out on extension rails that slide in a track created by the end and side supports and the rail guides you'll add later. The extension rails have a dual purpose. They hold the breadboard ends in place and they also support the table leaves when they're being used.

The first step to adding the extension system is to make the breadboard ends. After they're cut to size, round over the ends and one side with the same router table setup used for the top edging.

EXTENSION RAILS. The extension rails come next. First, you'll need to cut them to size. And to prevent them from binding as they slide, it's important that they're straight and accurately dimensioned.

Once the rails are ready, you can start work on joining them to the breadboard ends. The first step is to cut a long rabbet or notch in the ends of the rails (detail 'a'). This can be done with a dado blade.

Next, I laid out the shallow recesses in the breadboard ends that hold the notched ends of the rails. To locate the recesses, I placed

Rail guides should allow extension rails to slide freely

See Shop Notebook on page 28 for details on shaping rail supports

#8 x VA" Fh woodscrews hold rail bridges ___— in place

#8x VA" Fh woodscrew

RAIL GUIDE

Second rail bridge doubles as stop for extension

K, RAIL ^SUPPORT

end section view

Rail supports hold extension rails in place

#8 x VA" Fh woodscrew

Tabletop

See How-To box below to cut dadoes the rails in the track and lined up the breadboard end with the top, as shown in detail 'b' on the opposite page. Then I simply marked around the rails.

The quickest way to form the recess is to use a hand-held router and a straight bit. Once this is completed, you can attach the rails with screws (detail 'a,' opposite).

RAIL GUIDES. Now you can add the rail guides. These form the inside edge of the track and are attached to the underside of the tabletop with screws, as shown above. You want a snug, but not tight, fit. The extension rails should slide freely along the track (detail 'b').

RAIL BRIDGE SUPPORTS. The last pieces to add at this stage are the rail stops and the supports that trap the extension rails (details 'a' and 'b')- The Shop Tip on the opposite page shows how to shape the stops before gluing them in place. You'll find more on making the rail supports in the box below and Shop Notebook on page 28.

Cut rail guide to fit between arms in base .

ail supports are attached last

end view

Bullnose falls to waste side

How-To: Construction Details

Bullnose Edging. To make the bullnose edging for the Dadoes. The dadoes in the rail supports can be cut on the table saw. top, rout the profile on both edges of a wide workpiece. Mark a line on the auxiliary fence at either edge of the dado blade. Then cut the edging free at the table saw. Then use these lines as a guide to remove the waste.

end view

Bullnose falls to waste side

Alignment sleeves

Alignment pin

LEAF PANEL

Leaves are . cut to match tabletop grain

LEAF EDGE SUPPORT

Cut to fit overextension rail,

Attach end edging before adding bullnose edging

END EDGING

^^ LEAF CENTER ^ SUPPORT

Leaf mid support is cut to size allowing for , extension track

BULLNOSE EDGING

Sleeve

Breadboard end

Sleeves are located by-J using pins as guides side section view

(main drawing and detail 'a'). After using the same technique

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