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table, made by the author, features exposed bridle joinery. |
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To
make adjustments with this table saw jig, made from 3/4"
MDF, simply move the saw fence and alter the blade height. |
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The
above table features bridle joints, which are attractive and
strong. They're also fairly straightforward to execute if you
have an accurate, vibration-free table saw; a sharp carbide
combination blade; and a jig, shown here.
To produce the bridle joints for the table, I first cut, joint
and thickness the legs and skirt pieces. The procedure is easier
if the legs and table skirt are the same width. If you're going
to shape any of the pieces, do so after cutting the joints.
Next, I cut grooves in the skirt material to house the cleats
that hold the top to the skirt. Deciding the proportions for
the tenons and mortises can be a bit subjective. I simply divide
the thickness of the stock approximately into thirds, which
results in a tenon that is half as strong as the mortise. I
actually make the tenons slightly larger than 1/3 the thickness.
In 3/4" stock, for instance, I make the tenons about 5/16"
thick, which leaves each half of the mortise cheeks at 7/32".
The exact measurement isn't important, as each side is machined
to fit the other. |
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