I am just completing the assembly of components to make a 1930’s style formal dining room table with one extension leave.
The top is 3/4″ particle board, veenered both sides with mahogany. The “U” shaped aprons are made of stacked laminated birch and veneered with crotch mahogany on the outside with a backed veneer on the inside.
My question—what is the best method of attaching the aprons to the underside of the top? If I use pocket screws, I’m concerned that marks from the pressure of the screws might show up on the face, and with only 3/4″ thickness, the screws might not have enough holding power.
Replies
I would use metal "Z" clips or the homemade wooden button equivalent:
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As for screws, you want to be sure to use ones that are designed for particle board. If you can find Confirmat screws that are short enough, they would work. These Blum screws are also good for particle board:
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Another alternative is to install threaded inserts into the particle board, and then use machine screws to attach the top:
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(All of the above photos are from the Lee Valley web site.)
-Steve
Thanks very much---appreciate your input. Been thinking of the inserts to use them for attaching the legs---seems like a good idea for the aprons as well.
I have never used particle board, but I always attach table tops with figure 8's, available at Rockler, as well as other sources.
Jeff
I have not tried this with particle board, but for MDF, I have found that a squirt of thin CA glue into the pilot hole for the screw will soak into the surrounding fiber, turning it into a very tough plug that gives excellent toughness for the screw to bite into. It would be worth a try here.
Wait until the glue has kicked, rather than gluing the screw in.
Thanks for your suggestion--appreciate your input---will probably use screw-in anchors and set them with CA
That sounds like a good plan. While PB is pretty hard in compression, it isn't all that good in tension. So the larger plug of fiber that you can tie into, the better. Especially when someone tries to lift by the top on one end, while dragging the other two legs, setting up a vibrating resonance, while under tension on those fasteners. Since you don't have to worry about expansion / contraction, you might even think about bonding some of the top to those apron parts with something like liquid nails, or some other mastic which stays flexible but tough. Of course that may make it hard to ever undo if you ever have to take it apart for some reason.
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