SWMBO has commissioned a long coffee table. Dimensions are about 20″ high, 25 inches deep and about 66 inches long. This is to be a traditional joinery coffee table, 4 posts, side rails, dividers (top and bottom) and two partitions for 3 drawers.
I have never built such a long table, and am concerned about racking and strength. How do I strengthen the joinery?
My tentative answer is wider dividers (about 4 inches or so), dovetailed into the posts for the top divider and both top and bottom rails tennoned into the rails or doublers. Any other suggestions?
Is there a book or article which describes drawer strategies? I am assuming the drawer rails and kickers will be mortised into the front rails and screwed into the rear. Partitions between the drawers dadoed into the drawer rails at the bottom and screwd into the top divider rail on top.
Thanks to all who respond. I am a carpenter, not a furniture maker.
Boris
“Sir, I may be drunk, but you’re crazy, and I’ll be sober tomorrow” — WC Fields, “Its a Gift” 1927
Replies
Boris
These are some thoughts based on tables I've seen.
1 in size, your table is about the size of a 6 person dining table, just lower and narrower - racking isn't usually a problem with dining tables so it shouldn't be a problem with your coffee table.
2 make the drawers double ended - that way they can be opened from either side of the table.
3 the top could be frame and panel construction - I've seen a table where the panels over the drawers were glass so items could be displayed in the drawers.
4 One advantage to having a glass topped table is that people are not inclined to stand on it!
5 the Tauton book Fine Woodworking on Tables and Desks ISBN 0-918804-44-2 contains, on page 57, a brief description of a 36 x 30 x 60 table with a drawer. The drawer is mounted under the table by its slides which are attached to the stretchers - ie the stretchers are deep enough to allow "notching" to accomodate the drawer and it's supports.
good luck with the design and construction
Use mortise and tenon joints for the legs to the apron connection.If this is beyond your tooling or ability, use #20 biscuits.These joints are where most racking occurs,everything from folks putting their legs on the table to sitting on it.
No real strength comes from drawer dividers,unless you attach a face frame for them.
Best of luck, hope it turns out nice.
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