I would say that the depth is not very important, as long as it’s not too shallow. Just use Polyurethane glue, and it will expand to fill the space.
Polyurethane glues, like Gorilla Glue, do expand to fill gaps, but they lose all strength when that happens. They really want a pretty snug fit. I think epoxies are the only glues that will create a strong bond for an undersized tenon in an oversized mortise.
That’s true, but I still don’t think that having a gap at the end of the tenon matters very much - the force will be born by the root of the tenon against the face of the mortice.
Oh! I misunderstood you. I completely agree that any gap at the end doesn’t matter.
If you want a PVA glue with some gap filling capability take a look at https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/glue/45104-lee-valley-cabinetmakers-glue-2002-gf I have been using this for the past few years and I really like it. Applies well, cleans up nicely and so far all the joints seem to be holding up well. Which is like most PVA glues 
but this one is from Lee Valley. < /shill >
Well, the hardware store was a big help. They didn’t have a right-size router bit, and their wood selection was lacking. (And the ‘kid’ ‘helping’ me was pretty much slacking.) Here are the dimensions:
Mortises: 7/16 x 2⅜.
Face boards: 2⅜ x 11/16 x 60
Crosspieces/Leg ends: ⅞ x 2⅜ x 17½.
Slats: ¾ x 1½ x 60
They had some hemlock that was just about the right width for the face boards. I think they were like 2½ instead of 2⅜. I could live with that, as long as the tops are even with the slats. The wood for the crosspieces and the leg ends was 7/16 thick, and a little wider than original. I could deal with that, too. The wood for the slats? Yes, they had ¾-inch thick pieces; but they were about ⅜ inch too wide. Coincidentally, the spacing between the slats on the original table is ⅜ inch. So if I used those, my slat table wouldn’t have any spaces between the slats – unless I increased the width. Could do, but I’d like to try to keep the dimensions as close as possible to the original. (Besides, it’s been a long day. Ten slats plus 11 x ⅜ inch spacing = ?-inch crosspieces. I don’t know the width of the wood at the hardware store. 1 inch? 1⅛? Then, how long are the crosspieces? No energy to do the math right now.)
In other words, it was a bust. If I don’t go down to Olympia tomorrow, I’ll try Home Despot. I asked the lumber kid at the hardware store if there are any lumber yards around, and he could only suggest Home Depo or Lowe’s, so…
Incidentally, I mentioned the ‘leg ends’. I’d assumed the legs were put on the original with hanger bolts and discs. Turns out they’re screwed into a piece of wood that screws onto the crosspieces. Much simpler – and cheaper – solution than hanger bolts and mounting discs.
That’s why I’m in awe of a lot of fiber art. I did some counted cross-stitch back when I had a lot more free time… and I loved it. As that spiral shows, it’s like a LiteBrite!
Basically, bigass pixels!
I wasn’t going to put the beads around the edges because I hate beading. I stick my fingers with the sharp needles and then have to deal with cleaning the blood off without damaging the threads.
I’m glad I did do the beadwork, it really set the piece off.
I liked this one much more, there were no sharp needles involved!
Stamped or painted canvas work just defeats me because I freak out when the color covers half a thread and I don’t know what to do.
And yes, I do write “Top” on the top of all of my canvases. It makes such a difference for the first bits, before there is a recognizable up and down to the pattern. I also date them.
I think I’ve come to a decision. My plan was to make an exact copy of a mid-century slat coffee table, with long legs so that my wife could use it as a potting table. I described the unavailability of wood of the proer dimensions yesterday. So I think I may make a table ‘inspired by’ a mid-century slat coffee table instead of making an exact copy.
First, I’ll not cut the ends at angles and leave them square. I’ll have the hardware store cut ten 60-inch lengths of slats, and two 60-inch lengths of face boards. Then all I’ll have to do is sand. Since the slats are wider than original specifications, I’ll get a sheet of OSB and make a jig style of thing, where the slats are laid out and there are ⅜ inch spaces between them. Once they’re laid out, I can determine the lengths of the crosspieces exactly, without having to do the math. If I get an 8-foot length of ⅞ board for the crosspieces, I should have enough to make three of them, plus four 4-inch leg ends, and still have enough left to practice cutting slots. (If I am not successful with a drill, my ‘portable drill press’, and a chisel, I’ll order the sliding router bit posted by beowulff.)
Not my ‘vision’, but it should be practical.
I got the three crosspieces done, the their tenons. (I made three because pots may be heavy.) I was on the second or third one when I congratulated myself for not spilling any blood. About three seconds later, the saw slipped and caught my finger. Of course.
I did a test mortise using a 7/16 drill bit, with a flag on it as someone suggested. The good news is that I didn’t go all the way through the mock-up face board. The bad news is that it’s going to take a lot of fiddling. I think I’ll quit for the night. Tomorrow I’ll measure the depth and try to figure out how to make the bottom flat.
I know I said I was quitting for the day, but I had a ginnintonnic so…
I have completed making a practice mortar-and-tenon joint, mostly successfully. I say ‘mostly’ because the ⅛-inch drill bit I was using to clean up the corners went through the face of the board on one corner.
It’s not hammer-it-in snug, but the original slot was 7/16 and the original tabs were ⅜. Glue will do the job. (Well, on the real face board; not the practice one.)
One thing that can help prevent this is to wrap brightly colored tape around the drill bit at the max depth that you want to drill. Then just make sure to stop drilling once the edge of the tape reaches the surface of the wood you are drilling into.
Did that for the 7/16 bit. I’ll do it with the ⅛ inch bit when I di the real thing.
Another request for DIY advice. I’m making a coffee/sodastream station from an old Gothic Cabinet bookcase. Turned it on its side and attached 28" legs. The problem is is that it’s front heavy so it’s unbalanced. I would like for it to be viewable all around.
What’s the best way to go about balancinging this? Add wood blocks to the back bottom and/or top? Put heavy blocks inside in the the cabinet? Maybe a piece of dimensional lumber in between the leg mounts in the backside? Here’s a quick pic. Maybe should mention the shelves are just held in with tension right now and the back is a thin sheet of whole wood, not ply or composite. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Especially if you talk to me like I’m a little bit dumb, cuz I am.
Needless to say, it was damaged a couple of times, the first time before the first show. The backstage crew fixed it with more hot glue.
I’m not seeing anything indicating heaviness, unless the back boards are very heavy. Still, it’s tall and narrow. I’m ready to start finishing my wife’s potting table. Since it is also thin (though not as thin as the depth of your cabinet) and I’m putting 26-in legs on it, I’m going to put two, 2- foot 2x4s connecting the feet of the front and the back legs. Since the 2x4s will be an inch or two wider than the front-to-back measurement, that will keep the table from tipping.
I don’t know how you would do that on your cabinet. The legs look nice and ornamental, and it would be a shame to clutter them up. But maybe you can come up with ‘feet’ that stick out beyond the front and back of the cabinet? Maybe some scrollwork that looks nice and Gothic?
BTW: I like your work table. I have a Workmate 225 that has come in very handy over the last couple of decades.
I have two of those workbenches because they are very cheap and I am very rough and unforgiving on my stuffs. Also, they are quite portable.
The legs have little plastic caps on the ends. My son has suggested making bigger ones or enlarging these some how. Attaching 2x4 to the legs is right up my skill level, though.
That’s about my skill level too.
As for the top-heaviness (just spit-balling here), how about a sheet of plywood under the feet, with the feet screwed into the plywood. Give it a nice coat of paint, and then you can put your heavy things (heavy curios?) could keep it from tipping.
Full Disclosure: My DIY projects have been building a new shed roof, and recycling a construction table into a wood shed. Both first-time/one-time things. So be careful of listening to this neophyte!
- It’s my first attempt at building a table.
- It’s my first attempt at staining.
- Mistakes were made.
- Lessons were learned.
- It is what it is.
It’s lovely. We’re all proud of you!