mthorp Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 I am trying to design a table for my next project. My wife has asked for a farmhouse style with breadboard ends. We have a large family and frequent guests, so I'm going for a 100+ inch long table. I'll probably use 10" boards running lengthwise, and thought a 10" breadboard would probably be needed to not look goofy. I've got it modeled in sketchup and I'm currently trying to figure out whether to place the legs. Can they be set about 10" in (on the table-top itself) or do they need to be under the breadboard ends?. I'll probably have 1-inch tenons going into the breadboard, just not sure if that will end up being a weak joint with kids leaning on it, etc. if the legs aren't holding it up. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 The legs should be under the table proper and not under the breadboard ends. Don't know how many legs you are planning or how thick the table top will be but you want the legs a ways from the end of the table to keep the center span from sagging. I just made a 96" long table and I set the legs (trestle in my case) about 16" from the ends of the table leaving a center sapn of about 64". My table top was 1 1/4" white oak. 10" bread boards are awfully large. I understand what youare saying about the appearance but leaning on the end or lifting the table by the end will put a long of stress on your tenons. I had 6" breadboard ends and used 2" tenons (had to buy a router bit just for that). I think you should consider tenons longer than 1". Chekc on line, if you haven't already to research how big a table you need for the number of people you are expecting most of the time. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wright Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 18 hours ago, mthorp said: I am trying to design a table for my next project. My wife has asked for a farmhouse style with breadboard ends. We have a large family and frequent guests, so I'm going for a 100+ inch long table. I'll probably use 10" boards running lengthwise, and thought a 10" breadboard would probably be needed to not look goofy. I've got it modeled in sketchup and I'm currently trying to figure out whether to place the legs. Can they be set about 10" in (on the table-top itself) or do they need to be under the breadboard ends?. I'll probably have 1-inch tenons going into the breadboard, just not sure if that will end up being a weak joint with kids leaning on it, etc. if the legs aren't holding it up. Any thoughts? I think it depends on how thick your table top is and how you want for it to look. For example, if you are doing a 3/4" table top then 10" is a lot of unsupported overhang. For a 2" thick tabletop the 10" overhang shouldn't be an issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomwolf Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 Would it be worth doing two smaller tables the same height with equivalent width tops? You could go *considerably* longer than 100" without any overhand issues if you go that route. PWW magazine published an article on a gate leg table within the last year that takes up minimal floor space when both leaves are folded. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/modern-gateleg-table-2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 When I built my (much smaller) table last year, I couldn't convince myself that the legs could go under the breadboard ends and not interfere with wood movement. I prefer the look of the legs being close to the edge of the table top, but my legs are inset a little more than the 5" width of the BBs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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