How to make a table or rule joint

[dcurrit]

My daughter-in-law asked me if I could make a table for her with drop leafs.  The picture she had used a joint that I have seen referred to as a table joint or a rule joint.  Has anyone had luck making one of those with hand tools?  I have read that they make special planes for these joints but they seem to be hard to find.  I some hollows and rounds and wondering if anyone has made this joint with those.  I read that the plane for making a rule joint was 90 degrees while the hollows and rounds are 60 degrees.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[JIMB49]

Sorry only have done it with a router cove and round over bits

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

I made a small Pembroke table replica once. My boss at the time had it in his office and I measured it out while waiting for meetings. I had a few antique tables to use as go bys. Suggest you do some on line research to make sure you understand the two very different joints.

The table top begins with a rabbet. It should be as deep as you wish your rule to be. I think mine was 3/16".

The table leaf begins with a cove on the underside corner. I used a round plane and turned it to cut on a radius. The cove needs to be as close to a 1/4 circle as you can get it.

With the leaf done, you can return to the top and round it to fit the cove on the leaf. Hollow planes work well here but you may finish with sandpaper.

The leaf rotates from the circle center. This means that you need to use table leaf hinges and mortise them into the joint so the pin in in line with the bottom edge of the table top.

I hope this helps. I made a trial joint with a hinge before gnawing away on my walnut boards. The table came out pretty nice and I gifted it to my daughter. Good luck with your project.

[GWSpringer]

Take a look at this tutorial using a Stanley 55. http://bringbackthehandtools.blogspot.co...plane.html

[dcurrit]

Thanks for the suggestions!  I am going to try a sample joint with some scrap wood and see how it goes.  Thanks again!

[dcurrit]

I looked at the link on how to make this joint with a Stanley 55.  They used two cutters, a 62 and a 38 which I don't have but I found them on ebay and ordered them.  I have a 45 not a 55 but I hope that will work.  I will let you know after I try it.   I am curious about "table leaf hinges".  Does anyone know where you can get them?  Thanks.

[JIMB49]

rockler has them but they are plated did one with the stainless 
 had looked for brass  just kept  coming up with the plated

[Jonathan S]

Fenced rule joint planes make this joint super easy. lee Richmond at the Best Things usually has rule joint planes. Get good hinges from ball and ball or Horton brasses. There is an article in popular woodworking by Bill Anderson that covers making this joint a few different ways. It used to be available on line. Google for it. Hinge placement is critical. Experiment on a test joint first. Bills article covers hinge placement.

Good luck
Jonathan

[Rob Young]

The third volume of Charles Hayward articles being done by Lost Art Press has several pages dedicated to the rule joint and how to create it using more commonly available hand tools than the dedicated planes.

But of course, one would have to buy the book instead of the planes...

[elinourrumming]

We had an article from Bill Anderson in the Aug 2012 issue of PW, "Rule Joints by Hand & by Power." If you want, PM me your email address and I'll send it to you.