Woodcademy Episode 8 is Streaming

[handi]

Episode 8, where we finish the Butterfly Leaf Dining Table is finally streaming free on Amazon Prime.

This episode completes Season 1, but stick around to the end and see what project we will be launching Season 2 with!

My thanks to all of you who have been so supportive through the process of creating Season 1, you folks are the best!

[gjohn]

Just in time for weekend viewing. Thanks

[EightFingers]

Sure enjoyed the videos. Well done on the folding leaf - bet it was a head scratcher to plan. Like the tip about gluing the paper drawing to the board end.

[handi]

Thanks! 

The paper trick is one I figured out back when I made handrails on shapers. Much easier to set up that way.

After you finish watching, please consider leaving a review. They are a big help in getting the show promoted on Amazon.

[Alan S]

Very nicely done. I enjoyed your presentation, and think well of your design. I did leave a favorable review.

I do have two questions.
1. Given the grain direction of the dovetail spline, why not simply rout the profile into the edge of the breadboard end?
2. Is there anything to keep the butterfly leaf from collapsing if someone puts a heavy pot of stew in the middle of the table?

[handi]

Very nicely done.  I enjoyed your presentation, and think well of your design.  I did leave a favorable review.

I do have two questions.
1.  Given the grain direction of the dovetail spline, why not simply rout the profile into the edge of the breadboard end?
2.  Is there anything to keep the butterfly leaf from collapsing if someone puts a heavy pot of stew in the middle of the table?

Alan, great questions! 

1) you certainly can simply mill a dovetail into the breadboard end. There is a greater risk of tearout along the top edge of the shoulder, but the quirks would likely take care of that. My reasoning is that the cherry spline is stronger than the oak, and if I screw up a spline in the milling, it can be replaced more easily than a breadboard end. The separate spline also offers a chance to make the visible spline a design detail. Either way is ok, there is rarely only one way to do any woodworking detail.

2) each leaf half has two steel alignment pins/sockets on each side for a total of 8 across the width of the table. I have no worries about the leaf folding in use.

[Alan S]

Alan, great questions! 

1) you certainly can simply mill a dovetail into the breadboard end. There is a greater risk of tearout along the top edge of the shoulder, but the quirks would likely take care of that. My reasoning is that the cherry spline is stronger than the oak, and if I screw up a spline in the milling, it can be replaced more easily than a breadboard end. The separate spline also offers a chance to make the visible spline a design detail. Either way is ok, there is rarely only one way to do any woodworking detail.

2) each leaf half has two steel alignment pins/sockets on each side for a total of 8 across the width of the table. I have no worries about the leaf folding in use.

Thanks for the answers.  I missed the alignment pins into the sides after opening the butterfly.  I had expected you would run the spline grain the other way, despite the bother in working with endgrain, because it would allow them to be thinner.  Your approach was more straightforward, and plenty robust.

Your point about protecting yourself against calamity is worth adopting as a general consideration.  There are so many different things to discuss about any design, but you might want to think about elaborating on this in some future video, and pointing out where you have followed the practice in previous videos.

[handi]

Thanks for the answers.  I missed the alignment pins into the sides after opening the butterfly.  I had expected you would run the spline grain the other way, despite the bother in working with endgrain, because it would allow them to be thinner.  Your approach was more straightforward, and plenty robust.

Your point about protecting yourself against calamity is worth adopting as a general consideration.  There are so many different things to discuss about any design, but you might want to think about elaborating on this in some future video, and pointing out where you have followed the practice in previous videos.

Alan, I am always interested in hearing viewer opinions. The safety warning is different and specific to each project because one of you on here mentioned that he hated that everyone used the same thing for every show. 

Which calamity are you referring to?

[EightFingers]

The alignment pins will keep the leaf from collapsing. He uses quite a few so I’m betting it’s plenty strong.

[Alan S]

Sorry about the terminology. I was not referring by "calamity" to injury, but to messing up the project. The aspect of your answer about cutting the butterfly on a separate piece of wood to make it more easily replaced if damaged is a point worth making.