Woodworking Attach Table Top
Measure or eyeball where you want each leg.
Woodworking attach table top. To attach metal legs youll need the legs Flange fittings screws a drill or wrench and the feet covers casters or plugs. The top must be firmly attached to the base. The other option would be a sliding dovetail but usually that is screwed on one side and allowed to slide on the dovetail on the other.
Attaching a top to its base is a critical aspect of table design and construction. Often tables are made with an apron around the perimeter of the legs that serves to 1 stiffen the top and 2 give the legs a better place to attach to. Screws in a slotted hole or figure 8s are arguably still the best method.
The top must remain flat. Place table top on the base and screw it down from underneath with 12 6 flat head screws through the other end of the figure 8 fastener. Mark all of your mounting holes with the legs in place.
Remove legs and drill holes for threaded inserts. Make the groove at least 14 deep and be sure it is a little further down the apron than the depth of the rabbet on the blocks. While this might look like a problem it merely fixes the table top to the base at one point along its width.
Install threaded inserts with a dab of glue for lubrication. Use your pocket hole screws to attach the middle of the top to your legs. The screw isnt necessary but it keeps the table top centred on the base through all seasons.
Theres more than one way to attach a solid wood table top. In this video I show you how I attach table tops to bases. For dining tables position your legs 16-20 from the end of the table to allow for seating someone on the end.
