# Beadlock Jig and Breadboard Ends



## SkiTique (Jan 11, 2016)

I found a few good posts on the sire while searching for breadboards. I am new to this with only a few projects so far. Today I was planning to finish the remaining portion of my table top, cutting to finish length and adding breadboards. after doing a little more reading I have found that biscuits and glue is clearly not a good idea. The glued up slabs will be 68" with an 8" breadboard on each end giving me a total length of 84", the width is 42", the top is made of 1.5" think oak. I do have a beadlock tenon jig, is there a way I can fasten the breadboards using the beadlock and dowels and still allow for seasonal movement?


----------



## SkiTique (Jan 11, 2016)

My thought was to glue the tenon into the end grain of the planks, then loose fit them into the breadboard on the ends with elongated holes and dowels to allow for expansion, then glue and pin the center tenon. I have seen this done with hand cut tenons, but was curious if anyone has done this with the beadlock system. It seems like it would work, any thoughts would be appreciated.


----------



## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I suppose they would work as long as the mortises allowed for movement. But this is not a good technique for joining a bb end. You really need to engage the entire length of the board with a tongue on the top and a groove in the bb. The tongue can be deeper at each end and the middle, while leaving the field between about 1" long. There are numerous sources to google on this.

Secure by pinning, whereby only the middle pin is glued and the outer pins are not glued and in addition, go have elongated holes.

Also, 8" is quite wide for a bb, you may have movement with the bb itself.


----------



## CharleyL (Mar 10, 2009)

You're thinking is getting closer to what you need, but a Beadlock tenon is not going to allow much side to side movement because of the multiple curved sides of the Beadlock cut mortise, unless you create a straight slot in the breadboard end for the Beadlock tenon to slide in. A Beadlock jig and the same size Beadlock tenon stock is a relatively cheap and easy to use tool for making mortises and floating tenons, but I think when it comes to breadboard joinery it's not going to be your best choice. Whatever you choose, glue the center and provide a way for the panel (table top) to slide up to about 1/4" in each direction with changes in humidity or something will eventually break, most likely a crack will form in the panel.

Charley


----------



## jonmakesthings (Feb 28, 2016)

As rwe said, cut a tongue in the end of the top and a groove in the breadboard, pin in the middle and glue only the middle 3" or so. It's really the best way for breadboards. Dowels and biscuits are great but not for allowing movement.


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

is there a way I can fasten the breadboards using the beadlock and dowels and still allow for seasonal movement?

Well you could probably do that, but it is kind of a Mickey Mouse solution and not likely to last in the long run. Why not make a standard pegged mortise and tenon style breadboard?


----------



## SkiTique (Jan 11, 2016)

Let me know what you guys think, I tried to make the best with the tools that I have. I used a rabbit bit to create a tongue on the table and ran the breadboards through the table saw with a 1/2" Dado. I then used the Beadlock jig and glued the tenons into the table top. Ill create a loose tenon on the breadboard side, the 4 outer tonons will get oversized holes drilled and doweled to allow movement, the two center tenons will be a tight fit and doweled with a tight fitting hole.

Let me know what you think.


----------



## WeekendChopper (Aug 15, 2018)

I am trying this exact thing on an outdoor farm table;

38" long breadboard x 3" wide.

How did it work out for you?


----------



## SkiTique (Jan 11, 2016)

It has worked great, the oversized holes in the outer tenons has allowed the boards to move with humidity fluctuations. I was happy with the outcome and would use this method again.


----------



## WeekendChopper (Aug 15, 2018)

That is great to hear! So far I've loved beadlock joinery. Thanks!


----------



## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Ski, what is your lumber choice, it looks mostly flat sawn


----------



## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

I think you are making this more difficult than it needs to be. You are already making a tenon on the top. You are already making a dado on the breadboard end. Why not just make the tenon longer and dado deeper as is usually done and leave out the bead lock portion? Also, it is more customary to have a stopped dado made with a router so that the ends of the dado are not visible. I think a longer full length tenon would be stronger. With an eight inch breadboard there will be a bit of force on the joint if someone leans on the table end.


----------



## SkiTique (Jan 11, 2016)

> Ski, what is your lumber choice, it looks mostly flat sawn
> 
> - ChefHDAN


The lumber for that table was plain sawn oak that I picked up from an Amish mill in Michigan.


----------

