20210202 to 202102XX / Table Update / Middle Leaf: Drilling Jig & Pin Setup

Building the Pin Layout Jig

I am building a pin layout jig to ensure that the pins line up across the leaf and are consistent throughout the tabletop. This will also help me drill the pilot hole for the pin before I drill the real hole with the 3/8″ Forstner Bit.

The Process

Build the Pin Jig

When building the template, make sure the holes line up correctly.

Use a piece of oak that fits perfectly into the mortice to align the template
Glue the hole template to the oak
After it dries, mark important locations on the template. Determine the hole locations.
Drill the template holes with a 3/32" drill bit on the drill press.

Drill Fixed Pins

Drill the fixed Pins, i.e. pins that will not be draw-bored. These pins will hold the Tenon in a fixed location. When the other side of the tenon is draw bored, it will hold everything in place.

Put the Template in place
Drill the pilot hole into the top
Clamp board to bench
Place the tenon into the mortice. Make sure, if you used any shims for alignment, that they are in place.
Drill final holes with 3/8" Forstner Bit through both sides of the mortice and through the tenon.

Pin the Tenons on Place

Here I will pin the tenons:

Cut oversized dowel pins lengths to be ready to glue in place
Place some glue on the dowel and inside mortice
Place oak dowel into the pinhole
Let the dowels dry in place
Flush cut the dowel to the surface of the table (top / Bottom)

Drill the Draw-Bored Pins

Drill the holes for the draw-bored pins:

Plce sacrificial wood inside mortice
Clamp wood vertically on bench (Board is too big to use drill press :()
Drill the holes with a Forstner 3/8 drill bit through both side of the mortice walls
Remove wood from mortice and any debry