Butterfly table, INDOOR FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Fig. 2.39. Details of rule joint. The drop leaves of this table are jointed to the top by means of the crai manlike rule joint, diagramed in A of Figure 2.39. The joint is not difficult cut on a shaper, with cutters as shown in detail В., or on a bench saw provic with special shaper cutters. When cut with hand tools the male joints on be edges of the table top are roughed out by ploughing a rabbet У in. deep and У wide along the upper edges. The material remaining on the lower edge is th rounded off with a chisel or plane to the dimensions shown in detail A. T female joint on one edge of each leaf first takes the form of a rabbet У in. X У i which is then gouged out and smoothed down as pictured. In smoothing off t joint, clearance of Угч in. must be allowed for the finishing coats, which will applied over these closefitting edges. It is also important that all three pieces planed down to the same thickness in order to avoid difficulties not only in t fit of the rule joints but also in the hinging of the leaves to the centerpiece. The next exacting operation is the accurate hinging or hang of the leavi This can be done with the top placed upside down on the workbench, leaves place, including clearance. The hinges are set about 4 in. in from the front ai back edges, and care is taken to see that the contacting edges work freely. Ti square stock is then ready to have an ellipse marked on it. A simple method drawing an ellipse without recourse to a trammel is by means of a piece of strii and two brads. To ascertain the proper spacing of the brads and the correct leng for the string, measurements are calculated by a steel square. The breadth of tl ellipse, in this case 24 in., is laid off on one leg of the square, or a piece of squan stock, (marked А В in diagram A, Figure 2.40.) Next the length of the ellip (30 in.) is measured from point В to the intersection at the other leg of the squa yBC in the diagram. The distance AC, which will measure 18 in. in this cas ls the correct distance between the brads that are tacked in the center of the an to be marked, parallel to the long axis. The sum of AC and ВС is the propi length, of the string in the loop. A pencil held vertically and swung outward wil 98 . continous pressure against the string will mark a perfect ellipse to be bandsawed out of all three pieces while they are temporarily cleated together. The table edge can be molded in the shaper or rounded off by hand. The wings or leaf supports are cut according to the pattern in A, Figure 2.38, and pivoted into holes in the centers of the long stretchers. With the table top laid on the frame, the proper angles for the wing tops, when vertical, can be determined with a sliding T bevel. Steel pins sawed off from nails are used as top pivots. The table top, with wings in place, can be fastened to the frame by any of the conventional methods. In view of the constricted working area inside the aprons, metal mortise fasteners will prove a convenient means.