Create Woodworking Breadboard Ends Quick And Easy

Learning how to make breadboard ends it a staple technique for anyone in woodworking. Last week I did a dining table and got tons of questions about the breadboards. So here is a short tutorial and step by step on how I attach my breadboard ends to my dining tables

Full Write up

The Wood Whisperer Tutorial - 3:05 mark

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John Malecki
2336 High Oak Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15220

[LutherBuilds]

I was referred to this video by my buddy, Tim Woodward of Woodward Builds. He just finished up his table and he used dowels in place of a domino. Which is what I'm going to be using for the top that I'm building. From what I've seen and read in the comments from Marc Spagnoulo, the holes don't need to be elongated in the dowels in the breadboard. Thanks for showing this method John.

[Fixthisbuildthat]

Nice technique here. I like the idea of just gluing the top of the dowel.

[craftedworkshop]

Good stuff man! One more thing you need to do is widen the holes in the Dominos. Drill the holes, pull the breadboard off, then widen the holes with a drill or round file. Then reinstall the breadboard and glue the pins as you did.

[jtlong]

I’m a bit confused with this technique. if the breadboard domino mortises are done loose to allow for lateral expansion, and then you put in dowels with the same diameter in the domino tenon, are you not locking them into place so they are no longer able to move laterally?

[kevinlemoi]

loved the video, loved the technique. I have several Festool pieces and I like them all... that being said I do always look for other ways to accomplish things before jumping into a big purchase ... $1500 for this tool is huge. After watching your video I thought a bit about how else I could do this and came across a doweling jig from a well know online company that offers 1/2", 3/8" and 1/4" dowel drilling options and it occured that this would do basically the same thing. I could have made the jig but for $29 bucks I can get one made from hardened Steel. So I thought it was worth a shot. Your video helped me get there.... so thumbs up! Can't get my head around people who poo poo Festool just because... or for some bogus reason. Your results over time speak for themselves. A+ (And for the record I was born before 1970 :)

[SocialWoodWorksTV]

Been binge listening to you and Brad on the MFP podcast and I have learned soooo much about turning a Hobby into a business. Thank you and Brad for being so awesome!

[offroad]

For all of you that are making one table and don't want to pay 1k+ for a domino, I built the same style table using 3/4" dowels 2'' long. then pinned them with 1/4" dowels. This was 6yrs ago and the table is still perfect. I also made my own dowel jig with scrap wood and bushings just for this build for a few bucks for the bushings. Simple easy and very effective.

[ronswanson]

I love it when some of these guys make videos showing you how to perform the major part of a build with a tool that 98% of woodworkers can't afford.

[mambobond]

Good stuff John. Probably a bit beyond my current scope of expertise, but definitely learned something new today.

[joelegrand]

Just happy someone is putting bread boards on without using glue & pocket hole screws all the way across the table. No I am not joking.
Great job & video. I will be making my first Farm house table with breadboards this summer for a wedding.
Being my first bead board table, I am going to first make a practices table out of 2" X 12" X 7' boards & 4" X 4" "H" frame legs, I up cycled from a large shipping create.
If the practices table works well, then the bride can use it as a picnic table.

[ADadAndHisKids]

The keller theory of the tape is awesome 😀

[elbob]

Just thought I'd show up carrying my Festool Domino in a YETI cooler and watch the haters heads explode. Very nice work by the way.

[stoutfarmhousedesignsmlcpr]

Awesome work. You may want to rename this. Lol. I didn't see anything quick and easy about this.

[Wolfen]

I'm surprised at the amount of flak John Maleki is catching about using a Festool product. There's nothing misleading in the title. The Domino XL makes breadboards "quick and easy" compared to other techniques. John runs a production shop so, while the Domino XL will cost you about $1400 new, that cost is quickly recouped in saved time. It's not lazy technique. It's just good business. In my 40 years of woodworking, I've learned a few ways to attach breadboards. I purchased a 700 last year and now it's the only way I do this although I use a draw bore technique to pull the breadboard tight to the table edge. That's the only difference between my technique and John's. I wonder if folks got this angry when table saws were invented?

[stoneyja]

I kinda like this method better than the more advanced joints.

[jorgepallares]

Hi John great video I'm going be a making making outdoor table which orientation do you reccomend for grain direction & is spacing needed thanks

[teekaypew]

You have a microwave and fridge in your shop? You are living the dream brother! Great video, awesome detail.

[akbychoice]

Loose mortise slot locked into a dowel. The dowel essentially locked the tenon in one spot. How will the tenons float side to side?

[rogersgr]

I agree with Patrick you need to elongate the holes on the dominos except the centre one(s).

[dave_ecclectic]

I find that many people are calling this Dominoe method of producing a Breadboard joint as an easy or trick method, should realize that this isn't a breadboard joint (or breadboard end) anymore. This is one reason it is easier since it isn't the joint anymore.

This is a specific kind of joint and using dominoes has varied so far from this joint as to not be this joint anymore. I would also challenge those who think that it is, to consider if one made in the same way with dowels would still be a breadboard joint or if the dowels were totally eliminated and used a butt joint was still a breadboard end.
It isn't the application of a board across the grain which produces this joint but the method of joinery, and the reason for doing this joinery in the first place.