Bread Boarding...

[Paschale]

I like this new board--I feel like I'm gonna learn a lot!   8)

[metalspinner]

Paschale,
Are you using the BB ends because of the plans, or because you like the look?
BB's I thought were to stabilize an insecure top.  If you think your top board is stable (dry, sawn correctly, machined correctly, blah, blah...) then you may not need the BB.  However, if the rough sawn board had plenty of twist or cup, then the BB's are the way too go.  They just create another cross grain situation.  I usually use a long mortice and tenon with the center pegged.

If you are worried about the endgrain showing and use the BB to cover that up, then properly sanding and finishing the endgrain will solve that.

I appriciate real wood and what real wood will do.  A 20" board incorperated into a piece of furniture you built is truly special.  If the board moves a bit or cups a bit over the years, well, that would be fine by me.  That just proves that it is a real piece of wood.  A 20" flat sawn piece of ash will move the same amount wether or not it is one board or glued up from several boards.

Larry's pic of the wooden buttons is a great explanation as to how to allow wood to move like it wants.

SD,
I once secured a top using two keyhole slots routed under the top aligned with the apron.  A panhead screw in the top of the apron and screwed  down just right kept the top tight to the apron.  The slots of course allowed the top to move whichever way it wanted.

[SwampDonkey]

metalspinner, thanks for giving me something to think about. ;)