Breadboard Battens

[Benjamin]

I'm making a cherry slant-lid desk.  The lid is 12" high by 30" wide with 3" edgings on top and sides mitered at the two top corners.  I want to keep the 9"wide center panel from splitting due to shrinkage.  Also the bottoms of the side battens must not protrude below the center panel which would cause an opening problem since the hinges are on the center panel.  What is the best way to attach the side battens?

I'm starting from a 14"wide board.  Although very unorthodox, I've thought of cutting the battens crosswise instead of lengthwise from the board to avoid the shrinkage problem. I'd reverse the batten growth rings so the battens  would cup in the opposite direction from the center panel to help keep the assembly flat.  Has anyone tried anything like this?

 

[albreed]

Ben- If you're going to put the battens on with them cut across the grain, don't bother with battens at all, because you're defeating the purpose, which is to have the stiffening effect of the battens keep the top flat.
You're right about the battens keeping the top from closing right. This will only happen when the top shrinks ( which may not happen at all if you made it in the dry season) and tries to pull the hinges with it. The battens prevent this and eventually the hinges come loose.
You could extend the top beyond the battens by 1/8 " to give it that much leeway to shrink, or leave a small gap between the bottom edge of the writing surface and lid when open to give the battens some room to "expand" before they hit the edge. You have to leave the gap by sliding the hinge flap a bit further out of its ideal location on the lid. If you leave the gap by sliding the hinge flap on the writing surface side I think the lid may not lie flat on the case.
I have fastened the mitred ends on the lid fast at the top of the lid and draw bore pinned them with oval holes at the bottom of the lid to make sure a gap didn't open up where it's visible, at the top. I left extra lid proud of the battens to allow for shrinkage.-Al    Also- remember to leave some gap under the thumbnail at the top of the lid so it can expand without binding-AB

 

[mikemcgrail]

The mitered corner desk lid especially needs the construction as Al speciifes, with the mitered end glued(I usually glue about 2.5 inches) and the other end floating(pinned to allow about an 1/8 inch movement). The mitre will make a perfect origination point for a crack if not allowed to move- you can see old examples cracked here on occasion(as well as the related hinge problems). I prefer the looks of the desk lids like this with the top portion of the lid mitered to the battens. I make these with a 5/16 tongue and groove the entire width of the lid, plus 3 longer tenons. I think that tongue will keep the board flatter between the tenons, but perhaps that is just my idea. Because there is both a tongue and longer tenons on the lid board, most of this joint is cut by chisel(the mitered end sticks are a bit easier). I think it makes a nicer looking lid and will be worth your effort.

 

[Benjamin]

Al and Mike -- Thanks for your thoughts and advice.  It's very helpful.

 

[Jeff L Headley]

Here is a fall board batton with no extended tenons or pins from a 1798 Winchester Virginia desk. Of course it was visiting us for minor restoration which was easily corrected. Notice the split at the bottom of the 45 even though there were no extra tenons or pins.

 

[Benjamin]

Jeff,

"A picture is worth a thousand words."  Thanks very much.

 

[mikemcgrail]

Never stood a chance. Jeff, how are you going to repair that without some modification to the original design?You can add tenons easy enough, but will they let you add the pins( even if they only show on the inside)?- or is it more appropriate just to put it back as it was born? Seems like a stickey spot to be in to me. Does your customer understand why it is the way it is?

 

[Jeff L Headley]

Mike, This is from a restoration from about 8 years ago. I just reattached it as it was originally done. There is nothing wrong with this batton connection it just needs a little attention. I would say that I am the second or third person to reattach this piece. Look at the batton overhang which was already corrected with the hinges being reset. A good representation of what Al is talking about.