gluing end grain

Brian. Check this out.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/articles/birdsmouth/

This might be what you need. More glue area.

Bookmarked for later. Thanks! However, I already cut my pieces. LOL.

Here is an idea. You would have to make a safe jig though.
Glueing alone would be ok but I wouldn’t count on it being a heirloom. Eventually the joints are going to break with the wood movement. Not sure how you’re attaching the lamp section to the base but you might gain enough strength with that attachment.
Here’s the idea, as always just conceptual to give you food for thought.

Thanks. I’ve been thinking about it since posting and that is more or less what I plan to do. What you’ve shown is more or less what I’ve cut so far except the pieces are not full pie shapes so there is a hole in the middle. That’s my usual non planning layout. LOL. So regardless I will need the bottom piece anyway just to hold the socket. I also plan to make some legs to go underneath. They will cross the joints so that will be some more protection. Im also thinking about cutting a groove into the front and back and making my own biscuits. That could end up being a nice color contrast too. Lots of things riling around my head at the moment including leaving work early. ;-)

You can use pocket hole screws on the bottom section.

Bently’s method will help tremendously with the glue up.

I am sure you know that already but those pieces are going to walk a marathon the minute you apply clamping pressure unless you make a clamping jig. I experienced that trying to glue the octagonal table sometimes ago.

I think I’m going to head over to harbor freight tomorrow to pick up a belt clamp or whatever they call those things. Also, your picnic table inspired me to do some curved laminate legs for an outside table for packages my wife wants me to make. Yep, Douglas fir tubafores and all. I have plenty of scraps laying around.

I solved the puzzle by adding a tiny loose tenon between each segment. I cut a slot using only my regular blade 3/8" deep. Then I cut the tenons 3/4" wide and the thickness of the blade. It took a little experimentation to get the correct thickness. Here are some pictures.

Cutting for thickness.

Dry fit.

Here’s a bunch ready to cut down to size.

Assembly.

Worked out well. I trimmed the tenons with a jigsaw then sanded them down flush.

That looks like a perfect solution. You nearly quadrupled the gluing surface. Great call!

Yes and cross grain gluing. It should hold up well.

Clever. I love this site.