Metal fasteners will loosen up in time due to the movement of wood and the metal does not move. Even a nail can be worked loose in time.

Study your craft.

David Sochar:

Wooden knock-down joints will loosen up in time due to the movement of wood and the differences in wood expansion. Even a glued joint can be worked loose in time. Pick your poison.

I've studied my craft, and use the best method available for the particular situation and price point, even if it is not all wood.

Differences of opinion abound on this forum, that is the whole idea. No need to be arrogant.

TonyF

The legs are tapered, no stretchers, and paint grade. I priced it with reversed bed bolts and mortise and tenons(as usual).

Thanks for the responses.

Tony F
Since no one ever yields from their position of expertise, no matter how many years of experience anyone has, it's just the way the world and internet goes. Everyone is an expert and 100% of these experts never agree with anyone with a dissimilar opinion. No need to comment on anyone's attitude, it's universal. David and I have over 100 years or woodworking experience combined, we might just know what we are talking about.

David- The rails on your table- Its hard to see in the pic but guessing they are around 1 1/2" thick by 3" wide? Did you join those to the leg with twin dovetails or a tapered dovetail? Ive repaired a fair amount sliding dovetails that have failed.

The thru wedge tenons on the base- How do you avoid finish damage on install when you put the wedge in?

“Study your craft” is a phrase, a bit of really good advice from our moderator Gary Katz. I do not mean to imply that your craft was not informed. I asked that you expand your thinking to include wooden solutions. They were the First solutions in our craft. Metal solutions are sometimes considered quick and dirty by those of us with a historical perspective.
The upper rails each had a large dovetail fit in from above, driven in place at install. The lower tusk tenons went together like butter, and the tusks did not mar the surface. It was a “fast” angle, so it did not travel too far before tightening up.

A mechanical fastener, screw, lag, structural connection, does not work loose in wood. Through bolted, all thread, etc.. of course, wood on wood compression, its going to loosen.

I respect everyones experience and everyone has to make their own decisions but digging your heels in the sand for the sake of nostalgia and tradition is unfortunately more often than not a time tested recipe for an ever shrinking customer base. No one is saying make crap, no one is saying compromise your integrity, but the simple fact of the matter is if you were to build a door exactly as they were built in the middle ages you would have to be able to build them as a homeless person living under a bridge because you would have no customers.

I didnt build homes the same way I did 10 years ago (even though many builders mantra was "thats just the way weve always done it". We dont use finishes of old, weather sealing of old, thresholds of old, adhesives of old.. Things change. And while we all never want to cave on quality, the simple fact of the matter is there are innovations available now that simply never existed. They werent on the radar. And to arbitrarily "pooh pooh" them by default under the auspices of tradition is, in my opinion, bad business practice.

Heck, even the structural timber frame industry is starting to embrace manufacturing advancements https://timberframehq.com/shop/uv-t-concealed-hook-connector-timber-timber/

Its
all down to the customers. If they are willing to have a table they have to tighten up occasionally and want traditional craftsmanship and will pay so be it. If the design criteria is otherwise, digging your heels in the sand is a perfect recipe for "we will keep looking". If thats fine with you... have at it.

Quality is a variable term. What is good quality to me may not measure up to you. Or it may be well above what another maker produces. My level of comfort may be different that yours. Not necessarily better, not worse, but different.
My customers may have variable definitions of quality, different from yours. And that is ok.
I look at this work historically. As a trajectory that originates centuries ago, and runs thru to today, and well out into the future. The use of materials and tools may change over time, but the woodworker must evaluate where he is on the spectrum at any moment. Is what we do day to day preserving, enhancing or disrespecting the craft? Do we care? Should we care?
I find it most comfortable when I know for sure that I am enhancing my craft. Everyday, I hope to enhance. Or at least, stay even.
Houses today are built quite differently from my 100+ yr old house. Better? Well, yes, there is a good deal of engineering behind the mechanicals than in my farmer plumbed and heated house. But the ‘better’ house has fake chimneys framed in wood, no masonry. And MDF trim. And MDF cabinets. No wasted materials. And this is better than plaster and lath, heartpine flooring, repairable windows, and native balloon framing? I know where I make my choice. You may choose elsewhere. And that is ok. It just is not what I choose.

Tradition? Is something better because it is traditional? Well, yes, the perception is that the older ways are better. This does not mean I work towards a completely medieval form of work, unless that is what I agree to with a customer. It does mean that traditional solutions are just that - solutions. Solutions that work, that are proven over time. MDF for cabinets - a terrible idea, and one that will soon pass. Replaced by something that will touted as quality sine it is replacing the cabinets that look terrible after just a few years service. And that replacement? Solid wood or future-goo goo - which is better?

Choose your path and follow it closely. Think about if you are enhancing or threatening the history of quality.

With a public forum like this, you have no idea about the person asking the question. The skill set, work history, training etc..I probably should have posted my website link initially. All the ideas presented were all valid and appreciated. Thanks

Dont mean to be divergent to a modular table but but cross-trade speaks exactly to my point. Balloon framing, houses that burned in minutes, fell down, ridiculous quantities of wasted materials and resources, flawed reliance on fastener capacity, and the list goes on. Fire being the biggest single motivator. Entire cities burned to the ground uncontrollably due in large part to balloon framing even given the woeful capacity of bucket brigades. So what did we do? We advanced. Which is what we all do with finishes, fasteners, glues, adhesives, joinery, et al. We pick and choose. While your customer doesn't spec' the details of the entire process are unfortunately wrapped up in a gooey sticky bubble of a budget/profitability ratio. How you balance that out in your accounting software is up to you.

The problems associated with ballon framing were known - the wall cavities became chimneys in a fire. It was also known that the addition of a horizontal block could prevent the rapid spread of a fire. It was when people did not care/understand the importance of fire-stops that something like the Chicago Fire could happen.
But a new paradigm was sought and found in the development of Chicago Platform framing that more effectively slowed fires.
Of course, the real problem remained: the buildings were made of wood and wood will burn.