Replies

1. 
   oldusty | Jan 29, 2007 04:05am | #1

    Hi John ,

                A top that size can stay flat without breadboard ends .

      There are many ways of slot cutting , I usually create a 1/4" slot X 1/2" in the apron or frame work near the top . Small blocks cut to fit the slot are screwed to the table bottom .

    As far as alternating the rings , imo do it if you can but most important is that you place the boards to where they look the best . More frame work to help hold the top flat should be used besides just the edges

                          dusty

    

1. 
   John_Florida | Jan 29, 2007 04:31am | #2

   Dusty,

   "More frame work to help hold the top flat should be used besides just the edges"

   Are you suggesting some braces inside the aprons attached securely to the center board and slotted holes towards each edge to allow for movement? Hadn't thought of that but it sounds like a good idea.

   Thanks, John

1. 
   oldusty | Jan 29, 2007 08:02am | #4

   John ,        On the center supports or braces you could slot them just the same as the aprons and use the same system that will eliminate the need for slotted holes and allow seasonal movement .

           A larger concern I would consider is how will you surface the top after glue up ? Most wide belt sanders go only to 36" wide .

                                 good  luck             dusty

1. 
   John_Florida | Jan 29, 2007 05:34pm | #5

   Dusty,

   I plan to use card scrapers, random orbit and half sheet sanders. Belt sander if necessary but I hope to avoid that. Thanks again for your help.

   John

2. 
   hammer1 | Jan 29, 2007 04:59am | #3

   You don't need breadboard ends unless you want that style, John. If you can either buy or mill your stock flat, the thickness should work in your favor. There are always a lot of if's and but's. KD, air dried, moisture content, humidity, how you or others mill the lumber, storage, finish, the list goes on. Just follow good woodworking practices.

   Alternating the growth rings is an individual choice. Down the road 50 years, alternating rings could lead to a wavy top. Same direction rings may lead to a convex or concave top. I prefer to keep them the same. You may want to keep the grain direction on the face going the same way, if you will be hand planing.

   There are Z shaped metal clips called "table top fasteners" that you could use in a biscuit slot, normally they have 1/4" depth of reach to the slot and screw into the top.

   Quite a few of us think biscuits are a waste of time in edge gluing, but not all. Biscuits are an alignment tool only if your idea of alignment is +-1/16". That's not my idea of alignment.

   I think one of the important parts of gluing up a table top is to do it so it will be flat. In large shops, they can glue up rough since they have the equipment to plane and sand the full size top afterwards. In a small shop, I like to plane the lumber to thickness before gluing up. I use straight cauls to line things up, sometimes you need to push edges a bit to get them as aligned as possible. A rubber mallet or hammer and block helps. Things won't come out perfect, you'll need to sand or plane a little. I like the edges to fit each other perfectly without any clamps or spring and try to get just the right amount of glue on.

   I have a picture of a typical panel glue up, for me. Cauls top and bottom held by F clamps. A couple of bar or pipe clamps. I use 4" stand offs on the bench so I can get the cauls underneath. I put some pipe insulation on the clamps to keep the steel up off the surface where it will often leave a stain. I use wax paper between the cauls and panel.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

   
3. 
   kenshep | Jan 29, 2007 11:31pm | #6

   You can also use cleats on the underside of the table. I suggest you have only one screw per board to hold these in place. I would also counter sink the screws in a slot on the cleats that allows them to slide with the expansion and contraction of the boards. More than one screw per board might cause cracking. Of course this depends on how wide the boards are you are using and the humidity variation by season. I see you are in FL too, so you know that is a big swing here. You should be able to hide the cleats behind the apron assuming there is one.

    

   Regards,

   Ken

   "Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis

4. 
   terrylee86 | Jan 30, 2007 04:55am | #7

   John,

   Glue up as large as you can get through your planer and then follow the picture of the other post.  I use the same technique and works very well.  Even FWW can't agree on alternating grain patterns so I guess it is a matter of what side matches best with your project.  I have never seen breadboard ends that look good six months down the road.  Mcfeeley's has those table top fasteners shaped like a z and they work great and yes you can cut the kerf with a biscuit jointer if you have one.  A router with a slot cutter works just fine. I would not use a table sawkerf because I think it weakens the skirt board.  Just makes cuts where you need them. You don't have to be concerned about how many screws per board because the tt fasteners slide in the slots just fine.  I have a 4'X4' 5/4 cherry coffee table top that is 3 years old and I use tt fasteners on that and it move just fine in the grooves.  Don't let anyone convince you it won't move because it will about 1/2" at most but it will move.  I have seen Kreg holes used where they egg out the hole, but I trust the metal fasteners more on big slabs.  

1. 
   John_Florida | Jan 30, 2007 05:30pm | #8

   Thanks to you all for your guidance.

   John