Replies

1. 
   David_A._Brown | Jun 14, 2001 02:05am | #1

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   Sounds like an interesting tabletop. I'm curious, though... how much temperature variation do you believe the table will suffer once finished and in place? I would be surprised if it moved much once in a modern heated and cooled house. If you know the temperature range, you can calculate exactly how much it will change, then design for that. It's a calculation worth doing in this case. You may discover you're worrying about a non-problem.

   I'd be tempted to use contact cement to glue the SS to a plywood or HDFB core, with another laminate on the bottom to "equalize" the thing. Fasten the oak edging to the core, and not to the SS. Use biscuits if it's a wide edging. Otherwise, just glue it on. Put a rabbit in the top to bring the oak up to SS level.

   My students have used all sorts of things as table tops. A good grade of contact cement always seems to hold disparate materials together best. Be sure you clean any oil off the surface, as that will screw up any adhesive. It also probably wouldn't hurt to sand the to-be-glued side with some 150 grit to put some "tooth" on it.

   Good luck.