Hello Everyone
I am new here and am looking for some advise.
I have been an intermediate woodworker for many years and have only recently gotten back into it seriously (moved a couple times in 3-4 years – no shop – no real place to keep/store tools – life just got in the way – etc.).
My boss has asked me to build a conference table for our small company because he knows I like to putter around with wood. I know this project may be over my skill level but I have agreed to try my best to take it on anyway. I have what I think is a good design and have started many of the parts for the beefy legs. The entire thing will be in walnut. What I need help with is the top. He wants it big and heavy. It will be 3-6 wide, 12′ long split in (2) 6′ sections, and 2″ thick. He likes the idea of having metal bands (probably 2″ wide) going across the table one on each end (about 12″ in from the end) and another one (probably 4-5″ wide) in the middle covering the seam. He doesn’t want them proud of the surface, rather he wants them dadoed so they sit flush to the top. When finished they would go across the top and wrap around the sides to the under side of the top.
My question is how do I do this and allow for movement. I realize there will probably be a lot with the size of this top. I have been racking my brain and can’t come up with a good solution/design. I hope all this makes sense, I don’t have the ability to draw it out with software. I know that would make it a lot easier to visualize.
Any thoughts?
Replies
What's the purpose of the bands?
Mikaol
Now that seems a serious conundrum. Like Mikaol, I have questions. Any chance of getting rid of the bands? The “wrap around” feature seems to be the most troubling to me. Perhaps there’s a metal whose expansion characteristics would match walnut but I’d be surprised.
How will the bands be secured to the top, especially if you can avoid the wrap around?
If you have the wrap around, could a metal be used that was thin enough for the wrap around to flex enough to handle the expansion/contraction?
If the bands are intended to be cosmetic only, would an acceptable epoxy pour fill in for the bands? (I’ve never worked with an epoxy pour so that might be a silly idea.). I presume the bands will be cross grained to the top?
I’ve also done (very) little veneer work. Is there a veneer solution with a wood that can be finished to mimic the metal look you’re after?
Laminate the top from walnut faced plywood?
If the bands are intended to be structural... well... I dunno.
I realize I may not be very helpful here, but personally I’ve found people asking questions here often helps me get to a solution.
Oh, and yes, pics please when you’re done. Sounds like an interesting design.
The issue seems to be no design at all. With the upfront consideration that you may well be in over your head, and the assumption that he'll be happier not shelling out for a crazy amount of 12/4 walnut...
You need two of these:
Start with a 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood to make your core, top layer walnut ply if you don't want to veneer it. 2 pcs 4x6. Glue and screw from bottom to avoid clamps spread the glue with a roller and remove half with a notched trowel to reduce squeezeout, stagger the screws and work out from the center. Have sandbags or cinderblocks ready to hold it flat while the glue dries. Add 1/2" plywood around the bottom to get to 2" thick. Cut one long edge true with a router or tracksaw and the other on the tablesaw.
Make walnut edging 2"thick and however wide you see fit to glue to the outer edges using dominos or biscuits. Then decide on final size, rip and crosscut the tabletop, glue on the edging and smooth towards finishing.
At this point show him how pretty it is without metal and hope he agrees.
Hello,
Here are two methods I know of for building thick, light, inexpensive, and flat table tops:
Mark Edmundson wrote an article about building thick table tops using 4/4 stock and track or circ saw. Here is the link:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/membership/pdf/231013/011261066.pdf
Here is an article using a different method:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/membership/pdf/24009/011219090.pdf
Unfortunately this method uses a vacuum press, you might be able to use slightly curved cauls and lots of bar clamps depending on how wide the table ends up being.
Both methods will create thick tops that will have minimal wood movement, which means you could inlay your metal strap without wood movement trouble.
I hope these articles help you, and hope your table turns out.
Good luck, Ben
Just a thought for the bands. Why not dado it a little deeper on the ends just where the bands will be and put a dense foam space filler in there that will crush and expand with expansion and contraction? It would look tight and be tight enough that the bands wouldn't be sloppy but also allow for seasonal movement. I'm thinking in theory it would work like space balls for cabinet doors. I've never done it... But just figuring it might work. I've done some steel wrapping around wood for a Revolutionary War Cannon Carriage repoduction project I did two years ago.
Also, I am thinking maybe you could cheat a little where it turns the corner, if you remove some excess wood there to allow for expansion. The steel would cover the missing wood and you could also remove a little on the bottom where the band attaches to allow it to expand upwards.
Will the band be fully in tact the whole way around, or will it only need to cover the top and side to give the illusion of a full band?
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