Replies

1. 
   jazzdogg | Feb 28, 2004 04:42am | #1

   Bruce,

   If you'll let us know how thick they are and what the grain orientation is (quartersawn, riftsawm plainsawn), we'll be in a better position to reply.

   I haven't experienced problems gluing up boards of the widths you describe. In my experience, warping is more likely to result from improper attachment of the tabletop to the table base, improper handling and storage during construction, and improper finishing.

   Good luck,

   -Jazzdogg-

   Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

1. 
   BruceEbling | Feb 28, 2004 09:07am | #4

   The boards are 5/4 thick and because I am not totally sure of the cut, I will have to go out to the shop in the morning to see how the boards were cut.

2. 
   RMillard | Feb 28, 2004 05:15am | #2

   Bruce,

   I too would not want to rip the boards down, fortunately this is not at all necessary to obtain a stable top. You will undoubtedly receive advice to alternate the growth rings to achieve a stable panel, but this is pure nonsense. The most important consideration is grain matching. What many ( including experienced woodworkers) overlook is the reflectivity of the wood. Wood is much like carpet in that it can appear darker or lighter depending from which direction it is viewed. This characteristic is more apparent with figured wood such as your curly cherry and will be more pronounced when the finish is applied. I use mineral spirits to get a preview of the boards reflectivity and use this to determine in what orientation they will be glued together. This can make for difficulty in planing the top, as the grain directions may not go in the same way. You'll need a finely set plane and possibly a card scraper, to overcome this.

   You don't really need to use anything to reinforce the joint, a glued butt joint well fitted is plenty strong.

   Stability in the finished top, comes from sealing both sides well, using more or less the same number of coats of finish on both sides. The attachment method also will influence the stability or more accurately the durability of the top. There are nearly as many ways to attach a top as there are woodworkers, but as long as the top is kept flat, but allowed to expand with changes in the humidity, there won't be any problem.

   Rob Millard

1. 
   BruceEbling | Feb 28, 2004 09:13am | #5

   I have read some techniques on attaching the tabletop to the rails in several magazines, is there a book or publication that would be useful in this sort of project?  Your advice has been very useful, since I have little to no connections to other wood workers advice is few and far between.

   Thanks again!

   Bruce

3. 
   GHR | Feb 28, 2004 07:19am | #3

   I have a piece of 8/4x18"x12' figured Mahogany. One day I will resaw it and then make a 36" wide table with a single glue joint down the middle.

   People have known how to make 36" and larger piecrust tables from single boards for hundreds of years.

4. 
   HowardAcheson | Feb 28, 2004 06:20pm | #6

   Do not rip the boards. Wide boards are a premium item. Let them acclimate to your environment. If they do not warp, they will not warp.

   Also, ripping wider boards into narrower ones DOES NOT PREVENT WARPING. If the board is going to warp, the individual smaller boards will also warp. All that changes is that the unsawn board will have one continuous bow, while the glued up boards will have a wavy shape.