I am hoping to get some advice on building the top for a dining table. A customer of mine has designed this for her eat-in kitchen. I am not concerned with the base, but I am with her design for the top.
It is to be 58″ or 60″ in diameter (she’s flexible with the finished size). The middle is to be of MDF, with a veneered top. It will be about 48″ in diameter. This section will have an inlay band of ebony around its perimeter. The ebony inlay will be about 3/8″ wide. The ebony ring is to be set between the MDF ring and an outside ring forming the edge of the top. She wants the outside ring to be of solid cherry. It will need to be about 5 – 6 inches wide in order to satisfy the 58″ – 60″ finished size. The cherry would be about 1 1/4″ thick. The lower third of the cherry would extend under the MDF as a lip to support the middle section. She would like the cherry grain to run the same direction throughout the band – I’m assuming that would require edge-gluing several pieces to form a large ring.
The outermost ring of solid cherry is my concern, due to wood movement. I’m not sure of the best way to construct this ring so it will not eventually result in cracks. I’m worried that edge gluing all those pieces and butting them right up to the MDF will not give the cherry any room for movement. Is it better to do a veneered ring of cherry? She does want an eased edge for the top of the outermost band. I possibly could do another solid inlay piece (rounded over) for that if I used a veneer. Does anyone have any other suggestions for constructing the top, especially the outermost band? Thanks.
Ed
Replies
Hi Ed,
Just tell your customer that you have to do segments made into a polygon. If the customer sees some hexagon or even 12 sided polygonns, they will probably like it better than all grain in the same direction.
Mother nature rules, and veneering is too time consuming and costly. Having all the grain in the same direction breaks good design rules even for asthetics.
DonC,
I had thought about polygons, but still wasn't sure if it would stand the test of time without any splitting.
Ed
I have to solidly agree with DonC - break the outer perimeter into as many segments as you like, but do not maintain the grain direction as the client wanted. It's much easier to modify her concept now than to deal with the problems in the table afterwards.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
David,
Thanks for the advice - I will discuss with her. I'll let you know how it goes.
Ed
Cpltd
Apply an edging of 1/4" (or any thickness you are comfortable with) solid cherry to the MDF and veneer the top afterwards. This will allow you to ease the edge. You will not have any problems with wood movement. You can shape the solid edge, or you can laminate it cold using two pieces of 1/8" thickness. You can even apply the solid edging after the veneer top is completed and if you are fine with a 1/4" solid edge, radius the solid wood so that the radius is an 1/8", and it will completely hide the joint in the the edging. JL
JL,
Thanks so much for the edging tip - I'll definately try those techniques.
Ed
You are welcome Ed. JL
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