Replies

1. 
   Segil | Nov 08, 2005 12:07am | #1

   drewbru,

        This type of laminated top must be balanced equally on both sides or you are asking for trouble.  If you use 1/4" cherry on the top, you must use 1/4" cherry on the back, although it does not have to be of the same quality.  It can be a good way to utilize badly colored or otherwise defective pieces.  If the sandwich is all solid wood, I would run the grain direction parallel  throughout.  If the reason for this maple-cherry lay up is for the edge detail, make the top solid cherry and inlay maple on the edge.  This would be a much more stable top.

1. 
   drewbru | Nov 08, 2005 01:59am | #2

   The look I'm going for is a two tone, stratified look. Like when you see a cliff with different stratified layers. Does the bottom layer have to be the same as the top, or can I do 1/4" cherry, 1/2" maple, 1/4" hickory? Is it the species that dictates the 3 layers, or just having 3 layers period?
   Drew

1. 
   John_D | Nov 08, 2005 02:35am | #3

   Seems like laminating the entire top is a great deal more difficult and prone to movement disaster than edging a stable top with a laminated strip, unless you intend to carve in and show the layers midspan.

1. 
   drewbru | Nov 08, 2005 03:02am | #4

   My dilema is that I'm working with 3/4" lumber and don't have access to anything thicker, but want a 7/8" or 1" top. Hence the plan to laminate the top.

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Nov 08, 2005 04:55am | #5

   A simple solution is to laminate a strip along the edges.  It should have its grain in the same way as the top.  If you can cut the strips from the same board as your lower board they can be glued almost invisibly.  A one or two inch strip will not have the same impact as a full laminate as far as warping, but sounds like it would fill the bill visually. 

   It is the species that cause the concern, but even laminating the same species one must take account of the grain structure.  For example you don't want to glue a quarter sawn board to a flat sawed one.  But two similar boards will glue together OK.  Have you got about a zillion clamps including a few long reach F clamps or a vacuum clamp.  The full lamination would require a lot of pressure for a really sound glue joint. 

2. 
   drewbru | Nov 08, 2005 05:23am | #6

   I've got a zillion and 1/2 clamps, the top is only 12" wide, so they'll reach to the middle. I think I'm going to try the lamination and see what happens. If it fails, I can make a new top in the future. I'll probably do the cherry/maple/cherry scenerio. Everything's flat sawn and the cherry top & bottom will be from the same board. I'll cross my fingers and toes and hope all goes well. I've got some time to mess around with is, the project is for a class I'm taking. I've got a few weeks to feel the situation out and go from there.
   Drew