I wish to build a 48 by 60 inch table of birch or maple. I would normally use
solid materials for the top but the size and cost of birch or maple ($5.25 per
bf) prohibit.
As a result, I plan to use baltic birch with a 3 inch birch trim on the outside
edges of the plywood. When attaching the trim to edge how do I ensure the top
surface of the trim is even with the surface of the plywood. I have made table
tops like this before (that is, plywood with an edge trim) but have not yet
achieved an even surface. In the worst case I have attempted to sand them even
and, of course, sanded thru the hardwood outer layer of the plywood.
How have you achieved an even surface that did not need sanding?? I had
thought to weight the plywood and edge pieces face down on a known flat surface
and use buscuits to get strength. Problem there is that I wont know if I have
an even top surface until the glue has set.
What about tongue and groove edges? It seems with this method I can do a trial
assembly and determine if the surfaces are even BEFORE gluing.
I have no experience with ether bisquits or tongue and groove for this
application.
I'm sure many of you have had success. How did you do it??
Your tongue and groove idea is my choice. The shakers used it too enclose
end grain on most all of their table tops, they called it breadboarding. It
will also give you the opportunity to test fit, adjust thickness and
alignment of the two surfaces. You might also think about using some other
type of fastener than glue as the trim will expand and contract more than
the plywood. I have used three screws with the two at the ends with a
slightly elongated hole to allow for the movement.
Dave
"RubEric" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I wish to build a 48 by 60 inch table of birch or maple. I would normally
use
> solid materials for the top but the size and cost of birch or maple
($5.25 per
> bf) prohibit.
>
> As a result, I plan to use baltic birch with a 3 inch birch trim on the
outside
> edges of the plywood. When attaching the trim to edge how do I ensure the
top
> surface of the trim is even with the surface of the plywood. I have made
table
> tops like this before (that is, plywood with an edge trim) but have not
yet
> achieved an even surface. In the worst case I have attempted to sand them
even
> and, of course, sanded thru the hardwood outer layer of the plywood.
>
> How have you achieved an even surface that did not need sanding?? I had
> thought to weight the plywood and edge pieces face down on a known flat
surface
> and use buscuits to get strength. Problem there is that I wont know if I
have
> an even top surface until the glue has set.
>
> What about tongue and groove edges? It seems with this method I can do a
trial
> assembly and determine if the surfaces are even BEFORE gluing.
>
> I have no experience with ether bisquits or tongue and groove for this
> application.
>
> I'm sure many of you have had success. How did you do it??
There is a current thread on this topic. See "solid edges on plywood" from
a day ago.
--
Bill Pounds
http://www.bill.pounds.net/woodshop
"RubEric" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I wish to build a 48 by 60 inch table of birch or maple. I would normally
use
> solid materials for the top but the size and cost of birch or maple
($5.25 per
> bf) prohibit.
>
> As a result, I plan to use baltic birch with a 3 inch birch trim on the
outside
> edges of the plywood. When attaching the trim to edge how do I ensure the
top
> surface of the trim is even with the surface of the plywood. I have made
table
> tops like this before (that is, plywood with an edge trim) but have not
yet
> achieved an even surface. In the worst case I have attempted to sand them
even
> and, of course, sanded thru the hardwood outer layer of the plywood.
>
> How have you achieved an even surface that did not need sanding?? I had
> thought to weight the plywood and edge pieces face down on a known flat
surface
> and use buscuits to get strength. Problem there is that I wont know if I
have
> an even top surface until the glue has set.
>
> What about tongue and groove edges? It seems with this method I can do a
trial
> assembly and determine if the surfaces are even BEFORE gluing.
>
> I have no experience with ether bisquits or tongue and groove for this
> application.
>
> I'm sure many of you have had success. How did you do it??
"RubEric" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I wish to build a 48 by 60 inch table of birch or maple. I would
normally use
> solid materials for the top but the size and cost of birch or maple
($5.25 per
> bf) prohibit.
>
> As a result, I plan to use baltic birch with a 3 inch birch trim on
the outside
> edges of the plywood. When attaching the trim to edge how do I ensure
the top
> surface of the trim is even with the surface of the plywood. I have
made table
> tops like this before (that is, plywood with an edge trim) but have
not yet
> achieved an even surface. In the worst case I have attempted to sand
them even
> and, of course, sanded thru the hardwood outer layer of the plywood.
Don't use a sander - use a scraper. You can sneak up on the final
thickness much easier.
A flush trimming router bit is what I use.
Typically I attach the edging with a spline joint or biscuits, some times I
screw the edging on and plug the holes with some contrasting colored wood for an
interesting look, just depends on what it's for.
btw factory edges sometimes don't make for a nice joint because they are swelled
somewhat from humidity. I like to freshen them up on a TS taking off a blade
width of material with a simple little auxilary fence that I screw to my fence
that works like a jointer.
David
In article <[email protected]>, RubEric says...
>
>I wish to build a 48 by 60 inch table of birch or maple. I would normally use
>solid materials for the top but the size and cost of birch or maple ($5.25 per
>bf) prohibit.
>
>As a result, I plan to use baltic birch with a 3 inch birch trim on the outside
>edges of the plywood. When attaching the trim to edge how do I ensure the top
>surface of the trim is even with the surface of the plywood. I have made table
>tops like this before (that is, plywood with an edge trim) but have not yet
>achieved an even surface. In the worst case I have attempted to sand them even
>and, of course, sanded thru the hardwood outer layer of the plywood.
>
>How have you achieved an even surface that did not need sanding?? I had
>thought to weight the plywood and edge pieces face down on a known flat surface
>and use buscuits to get strength. Problem there is that I wont know if I have
>an even top surface until the glue has set.
>
>What about tongue and groove edges? It seems with this method I can do a trial
>assembly and determine if the surfaces are even BEFORE gluing.
>
>I have no experience with ether bisquits or tongue and groove for this
>application.
>
>I'm sure many of you have had success. How did you do it??
On 19 Nov 2003 16:42:28 GMT, RubEric <[email protected]> wrote:
> I wish to build a 48 by 60 inch table of birch or maple. I would normally use
> solid materials for the top but the size and cost of birch or maple ($5.25 per
> bf) prohibit.
>
> As a result, I plan to use baltic birch with a 3 inch birch trim on the outside
> edges of the plywood. When attaching the trim to edge how do I ensure the top
> surface of the trim is even with the surface of the plywood. I have made table
> tops like this before (that is, plywood with an edge trim) but have not yet
> achieved an even surface. In the worst case I have attempted to sand them even
> and, of course, sanded thru the hardwood outer layer of the plywood.
>
> How have you achieved an even surface that did not need sanding?? I had
> thought to weight the plywood and edge pieces face down on a known flat surface
> and use buscuits to get strength. Problem there is that I wont know if I have
> an even top surface until the glue has set.
>
> What about tongue and groove edges? It seems with this method I can do a trial
> assembly and determine if the surfaces are even BEFORE gluing.
>
> I have no experience with ether bisquits or tongue and groove for this
> application.
>
> I'm sure many of you have had success. How did you do it??
I'm planning a table now.
One thing you can do is CELEBRATE the splice. Cut a groove with a
skinny router bit. That way the division looks like an intentional
design element, and not an economization.
Try it and see how it looks on some offcuts.