# Not quite long enough!



## Mrs C (14 Nov 2018)

I am a couple of inches short of a unit top!

I am making a top for a unit out of ash which needs to be 300 wide x 800 long. I am going to make it by jointing a piece 200 x 800 to a piece that is 100 wide. Unfortunately the 100mm piece is only 760 long - I have some short bits of the same thickness that would fill the gap.

What’s the best way of jointing the end grain pieces of the 100mm and filler bit to make the required length without it looking awful? The filler bit can go at the back where it will probably be covered by junk, but I would like it to look half decent!

Thanks


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## Sgian Dubh (14 Nov 2018)

Biscuits, dowels or Dominos would do it. Make sure the end of each piece is cut square and use whatever you've got to hand of the suggested jointing methods. As you say, there will be an obvious end-to-end joint, which I can understand you think is not ideal (neither do I) but if it's possible to pretty much hide it from view and you can live with it then … well, why not?

It's either that or buy or acquire an extra piece of wood that's long enough. Slainte.


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## MikeG. (15 Nov 2018)

In addition to what Richard said, I would move the joint as far in-board as your off-cuts will allow. A joint 40mm from the end is going to look really odd, unless it is somehow hidden, but if you can get it 150 or 200 from the end it wont look quite so strange.


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## Sgian Dubh (15 Nov 2018)

MikeG.":3dm4qwth said:


> ... but if you can get it 150 or 200 from the end it wont look quite so strange.


Good point Mike. I should have perhaps thought of that and mentioned it. It will look better, and make the edge joint that has to be made with the adjoining piece stronger. Slainte.


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## Tasky (15 Nov 2018)

What's the unit gonna do?
Is there some kind of feature you could design into it to hide, reinforce or even make up the shortfall?

For example; 
If it's a workbench, I'd suggest an end-vice. 
A desk, I'd suggest a stationery organiser. 
A bedroom cabinet, I'd suggest a set of drawers for make-up or jewelry. 
A kitchen, I'd suggest a knife block.


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## Ttrees (15 Nov 2018)

Can you design it with wide end caps to account for the length?
Tom


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## Mrs C (15 Nov 2018)

Hi

It’s a wine rack with a solid top. It will end up with junk on top, so no one else will notice apart from it will annoy me!

Thanks for the suggestions, will think of a feature to go in the hole!


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## custard (15 Nov 2018)

Mrs C":1e3db52y said:


> I am a couple of inches short of a unit top!



Why do hobbyists _keep_ doing this to themselves? 

Don't start a project without a plan and a cutting list, then you can check that you've got sufficient timber before you make a single cut.

Give yourself a safety margin for error, have some extra timber on hand in case of cock-ups. Timber is cheap compared with your own time, so buy a bit extra. 

If there's any left over then you can use it up in jigs or, if you're smart, as a beginner you'll work in a very restricted palette of just two or three hardwoods, so any surplus can be rolled over to the next project.


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## Mr T (19 Nov 2018)

custard":122rpvim said:


> Mrs C":122rpvim said:
> 
> 
> > I am a couple of inches short of a unit top!
> ...



Reading this thread Custard about summed up my thoughts. Something I notice often with students is that they buy just about enough wood, or a little less. Then when they come to plan how they will get the parts they want from their stock choice will be made based only on how they can get the parts they want out of what they have available with little room for choice based on matching grain and colour. This leads to a piece of furniture without what I call unity. I know that economy is important to the leisure woodworker but it is better to buy extra so you have more flexibility. As Custard says you can use what's left over on another project.


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## ScaredyCat (19 Nov 2018)

Mrs C":2xysf2bt said:


> I am a couple of inches short of a unit top!



Is that like being a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic?


:lol: 
.


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## FaecesForBrains (19 Nov 2018)

custard":3gqo38ul said:


> Mrs C":3gqo38ul said:
> 
> 
> > I am a couple of inches short of a unit top!
> ...



So little money left over after buying too many tools? Probably so in many cases.


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## Mrs C (19 Nov 2018)

Because in this case it was made from offcuts that someone else had thrown out


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## FaecesForBrains (21 Nov 2018)

Mrs C":2niz11a6 said:


> Because in this case it was made from offcuts that someone else had thrown out



And then there's that. I assume a design change wasn't a possibility.


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## Mrs C (21 Nov 2018)

Unfortunately not, I would have ended up being a bottle short of a wine rack and the whole thing was designed to get maximum bottle storage in a specific space, so a bit of a bodged top is the less of all these evils.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions


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## Tasky (21 Nov 2018)

So an empty space 100mm x 40mm, missing from the back corner.....
You know how office desks sometimes have holes and spaces for inserts - Cable management, pen tidies, notepad holders, and the like...? 

Same idea, but do something for wine accessories. 
Build in a frame, holder, rail or somesuch (even a metal one) and then create a removable rack/box to fit it. In this you can then store a pair of wine glasses, a corkscrew (or a big cork extractor), and whatever other little things for which wine enthusiasts might find need...

Or... Build in a lamp to cover the worktop. Maybe as well. 
Or even the control box for some LEDs to light up and show off your racked collection. Perhaps a small digital alarm clock to remind you when the bottles need turning?

The more features like this you create, the less junk will amass on the top!


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