Teatray construction

[Eric The Viking]

I have prezzies to do...

... I want to make SWMBO a teatray, using a place mat from a favourite restaurant in Italy as the base. They're paper, but I've had this one laminated thinly. It's only a bit of fun - a memory of a happy holiday, etc.

It won't be complex, just a hardwood frame, possibly with skewed dovetails if I'm feeling really keen, or more likely skewed box joints, but I'm wondering about how to fix the bottom on. I intend it to be thin ply backing the mat, but I'm not sure whether to just groove the frame and treat it like frame+panel, or fix it in somehow with just a rebate. It needs to be possible to keep it clean - it won't be very vulnerable to spilled tea, but all the same wipe-down and sealed edges are good. Also, I don't want it to be too bulky or she won't use it.

Any thoughts on how to secure the panel in place would be welcome.

Thanks,

E.

 

[Racers]

I would be inclined to rebate the sides then chamfer the top of the bottom to fit.
I also would mitre the sides and use splines/feathers for strength.

Pete

 

[Myfordman]

Groove and seal in with silicone AFTER a coat of finish has been applied to the frame.

Make sure the retaining groove lines up with the finger joints correctly so that a tell-tale hole is not visible! DAMHIKT!

 

[marcros]

i used a groove in mine, and splayed/compound mitres. The bottom was solid and slightly panel raised to give an extra bit of thickness, although that sounds like something you want to avoid. If using ply, I would fix it I think.

 

[AndyT]

I made these which were quick and easy and work ok. They are fairly slight, which might help you think about sizing and details.

The bases are 3/16" oak veneered ply (from old drawer bottoms) and the edges are 1" x 1/2" scraps of mahogany type hardwood.

I ploughed a groove 3/16" deep, to fit the base, which I did not glue. I glued the mitred corners with ordinary PVA and reinforced them by drilling 2mm holes and then gluing in bits of cocktail stick as miniature dowels, trimmed flush later.

This is the underneath showing that the groove is only about 1/8" from the edge, which is lightly bevelled.

They all had two coats of water based polyurethane lacquer. I think this possibly has a sort of gluing effect along the edges of the ply. They have been in frequent use for quite some time and have been perfectly strong enough.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Thanks everyone.

Andy's trays are pretty much the effect I'm after. I might even skirt round the panel movement problem altogether by using a sandwich of thin perspex (a couple of cheap clip frames would provide it). either side of the mat I'm trying to include. It would need a wider groove, but that shouldn't of itself make it weaker, and it would keep it nicely flat and, if sealed, waterproof.

Mitres and splines for the corners, probably too - easier and prettier if I don't mess it up.

Cheers,

E.