Cutting and edging of oval shape.

[John PC]

Hello, My first post please be gentle with me. I am retired. I am trying to make a bespoke coffee table / sideboard as easy as possible.
I needed an 8' x 4' sheet of Rosewood or similar, effect ply, MDF, or chipboard 16mm or thicker if possible. My searches have come to nothing, but I found a wood merchant online that offered to cut and edge the sheet, this also proved to be a waste of time. I need three oval pieces 148cm 35cm 16mm + thick. Anyone know where there is a sheet or an online shop able to cut and edge a piece ? Or supply an 8' x 4' piece


I am trying to make it in the style of Bang and Olufsen. I found a picture online which came near to what I hope to make. other photo is what I am trying to match it to.

TIA, John.

 

[peter-harrison]

I would look for someone with a CNC router and an edgebander. If you're lucky they might cut and edge three bits for you. Expect to pay roughly 2-3x what the material would cost.

 

[Droogs]

Rosewood veneer will cost a lot to cover the size of furniture you intend to make around £300 plus vat and that is only for the veneer. Creating the oval shape is not hard using either a cnc or even just a router with an Archimedes trammel. However the piece you show has an ovolo edge all the way round and this is a lot of work to do using veneer. Believe me, been there done that (around 40 Hours of handwork to do properly by creating a 3ply veneer process) unless you have industrial level presses. Or you could create a solid wood edge and shape but then that will cost even more for the rosewood like if you need to ask the price then, well you know the saying as you will only be able to legally buy old stock.

You could have it made in mdf and use a substitute veneer that can then be dyed/stained to give you the effect. But that can be a bit hit and miss if you are trying to match something you already have.

hth

 

[bp122]

1. Cheapest way is to find a table top of the same shape in the used market like gumtree or eBay (house clearance etc) for fairly low cost.

Then use the table top as a pattern with a router and a pattern following bit (if using handheld) or with a flush trim bit (if using on a router table)

2. Next level in terms of complexity but still cheap is to build a jig like this one
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/elliptical-router-jig-size-oval/
Or you can buy them ready made, like this one:
https://www.trenddirectuk.com/ellipsej-a
3. Easiest but the must expensive option is to find one with a cnc router as already suggested.

 

[bp122]

What I said Iis of course assuming you are confident in using a router. I know I wasn't when I started out. That thing terrified me!

 

[Jacob]

Hello, My first post please be gentle with me. I am retired. I am trying to make a bespoke coffee table / sideboard as easy as possible.
.....

Have to say it doesn't look easy at all!
I'd either go for an easier design (rectangular for starters, like the other photo) or just give the job to a skilled furniture maker.

 

[John PC]

Thank you for all your replies. Making the shape is not a problem. I am trying to buy the sheet to make it out of. Or find a firm that can supply and cut and edge three oval shapes.

I should have said Rosewood "effect", I believe real Rosewood is an endangered / protected species, which I would not wish to use. . The edges of oval need to be "straight cut" sorry if I misled anyone with the similar picture.

John.

 

[Droogs]

If you are having a straight edge then you can do that yourself with iron on edge banding veneer. For the pieces then get cherry faced mdf 18mm and colour them with Colron Dye

each of the coloured words is a link to what you need

hth

 

[John PC]

Please forgive my ignorance, but the link to the 8x4 says Melamine Faced, which is great, but can I use the wood dye in the other link?

John.

 

[Jameshow]

Can you not mark out the ellipse on the board using a sharp pencil cut out oversize using a jigsaw and trace onto the remains 3 sheets. Clamp together and sand smooth.

Edge band to finish.....

Or do it in birch ply and have the edge as a feature.

Cheers James

 

[TRITON]

You can mark out an ellipse using 2 nails and a bit of string. Sounds mad but it does work. it is very very simple.
Festool drill so he must be right

 

[ArferMo]

You can mark out an ellipse using 2 nails and a bit of string.

Yes! Exactly this, although test your string. String will tend to stretch under tension. The stuff I had to hand certainly did. I found a good length of fine multi-stranded insulated wire - of the type used for wiring electronics back in the day, and used that instead of string. One conductor taken from a ribbon cable might do it, but the stuff I used was a little stouter.

 

[Droogs]

Please forgive my ignorance, but the link to the 8x4 says Melamine Faced, which is great, but can I use the wood dye in the other link?

John.

Sorry attached the wrong link now corrected if you select it you will get the proper product

 

[John PC]

Hi I'm back again, I had a lot of trouble finding the correct type of finish for the wood. I could find the cherry faced plywood but that would need staining and finishing, in a unheated workshop at this time of the year not the best idea and the cost of the 8x4 was £120 $165 plus the transport costs. I eventually found one of these sideboards for £10 $14 on face book. note the lengths of steel stood at the end of the sideboard near the radio, I used these as well. If anyone is interested what I did with it I may post some pictures in the completed work section.
John.

o