Franknstein
New member
Hi all
I'm new to woodworking on any real level. Built some shelves in the past and thrown together tables from pallet wood etc etc, and did woodwork for a few years in school. But truth is I am way more competent as a metal worker. Anyhow, I've just moved to a new house I bought and as such have little to no furniture. So decided to try my hand at woodworking and wanted to build most of the furniture I need as I've always wanted to do woodworking. Bought a whole load of tools, sash clamps/hand saws/ hand circ saw/etc, and got to work.
So my plan was for a solid wood dining table, from PSE spruce (which I got from B&Q). Final design will be stained dark walnut and satin varnished with most of the shine knocked off. I wanted to build something simple, with clean lines for a modern look. The table will reside in my conservatory, which is heated, but not cooled. Harsh environment for such a table as I am beginning to realise.
The wood I used for the legs was from a reproduction sleeper (pine) which I found in the garden of my new house round the side... which I quartered with the circ saw, and planed down to square with a Stanley No.5 jack.
So, before starting the project I watched loads of Paul Sellers Masterclass on youtube, and read a fair bit of things here and there.
Anyhow, I have over the course of the past few weeks when I have had spare time, built the table, which I thought was complete and ready for finishing - but clearly its not.
Pics are attached.
The apron frame/ legs came out really well, and 99% square. And very solid. I am very happy with the result.
The top and the way its relating to the apron is not so good. So here is what happened:
1. I laminated several boards together to make the top, and didn't remove any of the cupping on the boards, as I figured they were pretty thin, and I could screw it down tight to the apron to get it level. ANyhow, the top is certainly not flat unless its clamped/screwed down to the table frame, but when that is done, its pretty much perfect, minor indents that I can surely sort with the belt sander or plane.
2. I have read before about making allowance for seasonal movement, but boy did I not expect this much movement and so fast! Literally over-night the top shrunk by 4mm total when I moved it from the garage into the conservatory.
3. My initial design called for the sides of the top to be 100% flush with the two long apron rails... I didn't want an overhang like most tables have, as to me it looks a bit cleaner and more modern. This I am beginning to realise is an impossibility with real wood (obviously not plywood/engineered boards).
4. Anyhow, what I did to attach the top to the frame was use 90 degree galvanised steel angles, screwed to the apron and the underside of the top, all over the place until the top was 100% flat. I then surfaced all the sides of the top so they were nice and flush with the apron on all four sides... It looked marvellous. I stood back, cracked open a beer and revelled in my brilliance -
-or so I though-
5. moved the table into the conservatory, and packed it in for the night. Monday I went to work, came home, and have 2mm underhang on each of the rails. Now I expected some movement, but I was thinking months from now, perhaps in the winter... So now the top is too small in its width - no ways I can live with the rails protruding.
Anyways, my solution is to proceed as follows, and i'd like to hear your thoughts:
1. Laminate another board onto the top.
2. Leave the top in the conservatory for a couple weeks to acclimatise.
3. take measurements, and rip the top to perfect width again, so its 100% flush with the rails.
4. Install battens across the top on the underneath in either wood, or angle-iron to force it flat. Make the holes in the battens/angle-iron elongated to allow for the movement. (See diagram)
5. Install top to the table frame with traditional buttons or similar configuration as the battens.
My thinking is that when the top expands in winter I will have a 4mm overhang... which is fine, I can live with overhang for 6 months of the year, and then flush fitting in the summer... But at the moment it underhangs which is no good.
Let me know your thoughts please before I proceed. Wife is nagging me to have this done asap!
Thanks!
I'm new to woodworking on any real level. Built some shelves in the past and thrown together tables from pallet wood etc etc, and did woodwork for a few years in school. But truth is I am way more competent as a metal worker. Anyhow, I've just moved to a new house I bought and as such have little to no furniture. So decided to try my hand at woodworking and wanted to build most of the furniture I need as I've always wanted to do woodworking. Bought a whole load of tools, sash clamps/hand saws/ hand circ saw/etc, and got to work.
So my plan was for a solid wood dining table, from PSE spruce (which I got from B&Q). Final design will be stained dark walnut and satin varnished with most of the shine knocked off. I wanted to build something simple, with clean lines for a modern look. The table will reside in my conservatory, which is heated, but not cooled. Harsh environment for such a table as I am beginning to realise.
The wood I used for the legs was from a reproduction sleeper (pine) which I found in the garden of my new house round the side... which I quartered with the circ saw, and planed down to square with a Stanley No.5 jack.
So, before starting the project I watched loads of Paul Sellers Masterclass on youtube, and read a fair bit of things here and there.
Anyhow, I have over the course of the past few weeks when I have had spare time, built the table, which I thought was complete and ready for finishing - but clearly its not.
Pics are attached.
The apron frame/ legs came out really well, and 99% square. And very solid. I am very happy with the result.
The top and the way its relating to the apron is not so good. So here is what happened:
1. I laminated several boards together to make the top, and didn't remove any of the cupping on the boards, as I figured they were pretty thin, and I could screw it down tight to the apron to get it level. ANyhow, the top is certainly not flat unless its clamped/screwed down to the table frame, but when that is done, its pretty much perfect, minor indents that I can surely sort with the belt sander or plane.
2. I have read before about making allowance for seasonal movement, but boy did I not expect this much movement and so fast! Literally over-night the top shrunk by 4mm total when I moved it from the garage into the conservatory.
3. My initial design called for the sides of the top to be 100% flush with the two long apron rails... I didn't want an overhang like most tables have, as to me it looks a bit cleaner and more modern. This I am beginning to realise is an impossibility with real wood (obviously not plywood/engineered boards).
4. Anyhow, what I did to attach the top to the frame was use 90 degree galvanised steel angles, screwed to the apron and the underside of the top, all over the place until the top was 100% flat. I then surfaced all the sides of the top so they were nice and flush with the apron on all four sides... It looked marvellous. I stood back, cracked open a beer and revelled in my brilliance -
-or so I though-
5. moved the table into the conservatory, and packed it in for the night. Monday I went to work, came home, and have 2mm underhang on each of the rails. Now I expected some movement, but I was thinking months from now, perhaps in the winter... So now the top is too small in its width - no ways I can live with the rails protruding.
Anyways, my solution is to proceed as follows, and i'd like to hear your thoughts:
1. Laminate another board onto the top.
2. Leave the top in the conservatory for a couple weeks to acclimatise.
3. take measurements, and rip the top to perfect width again, so its 100% flush with the rails.
4. Install battens across the top on the underneath in either wood, or angle-iron to force it flat. Make the holes in the battens/angle-iron elongated to allow for the movement. (See diagram)
5. Install top to the table frame with traditional buttons or similar configuration as the battens.
My thinking is that when the top expands in winter I will have a 4mm overhang... which is fine, I can live with overhang for 6 months of the year, and then flush fitting in the summer... But at the moment it underhangs which is no good.
Let me know your thoughts please before I proceed. Wife is nagging me to have this done asap!
Thanks!
