41 – End Table (Pt. 5)
High Resolution Version
We have some big design decisions to make. And thanks to all the great suggestions from you folks, I had a lot to think about! But I finally made a decision. I show you how I use a Kutzall carving burr and a die grinder to blend in the protruding center piece, and I discuss the creation of the template for the top. I also show you how I rout the grooves for the steel dowels that will suspend the tabletop in the middle of the piece (you’ll understand when you see it).
End Table (Pt. 1)
End Table (Pt. 2)
End Table (Pt. 3)
End Table (Pt. 4)
End Table (Pt. 5)
End Table (Pt. 6)
Cutting Board Warping – Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Tony, he writes:
“I recently made one of your cutting boards as described in Episode 7 – A Cut Above. No problems with the manufacturing or finishing process. I gave this as a present to somebody and about a week later they returned it to me. The board had bowed & buckled in the center, about 5/16” (big central high spot on one side, and depression on the other. The board was made from Jatoba and Beech, using a water proof PVA glue. OK I thought, maybe the dissimilarity in the woods was too great (beech SG64 & Jatoba about SG80), so I have just made another board this time using Beech and Walnut and using a polyurethane glue. Whilst belt sanding I noticed that this board is also starting to buckle the same way the first board did (1/8”). It is now being clamped and flattened again. I was wondering if you had ever come across this type of problem before? All the timber is kiln dried and between 6-8% , the only common factor between the two boards is the use of Beech, but I have been using this batch of lumber for other projects without any problems.”
And here was my reply:
“Hey Tony. It should ease your mind to know that this happens all the time. There are many reasons for it. Moisture, jointing inaccuracy, and of course, the X factor just to name a few. In many cases, these boards cup for no logical reason. The good thing is they can be straightened out to some degree. If you have a cup, you can overclamp it slightly the other way to straighten it out. Also keep in mind these boards will move a lot over the coarse of time depending on their usage and the way they are cleaned and dried (be sure the user is drying the board on its side). In fact, last week my board had a 1/8″ cup to it after cutting a hot piece of meat. I just checked it today and its nearly flat again. Now with any luck, when your board develops a cup, it will face down (looks like a frown). This way the board remains nice and stable on the counter top. If it goes the other way it will spin. So you may want to put the boards in the reverse clamp for a week or so. Don’t be afraid to spray the board down with a little water before you throw it into the clamps. That will help to “reset the memory” of the board. Then hope for the best. As long as the board is sitting with the cup down, 1/8″ is really nothing to worry about. Wood generally does not want to stay perfectly flat all the time. If your recipient wants something perfectly flat, I recommend plastic. :) Good luck!”
Ripping Wide Boards for Stability – Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from David. He writes:
I’m relatively new to the woodworking scene. A quick question for your thoughts… My local hardwood supplier takes in rough lumber and mills it to various boards and trim. I happened to stop in after they had just finished milling some 8′ x 15-18″ wide black cherry planks. I’d love to do a sofa table or some type of piece where I can preserve the board intact. I’ve been reading about the issues with continuous wide planks (cupping, etc.) and was wondering your thoughts on keeping them intact at 12″+, or doing relief cuts and gluing them back together. They’re all 4/4. They’re beautiful and I can’t stand the thought of tearing them up now. I live in upstate NY, hot summers, cold winters – fairly large shifts in humidity across the year. Help!
And here was my reply:
“Hey David. The sad truth is there is no telling what will happen over time. Each board has its own characteristics. Combine that with the seasonal changes, and you have wide variety of conditions and a wide variety of results. So here is the way I see it. I would NEVER chop up a beautiful large board as a preemptive strike against unfavorable movement. Nothing is more beautiful than a full tabletop made from a single board. Not to mention how rare it is to see furniture like this today. So mill the board as flat as possible, prep it, finish it, and slap it on your coffee table frame. Then just hope for the best. Be sure to secure it in a way that allows for the wood to expand and contract (fig 8 fasteners), and keep your eye on it. If at some point disaster strikes and the table starts cracking or warping, you can always remove the top and rework it later. Also, it might not be a bad idea to leave the rough board in your house for a few months before touching it. This way there will be no drastic humidity changes once the final piece is placed in the house. Hope that helps. And congrats on getting such great lumber!”
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