| Bubinga-Veneer Coffee Table -- Tabletop Completion |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-212 |
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Tabletop Completion Once the veneers have been glued to the tabletop substrate, and secured using the vacuum press, the next step is to fit the tabletop into the frame, and prepare a channel around the tabletop for the ebony inlay. Materials: Veneer tabletop
MDF for template/guide
Maple stock for ledger strips
Table saw
Plunge router
Chisel
Hand scraper
Dead-blow hammer
Clamps
Yellow woodworker's glue
Chalk or carpenter's pencil
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, saws, drills, routers, etc. Steps: - Once the tabletop has been removed from the vacuum press, use a scraper to clean up any excess glue.
- Use a block plane to clean up one edge of the tabletop (figure A), ensuring that it is smooth and flat for use as a reference against the table-saw fence.
- Trim the tabletop to width on the table saw. Place the flat edge of the tabletop against the fence, and trim a little bit off of each side until the precise width is reached (figure B). Use a fine, plywood blade to ensure a clean cut.
- Once the proper width is achieved, use the cross-cut sled on the table saw to trim both ends of the tabletop to achieve the proper length.
- To support the top, ledger strips (in this case, strips of 1/2-inch maple) are glued along the inside of the apron (figure C) to hold the tabletop at the proper height.
- Important: When positioning the ledger strips, it's important to ensure that the tabletop will sit just below the top edge of the apron. To check for a precise height, add a strip or two of carpenter's tape around the top of the tabletop. As long as the surface of the tape sits level with the top of the apron, you can be confident that the ledger strips are positioned precisely.
- With the ledgers in place, the top can now be checked for proper fit (figure D).
- If the fit is not exact, don't worry. The channel that will be cut for the inlay will cover any slight imperfections (figure E).
- To glue in the tabletop, apply woodworker's glue to the tops of the ledger strips (figure F) and to the sides of the tabletop.
- Position the tabletop in place, and gently tap it down with a dead-blow hammer (figure G).
- Tip: For glue-up, apply woodworker's tape around the frame and edges to protect the bubinga from any excess glue (figure H).
- Use as many clamps as necessary to achieve a strong bond as the tabletop dries (figure I).
- After the top has dried, make a few light passes with a hand scraper to flush up the edges of the apron (figure J). It's a good idea to leave the tape on the bubinga veneer to protect while scraping.
- The next steps involve preparing the channel around the perimeter of the tabletop. The channel is cut using a plunge router. Because the legs of the table are offset from the apron, a straight-edge must be established so that the router has something to ride against. To achieve this, a piece of 3/4-inch MDF is clamped onto the apron. The MDF guide is notched to go around the legs (figure K).
- Cut the channel using the plunge router with a 1/8-inch carbide bit (figure L). The router is run along the edges of the MDF to achieve a straight cut, and is stopped just short of the corners.
- Use a sharp chisel to square up the corners of the channel for the inlay (figure M).
- Tip: Be sure to cut the channel for the inlay first before cutting the ebony-inlay stock. In that way if the channel chips out slightly while making the cut, the damage can be repaired by routing the channel a little wider and making the inlay slightly larger.
In the final phase of the project, the David Marks fashions and installs the ebony inlay and applies a tung-oil finish. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
The Complete Woodworker's Companion
Author: Roger Holmes
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
ISBN: 0823008665
Woodworker's Guide to Wood: Softwoods, Hardwoods, Plywoods, Composite, Veneers
Model: 080836878
Author: Rick Peters
(2000)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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