If that is the look you want, then I would go solid wood..Be a little expensive, but be patient and search for the thicker stock..You'll be disappointed otherwise I sense. Just my humble opinion...
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If that is the look you want, then I would go solid wood..Be a little expensive, but be patient and search for the thicker stock..You'll be disappointed otherwise I sense. Just my humble opinion...
Jerry
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That's kind of how I feel, but then again, I am no expert on best practices, so that is why I may be open to go a different route if people think the solid 8/4 stock is going to cause that much of an issue.Originally Posted by Jerry Olexa
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I built my son and daughter a kitchen table and 4 chairs when they graduated from college and were setting up an apartment (before they bought houses). My son's is oak. My daughters is cherry. When she got married, she got a cherry bedroom set. She likes cherry. She is also easier on things than my son. They don't have kids, yet, but I am sure it will work fine.
On the other hand, if you wife really wants hickory, I think it would fit the design of the table better. Cherry is a wood for somewhat fancy sometimes delicate furniture to me. Hickory is more rustic feeling. I wouldn't worry too much about glue lines. You might want to try for a decent color match if you won't be staining but other than that and getting the joint tight, I wouldn't worry about it. If you get the color matched, it will not be very visible. You could also miter the joint of the top to the apron (I'd probably use 3/4-1 inch hickory it is both hard and heavy) to hide the joint. That would let you make the apparent thickness 3 inches or so - that's what the picture looks like. You could wrap a top with 3 inch wide pieces, in other words, mitered to the top. The bottom could be about anything - who looks. That would fit the design yet not waste a bunch of material or give you a hernia moving it. If you use cherry, I'd probably get a lower grade with some sap wood and even knots in it to make it more rustic in appearance.
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The most that I want to go on table thickness is 2". That table in the example that I gave was just for visual style reference. 3" is too thick to me. I would prefer to stay in the 6/4-8/4 range for the top thickness. That is why I was asking about gluing up 2 pieces of .75" Hickory instead of going with a solid 8/4 piece of Cherry. If weight is a factor, then it still seems like glued up 6/4 Hickory is going to be a lot heavier than 8/4 Cherry because Hickory is so much more dense.
Not sure what I should do at this point, especially given that people say that glued up pieces have less of a tendency to cup and bow.
Last edited by Anthony Brown; 10-02-2015 at 4:08 PM.
Contributor
You will have to build a system to batten the table...such as what was done here by an unknown shaker over 200 years ago;
I did a similar take on it here for this coffee table. The battens which legs will be attached to eventually and the breadboard ends are attached with sliding dovetails. The top has been sitting around waiting for me to complete a project....and is still flat.
^ This table is cherry, I started with 5/4 I think it's 1" thick~
For a table with breadboard ends, 6/4 is probably about the top end of the range. For a table without, but with heavy battens I might chose 8/4.
Last edited by Brian Holcombe; 10-02-2015 at 5:14 PM.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
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I digress, but is your shop floor carpeted Brian? How in the world to you keep it clean? I'd have paint and dye spatters and spills all over it, to say nothing of sawdust and shavings permanently embedded in it. I'm in awe.
John
[OP]
Member
So it is sounding more and more like I may have to head down the 3/4 glued up to 6/4 route in order to get the look that I want. 8/4 sounds like it may be too much, and I know we would still be happy with 6/4. Just have to figure out what to do about the glue lines and still get the look that I want. There are some methods that have been mentioned in this thread; maybe I will have to modify them to still get the look that I want.
Contributor
Face glued? I'm confused as to why you have to face glue the table top to make the thickness?
Hah, John....it takes a special sort of OCD.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
[OP]
Member
Yes, because this is the look that I am going for: http://images.custommade.com/QwmfIcp...805.151537.jpg
I really don't want any kind of borders or aprons around the edge of the table top. Maybe I am missing something else that you guys are trying to explain. I am probably nowhere near the level that you guys are at. I don't know any other way to achieve this look (not including using aprons) other than face gluing the boards or getting solid lumber. I don't mind the table top being a bit heavy if I can get the look I am after.
My local lumber yards don't even stock enough 4/4 Hickory lumber for me to do a 2" apron around the whole thing even if I wanted to. That is another reason why I was looking to go the 3/4 face glued to 6/4 route. I can find enough 3/4 Hickory if necessary.
Last edited by Anthony Brown; 10-02-2015 at 6:34 PM.
Member
About the various finishes... have just spent a week in a refinishing class (I'm no expert) with a professional custom cabinet and furniture builder I learned that if you want to use a solid durable long lasting finish for kitchen furniture professionals always go with a KCMA standard approved finishes. Likely going to be a Cat-Lacquer or catalyzed conversion finish. They look great and hold up.
Member
Yep, now that I see what you are trying to accomplish I can see an apron would not be appropriate. I would still consider laminating 2 boards together to get the thickness you want. 2 boards laminated together will be more stable (less bowing and twisting) than a single thick board. But that is just my opinion.
[OP]
Member
And your opinion matters. You guys have already convinced me to go that route when I was thisclose to buying solid 8/4 stock. I appreciate all of the help for sure!
Last edited by Anthony Brown; 10-02-2015 at 7:05 PM.
Contributor
Anthony, my honest recommendation is to find a yard which can provide what you are looking for, to make that table it looks like you will need 10/4 lumber.....however I think you would be better served sizing it down a hair to 8/4 thickness since it appears that the table you want to build is built of a softwood, so even at 10/4 thickness it's not super heavy.
The top is likely not glued up but looks like three separate planks. The breadboard ends are there to help keep the tabletop flat.
You may be best served making that table in a softwood, sure it will dent easier, but judging by what your goal is that may be exactly what you are looking for.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
[OP]
Member
Hey Brian, I apologize, I had stated in an earlier post that the image I posted was just for the style and to ignore the thickness of that table. We are not looking for a 10/4 table at all. 8/4 or even 6/4 would be appropriate for us. I have contacted all of the lumber yards within 2+ hours of me, and none of them have the thickness of lumber that I need except one that has 8/4 Cherry. No one really carries Hickory like that anymore around here except for a place that has S4S 3/4 Hickory that I can buy and laminate.
It sounds like your suggestion either way is to go solid and not laminate, is that correct?
Contributor
Good grief that is a massive table. But to get that look I think you do need solid stock. Glad I don't have to pay for 10/4 cherry or try to schlep it around in the shop. And if you make it that rustic there will be no need to worry about the kids beating it up. You may even want to ask them to have it before you put the finish on it. Good luck.
John
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