[OP]
Member
I was attempting to make some cool curved legs for a coffee table. I laminated together some 3/4 walnut for it. As you can see on my first practice leg it cut through the first layer of wood. You can see the lines on the side (the arrows are pointing to it). Is there anyway to blend these together when I stain it or should i seek out some solid walnut?
Contributor
That's the problem with laminating for legs. If it will work, put the thickest boards on the outside of the glue-up and make sure you don't cut more than the depth of the outside boards.
Otherwise, get some thicker solid stock.
mike
Contributor
That's the problem with laminating boards. It's going to be difficult to hide the joint lines!
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Contributor
Robert,
Typically, legs are not laminated for the reason that you have discovered. This is a principal reason why 12/4 wood is cut and dried.
If you decide to go with solid legs, you will want to use rift sawn wood. In this way, the grain pattern on adjacent faces will be quite similar. Depending upon the thickness needed for your legs, you can someitmes use some angled rips to reduce a board's thickness and sort of "create" rift sawn stock.
Alan Turner
Philadelphia Furniture Workshop
Member
Personally, I'd get some walnut veneer and cover up my mistake. Maybe that's just me.
In Memoriam
You'll never be able to hide the change in grain from one board to the next, but if you're just trying to hide the joint line you could try inlaying a contrasting wood at the lines. I wouldn't attempt this unless the joint lines are at the exact same height on all 4 legs and would go no wider than 1/8" (1/16" would be my choice). The look may not work with what you had in mind but at least it would appear as an intentional design element rather than an oops.
Use the fence Luke
[OP]
Member
An inlay isnt a bad idea. Maybe i can use just a 1/4 dado blade and make a short cut on all 4 sides. Then sand flush. Not sure how it will look, but its worth a try.Originally Posted by Doug Shepard
I would definitely mess up the veneer, plus this table is going to go through some abuse with 3 large dogs.
Im glad i did a practice board first, instead of gluing up 4 legs.
All else fails I have to drive an hour or so to my lumber supplier.
In Memoriam
If you're going to try it, lay it out on the leg with tape first to see what it's going to look like. 1/4" inlay on coffee table height legs might look too blocky. The Borg usually has router bits down to 1/16" if you want to go thinner. 1/8" could be done by router or just one of the blades from the dado set.
Guest
The inlay idea is a great way to take advantage of what is otherwise a limitation.
In Memoriam
If you make the laminations work with the shaping it will be intentional and work!
Last edited by Mark Singer; 07-11-2006 at 9:35 AM.
"All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"
Contributor
Depending on the thickness of your leg and your planks, you can sometimes laminate so that the seam runs from a corner diagonally to the other corner. Even after you do your shaping, the grain change between the planks happens at the corner, where the eye expects things to change anyhow, and it is virtually invisible.
[OP]
Member
thats way too cool Mark.
im going to check with a local sawmill and see what they have first. if they have the thicker stock i might just go get it. their prices are excellent. That would save me a lot of gluing up time too...
Contributor
If you can't get solid stock that's thick enough for the legs, get stock that's half the thickness. That way, the glue line will be in the middle and you won't cut through it.
Mike
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