Zebra coffee table

[Mike Hill]

Mark: Every time I think I am getting to be an "OK" woodworker I see something you have done. This is going to be beautiful. Keep it up and keep posting them, it gives all of us some really good ideas.
Mike

[John Schreiber]

In detailing the joint , I slightly round the edges to disguise the surface interface. Now miters will show about 50 less movement since the direction of movement is 45 degrees to the joint surface. By comparison a breadboard end sees 100% differential.

If I understand correctly, this is going for a different look than a typical miter joint. Usually when we make a miter joint we aim for the surfaces to be perfectly flush with each other, and any error sticks out like a sore thumb. This will visually emphasize that there is a difference between the two components. That visual space will look the same over a small amount of wood movement so as to make it appear that it doesn't change.

That's thinking outside of the usual box. I can see how it could work on a bridal joint and I'm anxious to see the finished product here.

[Mark Singer]

John,
The most important thing is to make the joint uniform....same gap at all points. If you are tight here and wide there it is an eyesore. It is like fitting a drawer...same gap all around. We know that there needs to be a gap because it is a drawer. I think I can get it farely tight. Also the wenge splines may get a tiny roundover also....I may just chamfer it with a small plane

[Mark Singer]

I installed the bottom hidden stretchers. These act as beams and are not glued to the top. The top is free to expand or , with the small gap I left , contract. The 2 screws that hold it near the center are only about 7" apart and drilled with a 1/4" bit to allow for movement between them. The ends of the stretcher are held to the aprons with a bisquit. This is glued to the stretcher and dry at the apron so it can slide as the wood movemnt occurs. On the short mitered end I used a wenge spline that is glued to the short end and hold with a screw in the long one...here I use a drawboring technique to pull it tight...it can still move.

[Mark Singer]

I have the top to a point where I need to take it to South Coast sanding , where there is a large wide belt sander. I think he is on vacation...I was calling him all week... The basic shape and details are done...there will be a lot of detailing after it comes from sanding. The short ends are designed to be free to allow for movement. The splined miter with a tiny roundover is a great joint for that applicaton....I often use a bridal joint, but the edge grain in zebra is way different than the face and it would be a poor joint...the bridal is easier to cut. Both joints work well for KD (knock down construction). I managed to leave the ends down about a 16th so the top face grain gets most of the action and the short ends just get grazzed at the end.... So its all coming together....Frank , my stainless resource is in the San Juan islands off Seattle....I am traveling this coming week as well so stayed tuned for the final table...don't hold your breath please

[Mark Singer]

here are a coupl pics ...the bookmatched patern is starting to show a bit...it will with sanding and finish

[Charles Jackson III]

Nice coffee table.

[Art Mulder]

On the short mitered end I used a wenge spline that is glued to the short end and hold with a screw in the long one...here I use a drawboring technique to pull it tight...it can still move.

I'm a little lost by what you mean by a drawboring technique. I don't see any evidence of a peg in the photos, which makes me think you are referring to how the screw will fasten the short end to the long one ?? But I wouldn't think that a screw would at all act like a drawbore...

Oh and about the dimensions... a 36x80" coffee table... wow that's big.

The zebra is lighter than I thought. will it retain those light stripes with finish and age?

Looks great. You haven't mentioned anything about how you plan to support this table top. Legs? wood? Metal? Four? Trestle?

best,
...art

[Corey Hallagan]

Mark, the Zebra wood is beautiful. I have never worked with it but I know David Marks likes to work with it as well. A little costly for me but hoping I can make a box out of some one of these days. That is going to be a beautiful table .... and big!

Corey

[Mark Singer]

Art,
When I installed the screw in each corner, from the bottom, I first drilled a 1/4" hole in the main table. Then I inserted the short ends and marked it with an awl into the wenge spline. Now I drilled the hole in the spline 1/8" out board of the mark......the srew acts just like a dowel and keeps the ends in. The color is light because there is no finish yet...its not even sanded....the dry glue is still oozing out of the joints. The table base are four stainless legs similar to my Peruvian walnut table that was sold right out from under me

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.p...eruvian+walnut

[Roy Wall]

The short ends are designed to be free to allow for movement. The splined miter with a tiny roundover is a great joint for that applicaton....I often use a bridal joint, but the edge grain in zebra is way different than the face and it would be a poor joint...the bridal is easier to cut. Both joints work well for KD (knock down construction). I managed to leave the ends down about a 16th so the top face grain gets most of the action and the short ends just get grazzed at the end....

I think those are great points that a veteran WW'er like you can point out. I may have just picked a joint because I like a certain look...not what the wood should dictate ... Good forethought on the sanding too!

[Mark Singer]

I think those are great points that a veteran WW'er like you can point out. I may have just picked a joint because I like a certain look...not what the wood should dictate ... Good forethought on the sanding too!

Roy ,
I was thinking of making a stacked laminated end....I even glued up to short ends and wasted a bit of zebra....now I need to make something from them ...The laminated side did not look good....Zebra is a strong wood in grain pattern and you need to keep it simple. The splined free mitered joint is a difficult one to cut....everything needs to start at the same thickness....I had a problem there and my bandsawed joints were not matching. So I made a router jig and used the Bosch Colt to trim the joints exactly the same...Then it takes some hand work to make it all go together.
The wood often tells you what to do visually if you "listen" ....I am convinced the stacked , laminated trim would have ruined the design....so I shifted gears in the middle of the project and I think this will really look nice when its done.
Another little trick is that I checked the moisture content of the zebra and of most of the finished pieces in the home....about 6 to 8 percent based on location and wood. The zebra is about 7 percent...I am not expecting much movement.. The worst would be expansion...that would leave gaps in the miters...I think its unlikley last famous words

[Art Mulder]

Art,
When I installed the screw in each corner, from the bottom, I first drilled a 1/4" hole in the main table. Then I inserted the short ends and marked it with an awl into the wenge spline. Now I drilled the hole in the spline 1/8" out board of the mark......the srew acts just like a dowel and keeps the ends in. The color is light because there is no finish yet...its not even sanded....the dry glue is still oozing out of the joints. The table base are four stainless legs similar to my Peruvian walnut table that was sold right out from under me

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.p...eruvian+walnut

Well, then it was exactly as I imagined. I love learning something new.

This is the second time that I have noticed you mentioning having to build something to replace some furniture sold from your home. (last one was the dining table or chairs, or maybe both...) Do you do this intentionally, using your house as a showroom, or is this just happenstance?

[Kyle Stiefel]

Mark,

It doesn't even need to be said but you do outstanding work. I really appreciate you talking and showing things through with the goal of each joint etc.

Thanks again.
Kyle

[Scot Ferraro]

Mark, this is very beautiful indeed. I love Zebra wood -- great patterns in the grain and you incorporated them very nicely. Perhpas I missed it in the thread, but what are you finishing it with? Sorry if you already mentioned it...

I will have to remember South Coast Sanding -- I was wondering who had a reputable service in So Cal.

Thanks again for sharing.

Scot