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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    moonta bay s.a.
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    Default Biscuits or dowels

    Hi
    Have been making a table top with Huoen Pine and river red gum and just would like your thoughts on the joining
    method of the timber
    Have attached some pics to show what i am attempting The blank corner pieces will have bookmatched pieces
    of the river red gum and the center piece will be surrounded by river red gum
    Any tricks or thoughts would be very much appreciated 008 (4).JPG009 - Copy (2).JPG011 - Copy.JPG

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    near Mackay
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    Default

    If I was attempting that, I would use buscuits, as I think glue-up time would be a bit easier.
    But others more experienced may have other ideas.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Brisbane
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    4,925

    Default

    Use either for the purpose of alignment only, not needed for strength of well jointed edges, but before you glue it up, how have you accounted for expansion movement within the border?

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    moonta bay s.a.
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    32

    Default biscuit dowel

    Hi
    mic-d in all honesty i have not given any thought to the movment of the timber inside the boarder !!
    Am i attempting something that will not work??

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    Brisbane
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rob laundy View Post
    Hi
    mic-d in all honesty i have not given any thought to the movment of the timber inside the boarder !!
    Am i attempting something that will not work??
    Timber expands and contracts with the seasons (humidity) across the grain. If you put a solid timber (as in, not ply with veneer top) board inside a border like that it will either shrink away from or bust open the border depending on whether it shrinks or grows - or even does both over time. Additionally it looks like the blocks within the top will be glued up end to edge which will cause similar problems. It will be difficult to do it without leaving a gap on one or both sides for the boards to expand into. You could cut the boards into veneers and glue them to a ply backing to achieve the same look, and it will be stable, and you may have enough material to make several tables.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    moonta bay s.a.
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    32

    Default biscuit dowel

    Have been thinking about the movement of the timber and was just wondering if i were to on the underneath side
    fit a bow tie to all the pieces would this stop/restrict the movement enough to use the solid pieces
    or am i chasing the impossible

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Brisbane
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rob laundy View Post
    Have been thinking about the movement of the timber and was just wondering if i were to on the underneath side
    fit a bow tie to all the pieces would this stop/restrict the movement enough to use the solid pieces
    or am i chasing the impossible
    It's all about percentages. If you kept the timber for a while in a humidity-controlled environment to equilibrate to the same moisture content and then made it and sealed it very well with shellac and kept it in the same humidity controlled environment then you stand a good chance that it will be OK, but who can do that except a museum. Your percentages drop if you suffer big changes in humidity. Timber movement is very powerful and if you put a couple of bow ties underneath each section you might find splits appearing between those fixed point. Sorry to be pessimistic. Others may have a different opinion.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    moonta bay s.a.
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    32

    Default bic/dowel

    Hi
    mic-d Thanks for taking the time for the info its all appreciated
    The river red gum has been sitting in a barn for nearly 16 years so should be
    fairly stable and not sure with the h/pine as to how long it has been drying
    living in S.A. our climate is fairly stable and i could finish with poly/u so would be
    well sealed (talkin myself into trying it arn't i ) once again thanks for info

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    Brisbane
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rob laundy View Post
    Hi
    mic-d Thanks for taking the time for the info its all appreciated
    The river red gum has been sitting in a barn for nearly 16 years so should be
    fairly stable and not sure with the h/pine as to how long it has been drying
    living in S.A. our climate is fairly stable and i could finish with poly/u so would be
    well sealed (talkin myself into trying it arn't i ) once again thanks for info
    You can but try, it is only furniture after all, not the space shuttle. Good luck. I would seal it well with several coats of shellac even if you finish it with poly, shellac has the best resistance to moisture vapour of any finish.* Good luck.

    *Flexner - Understanding Wood Finishing

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    back in Alberta for a while
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    Default

    Hi Rob
    what you are attempting is high risk if you re usiung solid timber.
    If you can garantee that all the wood is at optimum moisture content and wont be exposed to change in humidity, then the top might last a very long time.

    for more usual environments, band sawn veneers on a stable ground (MDF, quality ply, or particleboard) is a much better choice. remember to use similar thickness veneers on both sides of your ground.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

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