Thread: Recycled timber table top - couple of questions...

A lot of questions, so I will fire some questions back. What have you in the way of clamps to join the top and what did you have in mind for legs and aprons. That pic you posted of leg assembly would only (to my thinking) really work in metal and only with a quite thick top in the table size you want. Some kind of longways support is required to prevent the long top sagging and to prevent wracking.
That kind of leg construction also has real problems with any kind of unevenness of the floor it stands on (unless there are feet under it) and is hard to trim to sit even. How do you propose to flatten the whole top? Biscuits will add nothing strength wise to the top but will help align the boards so will reduce work in the flattening of the top.
Movement will be a problem in a top that large so allow for that when attaching it to the frame.
Asking the harsh questions is a step in finding a design that works.
Regards
John

To attach the legs, drill a clearance hole for each screw, simply a little oversized, don't stress about slotted.
You want the timber to be as thick as possible for a table design like that so go the 45mm timber.

Originally Posted by orraloon

A lot of questions, so I will fire some questions back. What have you in the way of clamps to join the top and what did you have in mind for legs and aprons. That pic you posted of leg assembly would only (to my thinking) really work in metal and only with a quite thick top in the table size you want. Some kind of longways support is required to prevent the long top sagging and to prevent wracking.
That kind of leg construction also has real problems with any kind of unevenness of the floor it stands on (unless there are feet under it) and is hard to trim to sit even. How do you propose to flatten the whole top? Biscuits will add nothing strength wise to the top but will help align the boards so will reduce work in the flattening of the top.
Movement will be a problem in a top that large so allow for that when attaching it to the frame.
Asking the harsh questions is a step in finding a design that works.
Regards
John

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply. Agreed - best to get the design right before picking up the first piece of timber. I haven't done anything on this scale before.




I have a lot of the hardwood frame studs in various sizes, I'll have to see what I have in 45mm. It'll look better than 35 and maybe won't need supporting lengthways?

I have a 10" planer/thicknesser combo. The plan was to joint and glue sections under 10", then run them all through the thicknesser and glue/clamp in sections with cauls to keep as flat as possible. Then sand with belt or ROS sander as flat as possible - I know this will take a bit of time.
I have 5 120cm sash/pipe clamps but happy to get a couple more if needed.


I'm going to try a hall table first. Probably 120cm long by 35/40cm wide to get a bit of practise.


I haven't decided on legs yet. I was thinking of the square design as in the pic as it would be simple to do. I was going to do it in timber and paint gloss white or black, I could get them fabricated in steel I guess. Otherwise the X style as below.
I hoped to avoid aprons to avoid mortise and tenons.

This is the sort of thing I'd like to do and it doesn't seem too complicated: Tallulah Table - Recycled Timber Furniture Melbourne, Yard Furniture


Windsor-Smith-09385-568x715.jpg

I think the hall table sounds like a good start. Tables look quite simple but good structure and design get more important as you scale up. With a hall table under the belt you will have a good idea of where to go then.
BTW that X leg design I used in my first barbie table many years ago but as it has no longways frame it was a tad shakey soon as someone lent on the ends.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=c...w=1082&bih=487
Take a look at some and try to visualise what the frame parts do.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by Uncle Henry

Also joining legs to the finished top. I assume I need to allow for movement? Do I need specific slotted brackets or similar?

If you are going with the steel tube legs, get an angle welded on both sides of the top where the legs meet the frame. You will also want to something like a short coach screw.

This should help prevent the legs collapsing in the inevitable event that the table is dragged across the floor.

Another option is weld a tube between the bottom of the two feet.