Thread: Blackwood dining table

I'm getting ahead of myself here, it will take a while to plane this wood, but I was wondering how to stick the planks together for the top.

Biscuits - I have a Stanley 50 combination plane I could use to route a groove - but dont know much about this method.

Tongue and groove - again with the Stanley 50 - this is what I'm thinking of doing so far, would certainly be strong, but would seasonal movement wreck havoc?

Just glue them together after smoothing with the jointer plane.

Corey

Hi Corey, looking forward to seeing this as i've come to really like blackwood once polished up, a nice project for you

As for the top, if the boards are fairly straight (as in flat) once you're done dressing them, you could just use wood glue (i prefer titebond 2 or equivalent) and rub each board together then clamp.
If they aren't too straight/flat then definately go for biscuits, just to line them up nicely for gluing and clamping. Cauls could be another way to flatten them out when clamping if you don't want to biscuit.

By the way, how big is the table going to be?

Paul.

thanks for the tips Paul. I'll see how straight they end up after dressing.

The top will be 2m x 1m, made up from 8cm wide planks. It is a beautiful wood, isnt it.

Corey

Hi Sandow,

All due respect but as a professional I have to put my oar in on this one. If the boards for a panel aren't straight, with dead square edges,flat and free from any form of twist then they are not ready to join. Forcing poorly prepared boards for a panel into line with biscuits or whatever plus a stack of cramping force is just building in grief for the future as those tensions work their way out of the system. Also it will be very difficult to get a panel that conforms to a planar surface then that has to be managed by then forcing the panel flat down on to an apron or trestle or whatever joinery is involved. On an on it goes with one fault spawning another. Good joinery starts with good attitude.

Its a good idea to occasionally read the inspirational words of James Krenov in any of his three books. At the end of the day he doesn't tell you how to achieve the technicalities of a joint or whatever, he seeks to prepare your mind for getting it right. An absolutely wonderful mentor for any aspiring woodworker.


Cheers and absolutely no offence intended. Old Pete

Originally Posted by Sandow

Hi Corey, looking forward to seeing this as i've come to really like blackwood once polished up, a nice project for you

As for the top, if the boards are fairly straight (as in flat) once you're done dressing them, you could just use wood glue (i prefer titebond 2 or equivalent) and rub each board together then clamp.
If they aren't too straight/flat then definately go for biscuits, just to line them up nicely for gluing and clamping. Cauls could be another way to flatten them out when clamping if you don't want to biscuit.

By the way, how big is the table going to be?

Paul.

Long grain to long grain glue join is generally enough. Iv'e done a couple of glue up's similar to yours (big and small) and I use my Domino (biscuit joiner would work too) to allign the boards flat. But the boards have to be flat in the first place, otherwise you may run into problems later with cupping/bowing.

Have a look at the first link, it talks about "sprung joints" and tips on panel glue ups.
panel-glue-ups-richard-jones-furniture
Gluing Panels - the Edge to Edge Joint: by Doug Smith

Good luck
Andy

Thanks Andy and Pete.

Get it flat and straight to start with then glue. Makes sense.

Really good articles there Andy.

Corey

Nice little stack of Blackwood, hours of fun there for anyone

Will be watching this one.

After a morning of sorting and planing, the table is underway:


Sorting the planks to get the straightest for the
IMG_1186.JPG

Here they are, the dressed one on the right is 2m:
IMG_1188.JPG

The Stanley #7:
IMG_1191.JPG

Some of that nice blackwood grain:
Attachment 194814

This one was the same dark grey as the plane body:
IMG_1194.jpg

and after planing:
IMG_1195.jpg

Anyone see a table starting to form here:
Attachment 194817
Attachment 194818

Next step is . . . more planing . . .

Love love love Blackwood,...anyone know someone who is prepared to give me a pile like that cheap??!

Looking forward to seeing this one come together!

Some encouragement.

I do have a bit of blackwood I'd like to swap for some american oak with a nice grain.

I'll post a thread soon on the swap forums, but if anyone's in sydney, has some nice oak and wants some blackwood, let me know.

Corey

ps, the build is going slowly as I've been busy with other things - still planing though

back soon . . ..

Nice

I was going to say that you've too much blackwood there, and out of the kindness of my heart, I'll come around and help you tidy up

nice try sawdust maker . . .

I've been busy, but managed some work on the table today.
Attachment 196625

This shows the remaining 3 planks left to dress for the
Attachment 196627

Attachment 196626

I'm also working on a toybox, need do focus on something smaller, as the table project is so big it can look a bit daunting:
Attachment 196628

The planing process is really quite physical, but I wouldnt have it any other way . . .