Clampling and joining timber

**Pauls321** · 24th November 2019, 05:42 PM

Hi all, This is one of those jobs that you wish you wasn't asked to do. A woman down the road asked me if I could organise some timber for a new "table top" for her island table in the centre of her lounge room/kitchen.

At the moment it has a grey marble probably laminated chipboard or something or other for a table top and the two wall ends. She is wanting a slab type top, solid timber I am thinking somewhere between 35 and 50mm thick. I can possibly access this but it would need to be jointed to create this irregular shape. Lets assume I end up getting two slabs of Queensland Maple timber. My first problem would be, how would I clamp this together and what should I use for joints?

And preliminary thoughts? My sketch is not to scale and my drawing skills (on photoshop) are not that good, but this give you the idea.

Paul

**banana** · 24th November 2019, 06:42 PM

could you do something like this? the red blocks are a fixed rigid jig fixed on a frame or plywood or something, the blue blocks are loose, and the green things are your clamps

Table for Cathy.jpg

[edit: probably need a fixed (red) block under that leftmost loose (blue) one too, so that it can't slip along the diagonal edge]

**PJM16** · 24th November 2019, 07:09 PM

Benchtop connectors with glue. Leave them in, can be installed onsite making it easier to transport. It's what cabinetmakers use all the time.

**Slave** · 24th November 2019, 08:01 PM

What about ratchet straps and some blocks of wood to keep it in shape

**Pauls321** · 24th November 2019, 09:32 PM

Thanks for these replies, I am liking them. I have contacted the chap whom I buy my timber from also with my rough sketch, seeing what he might be able to come up with for me, in the way of timber.

Thanks again,.............Paul

**orraloon** · 24th November 2019, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by PJM16

Benchtop connectors with glue. Leave them in, can be installed onsite making it easier to transport. It's what cabinetmakers use all the time.

This kind of thing

https://www.ebay.com.au/i/1839401982...iABEgLk-fD_BwE
Regards
John

**PJM16** · 25th November 2019, 09:05 AM

Orraloon, yep that's them. I also forgot to add, use biscuits in the join to help with alignment.

**rustynail** · 25th November 2019, 11:01 AM

I would avoid wide boards when a butt joint is required. Narrower strips will remain more stable. Glue up boards as one long piece and then cut the mitre joint angles to retain grain match as close as possible. A slip tenon, full length of joint minus 50mm each end with drawbored pins from the underside would form a strong joint.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 25th November 2019, 04:41 PM

+1 for benchtop connectors.

I trust that you have some wiggle room in those dimensions?

As it is, the mitre angles of each piece is slightly different. Not by much, a tad over a degree, but enough that:

A) if you profile the front/back edges, they may need to be massaged slightly to get a perfect match. This'll depend on the profile.
B) there'll be about a 1 mm difference in the lengths of each mitre. Again, it'll need to be massaged to fit.

Minor stuff, I know... but it's surprising how many people get caught out by it. Especially with larger variations in angle...

**Pauls321** · 25th November 2019, 05:43 PM

Thanks for all this info. I had a look in youtube at how to install these benchtop connectors. Bunnings actually has a good video on this procedure. The chap where I buy my timber from, can supply me with, if required, either, Camphor, blackbutt, Aust red cedar or Mackay Cedar. I'll discuss all this with the woman. As I said earlier, its not really a job I want to do.

Paul

**fiveeyes** · 28th November 2019, 07:59 AM

pinch dogs would work

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