Thread: What joints should I use ?

Never mind lefty, I had a 5 hour session yesterday , got out the boards for the table top as per pic attached, and obtained 10 pieces of 127mmx18mm 4ft. long. The boards were 45mm thick and after resawing and thicknessing I was left with 18mm thickness. Is this good?
The platform I made for the mitre saw has found another use, the fence gives a good indication of the straightness of a board (lay it against the fence) . Anyway finished up with two plastic bags of shavings and a bit of earache.
Also attached picture of the trouble and strife, giving me some competition.

[QUOTEjow104]Is this good?[/QUOTE] Goood? It's floody blantastic!

On a completely different subject, why the 104 in your name?

I was a newcomer to forums at the time of signing in, and I think I was refused my original request, so I created the title using part of my sirname, and added my housenumber.

Nobody took up the offer of a visit , We visited Australia earlier this year and obtained return fares of £400 each. ($900?) but there were passengers on the aircraft who had negotiated even lower fares than this. If anyone interested I can telephone London and post the best price I can obtain.
Meanwhile addres me as "woody" if happier.

Went in the workshop and the boards for the table top (18mm thickness) have cupped, The timber is construction grade but the date stamped was 1970 , wouldn't have thought there was any movement left .

Having to think about a new way to make the slatted table top using this timber .

ANY IDEAS WELCOME ?????

Originally Posted by jow104

Went in the workshop and the boards for the table top (18mm thickness) have cupped, The timber is construction grade but the date stamped was 1970 , wouldn't have thought there was any movement left .

I have som White Oak that reacted the same way.
An old ' chippy' in our church group mentioned that
if you use a thicknesser to reduce the wood you
could expose a differing growth stage of the wood structure
and this might cause changes in teh stress line of the wood.

Any comment?

The cheapo timber I am using was definately sawn originally through and through, and I suppose this is the reason for my dilema.
Would this have still happened if it was of a better quality timber after 30 years (it was an ex roof purlin)?

Temp. this mornoing at 7.30am on mid summers day is 15 centigrade , or 60 far. just right for woodworking? ( some parts of Britain had frost last night)

Pic attached of my cupping problem, so I have put on some heavy timbers at the ends of the table slats, together with one dowel at the centre end of each slat. I am hopeing that at a later date I can cut the table top again leaveing off the end supports. (how long do you reckon?)

pics attached of the temp., cupping problem and three table pieces laying on frame.

Table tops now on, my very friendly neighbour gave me two sets of hinges manufactured in the USA (terrific quality) . I have posted their address in the suppliers section on this site. (Timbers and hardware suppliers)
Two pics attached one showing table inverted, the other standing and open position. The swinging legs have now to be fitted (at moment only propping up the table leaves.
I reckon the project is now 19 days, and approx 60 hours work, I would have to seriously consider if I were to remake the table in hardwood, or as indoor type furniture, the weight and additional quality of handicraft would need some extra attention.

I had to remove the table top today to fit the swinging leg mechanism (very primitive). I used some 3/8" brass rod, and an old fishing rod brass ferrule 11mm, and then shut off the spindles with some brass plate over the openings. Pics attached.

I am now ready to beef up the base legs at ground level and put some sacrificial feet to take the ground wear. Later today I intend to start putting on the preservative, but Wimbledon has started and that means wet weather will surely arrive(in fact heavy rains and high winds forecast for the week) .
This means painting will have to be done in the shop over the next few days.

Colour going on, but be 4 days before finalised, 2" rain forecast today and wet until friday. Therefore preservative will not dry for a few days.

Rain stopped play :mad:

Unable to get the table out to its garden position and assemble then paint , the reason see attached picture of our bay, also Wimbledon no play all day.

However so I did not get rusty I knocked up another whellbarrow planter for the wife (better than the lady next door!!!) using offcuts from table project.

Pic attached of my cupping problem,

Woody, The cupping board on the left is a classic. Event though its been sawn for years it will always do this, to some degree, every time there is a significant humidy change. Thats because of the varying lengths of grain across the width.

The trick is knowing how to utilise timber that is sawn in this fashion.

I say that one of the most helpful woodworking references I have ever read is the first couple of chapters of Ernest Joyce's book "The technique of Furniture Making" (Fourth Edition from 1987) Its a UK publication so you should have no trouble tracking it down.

Cheers

Went shopping with the wife and it seemed like a competition who could buy the most. I got an electric 18v drill about $30 with a 5 year guarantee (from the 3d & 6d. store), 5 canvases, and 6 tee shirts, the wife equalled my purchases but hers included 10 planter troughs, so I have got 10 planter boxes to make (16 m/t joints each makes 16o total).

Ready to put on final preservative on table today I hope. Pic attached of progress at the moment.