Thread: A brace of Walnut tilt-top tables

The oysters cupping was bugging me . I figured that the moisture and heat in the glue was causing the cupping so I tried moistening the exposed face with sponge brush and kept the face slight moistened for about an hour until the horse sauce had well set . No cupping
Dont know how that would go on a curved surface though'

Originally Posted by Clinton1

haven't seen oysters used in a long, long time... figure they went out of favour when machines and iron-on veneer became affordable for the home shed.

Love it, good to see them being used again. Looking forward to detailed photos of the finished table (hint, hint).

Using them for two reasons (or is it four?). They look nice (or may, when I'm not wielding them), I'm practicing for an Olive oystered COD, I'd otherwise be wasting the wood, and I don't own, or use for that matter, an iron

"Hint, hint" - are you trying to rush this glacier!

Originally Posted by Peter36

The oysters cupping was bugging me . I figured that the moisture and heat in the glue was causing the cupping so I tried moistening the exposed face with sponge brush and kept the face slight moistened for about an hour until the horse sauce had well set . No cupping
Dont know how that would go on a curved surface though'

Good to hear! What are you veneering by-the-way?

Originally Posted by Blue-deviled

Good to hear! What are you veneering by-the-way?

I want to make a hall table similar to one in FWW No 214 but with different timbers .I am gluing strips of 50mm square tiles( 4 tiles edge glued ) 200mmx50mm. It is to be a house warming present for my son and DIL when they move next March.

Originally Posted by Peter36

I want to make a hall table similar to one in FWW No 214 but with different timbers .I am gluing strips of 50mm square tiles( 4 tiles edge glued ) 200mmx50mm. It is to be a house warming present for my son and DIL when they move next March.

I haven't read that magazine for quite a while. Any pictures?

Progress has been further stymied by running out of suitable oysters...and christmas.

Either way, the top is coming along, and a week off should provide ample time on the bandsaw for the second set of legs, roysterin' and a few other bits and jobs. Here's another photo of an incomplete part! Its union jack butterflies will continue.

Best of the 'season,
B-D

Very smart. Are they glued down to the circular top? If so, I would trim off the corners ASAP.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Very smart. Are they glued down to the circular top? If so, I would trim off the corners ASAP.

Glued down, yes, but you overestimate my rate of progress! There's still the outer circular, and banding orbital to go.

I thought the circular top was covered by those oysters and the whole lot was sitting on a bench. I just noticed the curvature of the Elm top in the image. It's hard to get an idea of scale.

no, not trying to rush you... you'll take what time you need, no more and no less.
Good to see that you worked out how to handle them... some people will treat each surface of the oyster the same (glue each face), others do what you do and glue one face, wet the other.
I think oysters look great as an edge treatment.

I'll continue to look on with interest.

Much also depends on how the oysters were dried and whether they were sized or not.

I'm very sure you know far, far, better than I, Woodwould... and I'd be very appreciative if you explained in depth. (hint, hint)

If the branches are fully dry before being cut into oysters, then more often than not, you only need to wet their top surfaces when laying them to counter the effects of the glue on the under sides.

If cutting oysters from green wood, then sizing both surfaces will keep them from misbehaving too badly until they're ready for laying.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

If cutting oysters from green wood, then sizing both surfaces will keep them from misbehaving too badly until they're ready for laying.

I read in an article on oystering that diluted horse sauce was suitable for sizing. If this was used would the oyster then be able to be bleached?