Thread: Sapele & Zebrawood end tables

Looking forward to seeing this take shape!

PROBLEM #1

I watched a video on The Wood Whisperer today in which he stressed how extremely important it is to use plywood when you're framing a piece, like for a table top. If you don't the solid wood you frame up will eventually pop all the miters apart.

I have the zebrawood all glued into big table top blanks that are much too large to resaw or plane down and attach to some ply.

So.... I'm a little stuck before I even get this thing rolling.

I emailed Marc (The Wood Whisperer) about it. He suggested breadboard ends. Would this still be able to work if the sapele frame gets used? I'm thinking lap joints on the corners, maybe with a peg to re-enforce it. Would this provide enough strength to keep it from pulling itself apart?

Also, I originally wanted to have the top glued into a groove cut into the frame. Is there a structural advantage in doing this if a breadboard end is used, or would it just be more work for no purpose?

Progress has been pretty slow. I've been sidetracked with making 3 guitars at the same time, and that's taken most of my efforts.

I did manage to get the zebrawood tops glued together. If I didn't mention it before, they're slip-matched. With the solid tops, I'm changing the design to breadboard ends. I found a GREAT tutorial in a magazine, so there are no worries there.