Hi everyone,
I am looking for suggestions, tips and tricks (pics or diagrams preferred) on how to attach solid wood edges (maple or oak) to a 3/4 plywood tabletop; preferrably without nails. My skills are still at a very beginner level.. As far as tools go, I have a brand new tablesaw and a router at my disposal. Thanks! Vlad
Then take some advice. Don't use plywood. Use veneered particle board to match, or complement the edging material. Wood used to be closer to 1" than it is to 1/2" when called 1", and plywood used to be good quality material. Now it's crap, at least where I live.
Join using a spline. Think of a groove in the edging and a matching one in the particle board edge. If you don't go full length, you won't have to sorry about appearances at the end of the cut. A piece of solid hardwood should fill the gap between the two. Glue and clamp after a trial fit. Be sure to clamp the overlapping edges, AA', and BB'.
A B ........................................ ........................................ ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ........................................ ........................................ A' B'
Bill.
Biscuits???
John
Numerous ways to do it. How wide are the edges? You can use short dowels. You can use biscuits. There is a biscuit cutting bit for routers. You can tack them with brads and remove them after the glue sets up.
Just be sure the hardwood is flush or slightly proud of the plywood as you can sand right through the top ply if you try to get it down to match the edging.
I built benches using this same technique using biscuits. If you get a slot cutting bit for your router, you can easily cut the slots for the biscuits as this is how I did it before I got my biscut cutter. Use #20 biscuts and you may want to put a 2nd layer of plywood at the edge. I made my hardwood wrap on the benches 1 1/2 inches tall x 3/4 inch thick. When I attached, I made a plywood cleat that I glued to the bottom of the top and flush with the edge. Now I had plenty of backer for the hardwood edge and plenty of space for the biscuits.
Biscuits, a.k.a. plates. You need a tool such as the Porter-Cable 557 plate joiner:
Dowels look good, though. Especially when they are of a wood with contrasting color.
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