Wood movement question

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I know how to attach a table top and allow for wood movement. I know raised panel doors allow for it also. . . . . . a little knowledge, etc. . . . .

What about serving trays?

I'm making a serving tray with a 5/16" thick bottom. The tray will be about

20" x 12". Just a simple frame with a rabbet on the bottom to accept the base. If I never knew about wood moving, I'd just glue it in place, maybe a few brads. I'll allow some clearance, of course, but if it is glued, will the movement be a problem? I have a vision of the bottom popping out or on a humid day looking like a peaked roof.

In case you are wondering how I arrived at the 5/16" bottom, it was not very scientific. I resawed some 6" wide maple. I planed it to get it fairly smooth to glue up. On the last pass, the blades wanted to tell me it was time to replace them. After gluing it up, I just ran it through with the new blades until the divots went away and that became the final thickness.

Since it will hold beverages, maybe with alcohol, the finish will be poly.

-- Ed [e-mail]

[Phisherman]

Depends on the which way the grain of the sides will be. With a cross grain, you will need to be concerned about movement. How much concern depends on the wood selected (hard maple moves a little more than soft maple) and the changes in humidity. Without a cross grain, you can glue all around the bottom without concern because the sides will move in the same direction as the bottom but two sides will have the end grain showing on the top edge.

[Tom]

Plan on the movement. Attach it with _slightly_ elongated fastener holes going cross-grain. Plug the holes with oversize dowels, and enjoy! Tom >Subject: Wood movement question

Someday, it'll all be over....

[Edwin Pawlowski]

There will be some cross grain. I think I'll go with the slot for a screw suggested by Tom in the other post. Ed