My SO has asked me to build her a dining room table with a messy pattern of wood (look in abpw for drawing). I'd rather not use veneer preferring to use solid wood (it'll be heavy). The grain direction changes for each part of the table top and I'm wondering how to avoid splitting due to wood movement.
Suggestions will certainly be appreciated, even the ones suggesting veneer ;-)
Gary
GeeDubb wrote: : My SO has asked me to build her a dining room table with a messy pattern of : wood (look in abpw for drawing). I'd rather not use veneer preferring to : use solid wood (it'll be heavy). The grain direction changes for each part : of the table top and I'm wondering how to avoid splitting due to wood : movement.
: Suggestions will certainly be appreciated, even the ones suggesting veneer
You really should use veneer.
But, if you're determined not to, about the best you can do is have each of the larger squares as a floating panel in the main frame. To get the pattern you've sketched you'll need quartersawn wood anyway, which will expand somewhat less than flatsawn would.
But you really ought to use veneer. Even homemade, thick (1/8") would do, and give you some of the working pleasantries of solid wood (repairability, handplanability, etc).
-- Andy Barss
ayup. patterns like that are why veneering was invented.
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