Miter thoughts?

I am soon going to embark on my next major project; namely, a pair of sofa tables. Each is about 9' long, 16" wide; top frame and apron will be 2

1/2 - 3" wide, 3/4+-" thick. Space between the frames will have tile.

I want the frame and apron pieces to appear seamless so I'll make them from adjacent pieces cut from the same board. The best way I know of to make them appear seamless is by mitering the joining edges and there is (may be) the problem...it is not easy to join miters perfectly especially such long ones.

I'm thinking of cutting the miters, laying a frame and apron face up (miters down) and taping them tightly together, flip, insert glue, fold together (sort of like joining veneer pieces). I'll make some small ply clamping squares to help keep them aligned and perpendicular to each other while the glue sets.

Anyone see any problem in this? Know of a better way?

Thanks for your input.

Reply to
dadiOH
Loading thread data ...

In certain sections of the joints, from the same board, you end up loosing at least 1.5" if working with 3/4" material. So if the train is not straight the grain may not match up on the inside corners.

The faces however will loose less and lool pretty good.

You can actually form a full square wit hte grain matching all the way around. This involves starting with material that is a bit more than twice as thick as what yu will work with. You resaw down the middle and that sorta gives you two identical boards.

If you understand this fine. Or I could find a reference.

Reply to
Leon

I'm less concerned about the inside corners than I am the faces of frame and apron and I understand it fine. Unfortunately, my lumber isn't thick enough to resaw to 2 - 3/4" pieces. Of course, I could resaw to 1/4 or more and laminate those to something else. Maybe. I'll think on it.

Thanks for your input, always appreciated.

Reply to
dadiOH

I have often used tape to hinge them together.

Reply to
woodchucker

I've done it similarly but never on such a scale -- at 20" square it gets a bit unwieldy so I wouldn't want to try it in my shop with 9' stock. I'd think that tightly-fitted splines inside the miters would make your life a lot easier and the final result much stronger. Once the splines are good there is little to go wrong as long as you keep the corners square as the glue dries.

Reply to
John McGaw

Yeah, the length is what worries me. Splines would definitely help.

Reply to
dadiOH

If you are concerned how to hold the miters together, I did this.

formatting link

The piece that fits between the sides pieces and directly behind the part that is moving, has pocket holes on the back side, you can't see them but they reinforce and pull the miter closed, along with the glue.

Reply to
Leon

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.