Round Top Table Questions

A

awleonard

Well-known member
I'm finishing up the design for a 18" diameter table I am going to build to go between the lolling chairs I recently finished.  First question is how best to make the rails?  I've seen laminated rails and brick laid rails.  I've never done either, so I thought I'd ask what works best.  I have a vac/bag setup.  Access to bending ply is via mail only.  This is a small occaisional table meant for setting a glass of tea on or a book.

Next thing is veneer for the top.  I have been planning a sunburst using crotch mahogany.  But, as I start laying things out, the small diameter dosen't seem in scale to most of the crotch veneer I see or the stack I have in stock.  Has anybody done a small table like this?  I'm open to other wood type/figure suggestions.  I'd like to stay with mahogany or something that will work with mahogany (I've found bubinga works well, makore, etc.).  I was plannin  on a ceylon satinwood banding.  I did that on a small rectangular table a few years ago and I really like it. 

The legs are going to be Sheraton like.  The table is 24" high (matches the chair arm height).  I may add a shelf down below. 

Thanks for the help.

Tony
 
I've done both bent laminations and bricklay. I have had problems with the bent laminations springing back, most likey due to using yellow glue. No problems with the bricklay, and I found the bricklay much faster.
 
Just my opinion, but a smallish 18" diameter table with a satinwood border might look best with one crotch veneer centered over the surface, foregoing the sunburst pattern altogether.  Cal
 
Tony,

You might consider a hybrid using brick laid which is shaped round and then covered with a couple layers of thin laminations before applying the veneer.

A potential  problem with brick laid is that it exposes different angles to the wood grain of the bricks as it curves , which may shrink and swell differently resulting in print through making the bricks visible through the veneer.

Two or three laminations bonded to the outside and with scarphed butt joints on the ends of each layer,  and these joints  well staggered circumferentially could reduce this tendancy.

Karl
 
Tony- Make your life easy and just make a small tripod table with a fixed top with a nice serpentine curve on each of the 4 sides, 16" square-Al
 
I have some ideas about how to make the tenons on my curved aprons.  One thought is to build a jig for the TS.  My hand skills aren't very good.  I've only done a few tenons by hand on a chair and they weren't all that great.  Any tips on how to make them? 

Thanks,

Tony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top