Step 1.04

[rhull]

Today I finished hand-jointing and (power) planing the lumber for the tabletop (as long as there's no additional significant movement). One of the pieces has some striking curly figure.

I don't have many clamps over 48", so I think I'll be gluing the panel up in smaller sections, then gluing the two halves together with my few long clamps and hope I don't have any problems. This will be the largest glue-up I've ever done.






Step 1.00: worldofwood.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=genwork&action=display&thread=496
Step 1.01: worldofwood.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=genwork&action=display&thread=601
Step 1.02: worldofwood.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=genwork&action=display&thread=638
Step 1.03: worldofwood.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=genwork&action=display&thread=738

[dcarter636]

That is going to look pretty nice, Rob.

I too feel that it is simpler to glue-up two or three boards at a time. For the final assembly of the two or three smaller panels I use long edge jointed 2x4s or 2x6s as alignment cauls, gently squeezed together with bar clamps, to keep things more or less flat and coplanar. Once the clamping of the glue joint(s) with long clamps is accomplished I cinch the bar clamps down to force flatness into the panel assembly via the long stiff cauls. It also makes glue squeeze-out clean up easier if the alignment cauls are notched a 1/4" deep x 2" to allow relief where they cross the joints being glued at the time.

I expect none of that is news to you but thought I'd share my lessons learned the hard way just in case...

[rhull]

Yep - I already have some 2x4's I got specifically for use as cauls for this assembly. ;D

[Leo Voisine]

Looking GOOD - love the progress pics.