Hi,
I'm in the design stage of a small table/stand and have a question about allowin
g for wood movement. The top is to be square (sides ~20"), with maple in the cen
ter and walnut around the border, something like this:
___________________________________
| / |
| <--walnut--> / |
| _________________________ / |
| | | |
^ | | | | ^
| | | ^ | | |
walnut | | | | | walnut
| | | maple | | | |
v | | v | | v
| | | |
| |_________________________| |
| / |
| / <--walnut--> |
| /________________________________ |
The walnut grain runs parallel to the maple grain on the sides, but crossgrain o
n the ends. I would like the ends to be mitered as shown above, but I am concern
ed about the miter joints opening up as the maple in the center expands. Ideally
I would like the top to be flat, without any gaps (no "floating" panel).
I would like to keep the miter and not go to a staright across breadboard kind o
f end, if possible. I am planning on attaching the cross grain walnut to the map
le with a breadboard kind of joint and pegging it in the middle, but I believe t
hat this will lead to the miter joint being pulled apart. Does anybody know of a
way of overcoming this or is it simply a hopeless design?
Joe
BIO: I have been lurking around this list for several months now and figured tha
t it was time to say howdy and to seek some advice. A few of you know me already
and I've been a fairly regular attendant at the Crane's auctions over the last
few years so you may have run into me there. I am an engineer by day and woodwor
king hacker in my spare time. I am slowly teaching myself how to make furniture
and my latest endeavors include learning how to carve.
I started of my woodworking ventures making Shaker style furniture since I like
the clean lines and just as importantly, because it is all very linear and there
fore easier (at least in my mind) to design and build. Lately, I have become mor
e interested in Chippendale and Queen Anne styles which has lead to my interest
in carving. I haven't yet jumped into doing a fancier piece yet but hope to soon
(after I pick off at least a few of the SWMBO mandated projects).
Thanks in advance for any helpful information on my tabletop question.
|