My friend has a dining table 35″ X 52″ with a mahogany veneer over poplar top that has suffered much over 50 years of use. He has many board feet of mahogany paneling 5/8″ X 5″ from an old house and is wondering if we could successfully attach that to the existing tabletop. My concern is whether a new top that was glued to the existing top would split after it was attached and the inevitable movement started. Would it be less likely to split if we planed it to 3/8″?
An alternative would be to build a new top of the mahogany, but 5/8″ seems too thin for that use without proper support.
What would you do?
Roy
Replies
Gramps,
I think your correct glueing 5/8 or even 3/8" to the current top could cause a disaster....I asked the group here how thin a veneer needs to be avoid the issues a few months and they put their thumb and forefinger pretty close together.
I've made a few nice thick tops from stock that was only 5/8" or so thick by making up a panel extra long and extra wide....cutting off the excess and regluing on the underside long grain to long grain and ends to ends. After planing you cannot tell...I usually make the top such that the base sits in a bit of a frame caused by the glueing.
BG, thanks for the quick response.
"I've made a few nice thick tops from stock that was only 5/8" or so thick by making up a panel extra long and extra wide....cutting off the excess and regluing on the underside long grain to long grain and ends to ends. After planing you cannot tell...I usually make the top such that the base sits in a bit of a frame caused by the glueing. "
I'm not sure I follow - are you suggesting that you made the outer border (perhaps 2" wide) double thickness, glued it to the new top and set this in place over the original table top without physically attaching it. The new surface, as viewed from above, would be resting on the original. While the border would surround the original top to hold the newly fabricated top in place. No glue or screws used to hold it to the original?
Forgive me if I have completely misunderstood.
Roy
Gr Gramps,
I'm assuming you discard the old top and make a completely new one from your 5/8" thick stock. You got the rest of it correct.....
Usually I only add a 1/4 to 3/8" to the thickness of the top with the glued on pieces...and yes, you could have a two inch overhang all the way around. I've also used this method on the long grain and made breadboard ends that matched the thickness....so, there is lots of options
Have you considered attaching it to the current top with just screws and elongated holes? Maybe glue in the center. Then use some edge material to hide the lines. I would be interested in the opinion of the more experienced wwker's on this approach. Todd
Todd - I appreciate your interest in my question. Indeed, your idea was one of my earliest, but I discarded it because of the size of the tabletop. Perhaps it doesn't matter?
Wife and I got an invitation for supper tonight, so I will get a chance to inspect the table. The story of this table has probably been told many times over the years. It started as a quality piece of factory made furniture and then saw several children grow to maturity. Attempts to keep it looking good included paint and plastic veneer. Don, my friend, has carefully removed paint from the chairs, revealing beautiful mahogany. Removal of the plastic (Formica?) from the tabletop shows we need to do something.
I hadn't mentioned this before, but there is a leaf or two, which may complicate the final decision. Both of us, being in our 70's are not in a hurry anymore, so we will ponder this and eventually come to a decision.
We do, however, appreciate ideas from more experienced woodworkers.
Roy
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