Replies

1. 
   Spalted | Aug 10, 2009 01:17am | #1

   Since most veneering includes doing the bottom side to offset the forces of nature, it likely doesn't matter what you use: flakeboard, MDF, plywood, etc... I would personally prefer plywood as it holds screws better than the other two options I mentioned. It is reasonably flat and is easy to glue to. be sure the piece you use has NO VOIDS in the veneer or the cores.

   All that being said, countless tables have been built to larger dimensions using solid wood and, properly constructed, remain warp free.

2. 
   GregoryPaolini | Aug 10, 2009 01:58pm | #2

   My go to material for veneel lay ups is MDF - Flat, smooth, stable, lots of thicknesses, and pretty easy to find. 

    

   Hope this helps

   Gregory Paolini

   http://www.GregoryPaolini.com

   Custom Furniture, Cabinetry, and Woodworking Instruction

3. 
   ring | Aug 10, 2009 03:11pm | #3

   I don't accept your assumption that making it from solid wood will necessarily lead to warping. There are literally thousands of tabletops this size which prove otherwise. It's all a question of which wood and how it's glued up.

   But if you're hell bent on veneering, that's OK too. MDF is a great substrate. It's true that MDF will not hold regular screws as well as ply, but as a tabletop you're not asking much of the screws...just to keep the piece from swimming around. And BTW, there are specialty screws that hold wonderfully well in MDF if you need to.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

4. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Aug 10, 2009 03:54pm | #4

   I'll join Spalted and David Ring in the camp of it won't necessarily warp depending on what you use and how you approach using it. I'll also join those that prefer MDF which would be my choice. With that said... yes, that is a lot of solid wood on a 36" table and you didn't mention the species you intend.

    So... if I were going to use a very expensive exotic I would consider veneering simply because I may not be able to afford it in solid which I prefer. A spade is a spade in my line of thinking and play it as a spade. :>)

   Good luck Frosty...

   Sarge..

   Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/10/2009 8:55 am ET by SARGEgrinder47

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 10, 2009 04:22pm | #5

   Thanks for the prompt responses All.I'm glad to hear that solid wood is OK in your experience. I have glued-up many solid tops and have never had any non-flat results. The request from my son is copy of the Thos. Moser "Vita" table. It is veneered but perhaps because he is 'cost motivated'.

   http://www.thosmoser.com/product.detail.php?product_id=1350&family_id=23

   I plan to build in Cherry (my son's choice) and will glue-up solid wood. I love cherry to work with but have a great deal of trouble ending up with heartwood out of a series of boards. I hate (strong dislike) the mixture of heartwood and sapwood in cherry. Another issue is the lam bending of the legs. I have done many lam jobs with no trouble but have never bent cherry. There is always a first time.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

   Edited 8/10/2009 9:26 am ET by Jfrostjr

1. 
   joinerswork | Aug 11, 2009 12:49am | #7

   Jfrost,

   If you are good enough a craftsman to, like Mr Moser, make a table's base from "sculpted air, proving again how hard it is to build simply enough to be good",  then making the top from wood, either veneered or solid, ought to be a cinch.

   Ray  

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 11, 2009 03:38pm | #8

   I never thought of my work as "sculpting air" - but perhaps I will be able to sharpen my tools less often.The project should be pretty straight forward. I have not spent any time in design/full-scale drawings yet. I suspect the primary challenge will be the joinery at the center intersection of the bent pieces. Any thoughts are welcome.( Note: I do not plan to incorporate the extension mechanism as in the Moser product.)Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

1. 
   ring | Aug 12, 2009 08:03am | #11

   Frosty,The crucial point, for me, is the table extension mechanism. I can see Moser's choice of veneer solely because it will assure perfect alignment of the split tabletop halves. If I were making that table I would use veneer as well. But without the extension, the choice of veneer makes no sense to me. A solid top will work perfectly, and would be, for me at least, less work and money, not to mention more sympathetic.
   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

2. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 12, 2009 04:24pm | #12

   Thanks. Now I understand their reason for veneering.I much prefer going with solid wood, and will, as I do not intend to employ the extension device.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

2. 
   sapwood | Aug 11, 2009 07:15pm | #9

   Two points I would like to offer:
   One is that I have never found veneer work to be less costly than solid... at least the way I work. There is a tremendous amount of time involved in doing the selection and layup for a veneered piece. Adding edging can take more time than simply detailing a solid plank of wood.
   Second, I find the best veneer substrate to be a product that is a combination of materials. Plywood makes up the core that is covered with a thin layer of mdf. One then has the strength and screw holding capacity of ply but the smoothness and uniform surface of mdf. I have used a product called Armor-Core.

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 11, 2009 09:10pm | #10

   Thanks sapwood. I have decided to go with solid wood, which was my preference in the first place. I raised the question because the Moser piece is veneered and I wondered why.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

5. 
   tom77 | Aug 10, 2009 04:32pm | #6

   Frosty,
   I agree with the comments about mdf. It is a good choice for table tops, because it is very smooth and won't telegraph features through the veneer. It is also quite stable.

   You haven't mentioned the need to create edging to hide the core. This may be the most difficult part of your project. I have built several round table tops and chose to edge them with 8 solid segments of an appropriate wood. I shaped the circular arc segments with a router and pattern jig. I then cut them to approximate length with a custom jig and table saw. Final fitting was refined using the jig and table saw. For my tables, I planed the edging flush with the top of the core and then veneered over the edging. The final shaping was the use a circle cutting jig with a saw or router to trim the outside of the top to final shape.

   There are other ways to edge a round table top. You should consider which method you will use before committing to the veneering approach.

   Good luck, Tom.