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+-- Thread: Keeping a desk top flat (/showthread.php?tid=7351762)
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RE: Keeping a desk top flat - Halfathumb - 12-21-2019
Many of us have quite a bit of experience and different ways of doing things successfully. I'm sure it'll turn out great no matter what you decide to do. Hope you post pics when done.
RE: Keeping a desk top flat - Gary G™ - 12-21-2019
If you mill the hickory square and true and finish both sides equally and it’s not in a location which gets extraordinarily more humidity on one side versus the other, there’s no reason it should warp over time.
A 6’ long table isn’t that big.
RE: Keeping a desk top flat - John Mihich - 12-21-2019
(12-21-2019, 08:51 AM)Gary G™ Wrote: If you mill the hickory square and true and finish both sides equally and it’s not in a location which gets extraordinarily more humidity on one side versus the other, there’s no reason it should warp over time.
A 6’ long table isn’t that big.
That's what I think also. My dinning room table is just a little bigger than that and it's been flat for 25 years. You don't have to put a lot of fasteners on it.
I do have to ask - are there aprons on this table? If not there should be - they are important.
My top you can actually move about 1/8 inch side to side and end to end. So I have no issue with wood movement. I used small clips that hook into a grove in the apron.
RE: Keeping a desk top flat - ez-duzit - 12-21-2019
(12-21-2019, 08:51 AM)Gary G™ Wrote: ...there’s no reason it should warp over time...
It is not warpage the OP is concerned about, but sagging.
RE: Keeping a desk top flat - Gary G™ - 12-21-2019
Hickory should not sag noticeably over 36” unless it’s got tons of bricks in the middle. The Sagulator says .001/ft with a normal load—that’s totally negligible.
RE: Keeping a desk top flat - mikefm101 - 12-22-2019
I’ve built a few tops this deep albeit at most about 5 feet long. Almost 15 years for the oldest one.
Breadboard ends on the two largest. Used figure 8 fasteners to attach to base cabinets. Tops were red oak and an inch thick.
No warping. We’re glued up from roughly 5” wide boards.
No angle irons.
Personally I think the look of a breadboard top is great, especially if the tenon shows.
Mike
RE: Keeping a desk top flat - ed kerns - 12-23-2019
Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the response. The top is glued up, and after sanding is 11/16 thick (started at 3/4). I have built up the edges to about 1 5/16. Now that I'm dealing with it 'in real life' as opposed to in abstract, I think using some 3/4 ply and slotting for the screws will be sufficient - maybe even unnecessary- but better to ere on the side of over-built. This is part of a duo project, a desk and a bookcase for a customer. Fortunately no push to get it done for Christmas!