Serving Tray

[Halfathumb]

I'm looking to build a couple of serving trays, the type you can serve breakfast in bed. I've seen several and it looks like bamboo is the main lumber used. Why is that?

[Mr Eddie]

One of our members, Ralph, has a great site that you can access thru Amazon:

https://www.woodcademy.com/

Season one has plans and walks you thru making a breakfast serving tray.  Highly recommend.

Lonnie

[Halfathumb]

One of our members, Ralph, has a great site that you can access thru Amazon:

https://www.woodcademy.com/

Season one has plans and walks you thru making a breakfast serving tray.  Highly recommend.

Lonnie

Thanks. this is what I've been thinking about. Like I said to KL, this should be a pretty good learning on the lath for me as well.
Jim

[R Clark]

I'm looking to build a couple of serving trays, the type you can serve breakfast in bed. I've seen several and it looks like bamboo is the main lumber used. Why is that?

I second Lonnie's suggestion to check out Ralph's video on Amazon.  It's free if you have Prime.

I'm betting that the trays you have seen were mass produced in Asia somewhere.  Bamboo is a fairly common/inexpensive material in those operations.  Bamboo has its place, but typically not in my woodworking projects.

[K. L. McReynolds]

No one in my family uses cutting boards. That is something fairly easy to make. There are many, many different woods that can be used, so I simply made cutting boards with frames and handles. Huge hit(two are going to England).

I show the following simply as examples of how easy serving trays can be.

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[Halfathumb]

No one in my family uses cutting boards. That is something fairly easy to make. There are many, many different woods that can be used, so I simply made cutting boards with frames and handles. Huge hit(two are going to England).

I show the following simply as examples of how easy serving trays can be.

Thanks KL, they're original in ornamentation and look pretty good size. But I want to make mine with legs like the ones Ralph made. I have some hickory laying around that I bought about 3 years ago. I just need to get some thicker stock for the legs.
FWIW I have hardley used a lath before, so this should be a good starting point for me.

Jim

[handi]

Thanks KL, they're original in ornamentation and look pretty good size. But I want to make mine with legs like the ones Ralph made. I have some hickory laying around that I bought about 3 years ago. I just need to get some thicker stock for the legs.
FWIW I have hardley used a lath before, so this should be a good starting point for me.

Jim

Jim, the leg stock is 1-1/4” thick I think. You can glue up the blanks, they do not have to be one solid piece.

[Halfathumb]

Jim, the leg stock is 1-1/4” thick I think. You can glue up the blanks, they do not have to be one solid piece.

Ralph

I thought about gluing up the blanks but am concerned about the joints showing up when they turned at the thinner parts.

[handi]

Ralph

I thought about gluing up the blanks but am concerned about the joints showing up when they turned at the thinner parts.

Solid pieces are best, but if you choose the grain patterns carefully, you can get some almost invisible joints.

[handi]

Many thanks to the folks recommending my show and plans. 
I like that tray a lot too. It has been popular.

And just for the record, the show is available with and without an Amazon account now.