Table top - board width

[GregWalker]

I have a solid wood table to build.  Currently my material (ash) is at a kiln being dried.  I have some beautiful 8/4 live edge boards that are roughly 16" wide that I'm going to use for the top.  I may have to make up a few more inches in the middle to get enough width.  I'm aware of the traditional approach to laminating table top boards at 4 - 5" wide, and alternating the end grain orientation in order to prevent major warping/cupping.  That said, I really don't want to cut into these nice slabs and mess up the look of the grain.  

Your thoughts and experiences about this would be appreciated!  

Greg

[Chestnut]

This is my opinion.

Personally if you don't have material from another slab to add in I'd either make it a smaller table or ditch the whole matched slab thing. With 3 ash slabs on my workbench right now the advice i got was it's difficult to add to the top to make it work with out looking off.

If you have 3 slabs ditch the live edge and try and grain match 3 pieces as best possible with them all being the same width.

[wdwerker]

I agree with Chestnut. Don't be in a hurry to use those slabs straight out of the kiln. Check and record the moisture content in several places until it stays the same. Sticker them and at least wait 2 or 3 days for it to acclimate.

[Barron]

Also, there is no need to alternate the grain direction of the boards. That is one of those things that gets repeated a lot, but shouldn't be. 

[gee-dub]

11 hours ago, Barron said:

Also, there is no need to alternate the grain direction of the boards. That is one of those things that gets repeated a lot, but shouldn't be. 

+1.  I have always gone for aesthetic appeal on grain direction without issues.

[GregWalker]

Ok, thanks for the advice, guys.  

I do have probably 6 of these slabs, but in any combination I will need 3 pieces to obtain an adequate width.  I'm ok with losing the live edge, and going with 3 slabs of even width.  Can I get a confirmation from you guys that you wouldn't be concerned with cupping, if I leave them all at 12" wide?  

Thanks

[Coop]

Greg, speaking with limited experience, I'd say, after the acclimation period mentioned by Wdwerker, if your slabs are still flat, then go for it. Worse case, if they do cup down the road, you're obviously not permentately attaching the top to the case, then rip and re laminate. Looks like you're new here so, welcome and start a journal so we can follow your progress. Good luck dude!

[Chestnut]

2 hours ago, GregWalker said:

Ok, thanks for the advice, guys.  

I do have probably 6 of these slabs, but in any combination I will need 3 pieces to obtain an adequate width.  I'm ok with losing the live edge, and going with 3 slabs of even width.  Can I get a confirmation from you guys that you wouldn't be concerned with cupping, if I leave them all at 12" wide?  

Thanks

Mine are 8" wide. Just make sure they are nice and dry and acclimated before you get into them. Here is my post if you'd like a look on page 2 we talk about what to do to join them together. I kinda cheated because mine is quarter sawn stock but that doesn't meant it won't cup just less likely (or so I'm told).

 

[GregWalker]

On 8/21/2016 at 11:35 PM, Chestnut said:

Mine are 8" wide. Just make sure they are nice and dry and acclimated before you get into them. Here is my post if you'd like a look on page 2 we talk about what to do to join them together. I kinda cheated because mine is quarter sawn stock but that doesn't meant it won't cup just less likely (or so I'm told).

Nice job on the bar top.  I agree with you in liking the quarter sawn look as opposed to having cathedral grain.  Perhaps I'll play around and try to get as much quarter sawn grain as possible.  If only trees grew in squares with vertical end grain! 

I'll post pics when I get to this table top.. 

Cheers.