kitchen table

[jimmykx250]

The wife wants me to build a simple end grain kitchen table, kind of like the butcher block type except she wants me to make it out of several different types of wood and she wants it thick. So the question is how do I go about assembling something that will end up bieng approx 3'-6" wide and around 5 foot long and atleast 3" thick? Do I need to worry about the different speices expanding and contracting at different rates? It is going to be quite a project the more I think about it. Lucky for me I have a great supplier that can size all my material for me.Any input or direction to point me in for some info on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

[shooterscott]

Sounds like you've got a job on your hands. I'd consider doing small sections first and then joining them together to make the final top. But who am I to give advise, I'm just now finishing a table that has take me several months to get this far. like most woodworkers that are only able to work a couple hours a week on their projects this will most likely be a bigger job than you think but don't let that get you down. Take your time and you can get it done.

[Beechwood Chip]

In one of the previous forum incarnations there was a guy who built an entire end-grain kitchen counter-top. As I recall he had an underlayment of MDF or plywood, and just built sections of end-grain cutting board and then fitted them together. But I wasn't really paying attention. Maybe he's still around.

What tools do you have? I'd think that a drum sander would come in really handy for this project.

[Pete Bennett]

The wife wants me to build a simple end grain kitchen table, kind of like the butcher block type except she wants me to make it out of several different types of wood and she wants it thick. So the question is how do I go about assembling something that will end up bieng approx 3'-6" wide and around 5 foot long and atleast 3" thick? Do I need to worry about the different speices expanding and contracting at different rates? It is going to be quite a project the more I think about it. Lucky for me I have a great supplier that can size all my material for me.Any input or direction to point me in for some info on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

The normal way to do this is to decide on the end section size first, say 1" x 1" and prepare as many pieces as you need for the size top you intend.

A top measuring 5' x 3'-6" would need 42 x 60 blocks that's 2,520 pieces 3" long!! Ok if you prepare 42 pieces 6'-2" long (this is about as long as will be easily handled) that will give you 24" of top allowing for the kerf in each successive cut. Therefore you need to prepare 3 sections Take the first 42 pieces and orientate the end grains how you want then glue this up as one. a bit like a 6'-2" x 42" table top 1" thick. Set up and glue the second top and then the third. You now have three tops measuring 6'-2" x 42" Once all are dry and the glue has cured. Set the table saw to 3" and cross cut the tops into 3" sections. Next stand them on edge and glue up as many strips are you can safely manage at any one time until you have all 2,520 pieces glued up as one end grain slab. However, as you are going to use different timbers, I imagine for some kind of contrast and effect. You are going to have to decide at the outset on the pattern or lack of it before you begin. It will be much, much easier if you can come up with some repetitious pattern along the length of the top. Take a piece of graph paper and colour in the different timbers you intend using and try to get it in such a way that you can glue up a reasonably long strip of each match so that when you cut them into 3" strips you can mix and match. If not you may well have to cut and assemble each and every strip at 3" A very good way to get even more insane than I already am. With regard to the different timbers moving differing amounts this only adds to the fun. If they are all dried to the same EMC and remain in a fairly constant place with regard to heat and humidity, you should not experience too much of a problem with most timbers. I'm afraid you'll just have to suck it and see.

Pete