Edge to Edge Reinforcement?

[albus16]

Hi all,

Having begun my woodworking journey with a few picture frames and boxes, I have decided that my next project will be to restore an old oak table.

It was a refectory-style one which I have entirely dismantled. I want to make a more contemporary style but using the original wood in a rather pretentious attempt at reincarnation.

I have been filling my time by slowly removing the (in my opinion, criminal) dark stain, but am avoiding the pressing issue of the solid top, which I can see is going to be my main issue.

The top is probably around 600mm wide and has an edge-to-edge join about 3/4 of the way across. However, at one end it is coming apart somewhat and you can move it upwards and downwards. The joint is reinforced with dowels I believe.

My question is what is the best way to reinforce it? is it possible to pry it apart and re-glue? or saw open?

Or am I best leaving it be, and incorporating a horizontal bar beneath it into the re-design?

It has some sentimental value so please don't suggest that I scrap it and get a solid top!

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Alex

 

[Paul Chapman]

The two pieces making up the table top have probably shrunk across their width - and would have tended to shrink more at the ends than the middle - which is why the end has separated.

If you can afford to lose a very small amount on the width, I think what I would do is separate the two pieces by sawing down the join and then planing the two edges true and re-joining, using a loose tongue in a stopped groove routed in the two pieces.
However, how you do it depends much on your skill and experience and how confident you feel in making a good job of it.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

I agree with Paul. Don't just try and stuff some glue in the joint and hope that it'll do the job...it won't. The open joint will be dirty so the glue won't stick, so best to split it apart, clean up with a long plane and then reglue. Whether you feel confident enough to do this though, is a different kettle of worms :wink: - Rob

 

[albus16]

Thanks guys,

As you have both alluded to, I suspect I don't have the confidence/ability to be able to re-join them.

But because it isn't particularly valuable, and I can put it all down to the learning process, I will try it.

A couple of questions... what is the best way to split them apart? Paul you suggest sawing and woodbloke you say split!

Considering it is dowel jointed does that make a difference? And do you think I should try and dowel join it back together or try a tongue and groove affair?

thanks for your help,

Alex

 

[woodbloke]

A couple of questions... what is the best way to split them apart? Paul you suggest sawing and woodbloke you say split!

Considering it is dowel jointed does that make a difference? And do you think I should try and dowel join it back together or try a tongue and groove affair?

thanks for your help,

Alex

Just get hold of a nice sharp handsaw and saw down the joint through the existing jointing (if any) Dowels are the easiest way to add strength to the joint but are difficult to align accurately. If you have access to a biscuit jointer, that makes the job much easier or alternativly a ploughed groove with a loose ply tongue is also another fairly straight forward way do it - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

And do you think I should try and dowel join it back together or try a tongue and groove affair?

I've never been keen on dowels - they add very little to the glueing area and if you don't have a good dowelling jig, the holes are difficult to drill accurately. Biscuits or loose tongues are much better. The loose tongue doesn't have to be continuous and can be made from almost anything - solid wood, plywood or even MDF of the right thickness. Make the width of the tongue slightly less than the combined depth of the two grooves so that excess glue has somewhere to go. The grooves can be made with a router or plough plane. If you have a biscuit jointer available, biscuits would be the simplest option.

Cheers :wink:

Paul