Shrinkage

[Amateur]

Good afternoon chaps!
I made a couple of nesting tables. For a change I decided to try the drop in top, that sits inside the frame of the table, rather than the conventional top which overlaps the frame.
The top was made in three pieces.
I was conscious of shrinkage when I designed them so after glue up I brought them into the house and let them sit for a couple of weeks, before re machining to size.
Despite this they have still shrunk, giving a 3 mil gap round the top and frame, which to be honest looks quite nice IMOas it shows up as a black line that makes a contrast.
I was considering trying a top exactly the same but making it with MDF veneered in 7mm T choice timber. That's about the thinnest I can get it to on the PT, and I don't have a drum sander.
Has anyone any experience of doing this, will it solve the problem of shrinkage or will I experience other difficulties. and how should I go about gluing up?.....

Thanks.

 

[Otto]

7 mm veneer is too thick for a veneer. It will still want to move at that thickness. You could put a piece of melamine board on the bed of the planer and pass the stock through on that to get it closer to the knives. Put a hook on the melamine or cramp it to the bed and put a bit of wax on it to help the veneers slide through. I can get down to about 2mm doing this and would use a heavier substrate. Whatever you do on top , do on the bottom too to balance the ply.

 

[AndyT]

It would work ok with ready veneered MDF.

Otherwise the usual advice is to make a feature of the joint, with a bead or chamfer.

 

[Amateur]

Thank's for the advice.
Will give it a try.