stupid question or what??

[engineer one]

on my tuit list is a sort of coffee table. i have this really nice piece of
oak about 3ft long by 18 inches wide, and 2 in thick, which will make a
nice top. i thought to add a little contrast, by having the legs show through
on the top, with a tenon.

i understand that there is sense to have the tenon follow the grain pattern of the top, but i thought about putting wedges in, in a wood which contrasts
with the oak.

so the stupid question is which way should the wedges go? across the
grain or parallel to. i assume that wedges with the grain would tend to
cause the tenon to split, whilst across that would not happen. is my thinking
correct??

also, am i correct in my idea about the grain flow of the tenon showing
through, or should it too be across the grain?? :? :?

i am actually thinking about a cupboard below the top to take the magazines and general rubbish you seem to collect after you have
bought the coffee table books. thought rather like a "tansu" but will see.

anyway, all input as normal gratefully received.

paul :wink:

 

[Chris Knight]

Paul,

Wedges should go across the grain of the table top to avoid spilitting that. As far as the tenons go, you will be wedging only thinnish bendable pieces of wood and won't have to worry about grain direction in the legs. Do drill a hole through (and along) the bottom of each slot in the tenons to avoid the possibility of splits developing - this is irrespective of how the grain runs.

 

[engineer one]

chris thanks that makes sense. i guess the sensible thing would be
to drill the holes, then cut the slots down to the holes, might well
make life easier.

slightly different, but because of where you are. oak sapwood, is that
as difficult to colour as cherry???

i would quite like to stain the table top clearish, and there is a strip
of sapwood on one edge. how can i get this to match???

paul :wink:

 

[Colin C]

Hello Paul
If you need some help with the colouring of the top have just have to ask :roll: :wink:

 

[Chris Knight]

Paul,
Ask Colin! Seriously, it is difficult to help with colour matching at long range and Colin as a restorer certainly does more of it than simple makers like me.

 

[Colin C]

Thanks Chris
but I will answer the question.
One of the easyest ways to got a colour match when you have this is use a stain that will mix with your finish, spirit stain with shellac polish would be best.
Stain your peice first so you get your base colour, then mix some colour with some of your polish but dont make it to strong a mix as it quickly go too dark.
Then as you put the polish on you top, put the one with the colour in it on your light part, you will have to make sure that you touch the line of the coloured bit ( you will see it, you just need to do this with your finger but do it lightly ) so that that you lose the line.
So as you are putting on your polish you build your colour on the light part, you might need to put a little more or less colour in the polish but you have to gauge it as you are doing it.
It is better to put on more light coats of colour than a few heavy ones.
I hope than is clear

 

[engineer one]

so the answer seems to be that with oak you can build up a finish
that will disguise the sapwood, whilst in cherry as i understand it,
that is not possible. or have i misdirected myself.

thanks colin that's reasonably clear( sorry )
i wonder whether norm's favourite, sanding sealer makes any
difference???

paul :wink:

 

[Colin C]

Hi Paul
You have it a little wrong as you can do this with all timbers but it gets much harder if the timber is light ( maple or some thing like that) and if it is going to be clear.
It still can be done but that is the difference between some polishers and the better ones,( they colur matching )