Anthony Whitesell
03-18-2009, 2:19 PM
The project: Herringbone pattern serving trays (from a Woodcraft magazine a few months ago)
The original instructions: Cut strips of 3 different woods 1/2" thick, 3/4" wide, and 24" long and glue together to make a 1/2"x9 3/4"x24" panel. Make two panels. Then cut each on a 50 degree angle into 1 1/2" wide strips. This will result in approximately twelve strips, enough to make a serving tray 9 3/4"x18".
My design change: I realized that a lot of wood is going to be wasted on the first and last cuts when you cut a rectangular panel on a 50 degree angle. I opted to stagger the pieces during the glue-up on a 50 degree angle to reduce waste. In addition, instead of cutting 1/2" stock into 3/4" strips, I ripped 3/4" stock into 1/2" strips and turned each one 90 degrees. I figure the planer could keep the 3/4" sides more parallel than I could running them through the table saw.
The outcome: As I expected, the planer did a wonderful job of making paraller sides. I can't see a single gap in the glue joints. Plus the plan succeeded in reducing the waste to less than two inches (3/4"+ on either end).
The problem: By staggering the strips during the glue-up, I thought it would produce a ~21" long area to cut into 1 1/2" strips. Unfortunately, the 21" on a 50 degree angle or only a little more than 13.5", producing nine 1 1/2" wide pieces. Three strips too few. My herringbone panel is now 9 3/4"x13 1/2", instead of 9 3/4"x18".
The solution:
I don't have one yet, but I have come up with a few the following possibilities and I'm looking for opinions on these plus any others.
1. Do another glue up from new strips. But I am fairly certain that the color differences will be very apparent that they are not from the stock.
2. Frame the tray as is making it ~10"x14". But I've never seen a sqaure serving tray before
3. Cut the tray down proportionally and install the sides. Since I'm missing 3 1/2" in length (or 25%), how much should I remove in depth? I'm thinking the same 3 1/2". Will a 6 1/4"x13 1/2" serving tray look right?
4. Cut the bottom down as in #3 (6 1/4"x13 1/2") and add a border of three 3/4" (one strip of each of the same species wood) around the herringbone pattern to "expand" the tray back to the 9 3/4"x18" size.
So I now ask the experts, any thoughts or ideas?
The original instructions: Cut strips of 3 different woods 1/2" thick, 3/4" wide, and 24" long and glue together to make a 1/2"x9 3/4"x24" panel. Make two panels. Then cut each on a 50 degree angle into 1 1/2" wide strips. This will result in approximately twelve strips, enough to make a serving tray 9 3/4"x18".
My design change: I realized that a lot of wood is going to be wasted on the first and last cuts when you cut a rectangular panel on a 50 degree angle. I opted to stagger the pieces during the glue-up on a 50 degree angle to reduce waste. In addition, instead of cutting 1/2" stock into 3/4" strips, I ripped 3/4" stock into 1/2" strips and turned each one 90 degrees. I figure the planer could keep the 3/4" sides more parallel than I could running them through the table saw.
The outcome: As I expected, the planer did a wonderful job of making paraller sides. I can't see a single gap in the glue joints. Plus the plan succeeded in reducing the waste to less than two inches (3/4"+ on either end).
The problem: By staggering the strips during the glue-up, I thought it would produce a ~21" long area to cut into 1 1/2" strips. Unfortunately, the 21" on a 50 degree angle or only a little more than 13.5", producing nine 1 1/2" wide pieces. Three strips too few. My herringbone panel is now 9 3/4"x13 1/2", instead of 9 3/4"x18".
The solution:
I don't have one yet, but I have come up with a few the following possibilities and I'm looking for opinions on these plus any others.
1. Do another glue up from new strips. But I am fairly certain that the color differences will be very apparent that they are not from the stock.
2. Frame the tray as is making it ~10"x14". But I've never seen a sqaure serving tray before
3. Cut the tray down proportionally and install the sides. Since I'm missing 3 1/2" in length (or 25%), how much should I remove in depth? I'm thinking the same 3 1/2". Will a 6 1/4"x13 1/2" serving tray look right?
4. Cut the bottom down as in #3 (6 1/4"x13 1/2") and add a border of three 3/4" (one strip of each of the same species wood) around the herringbone pattern to "expand" the tray back to the 9 3/4"x18" size.
So I now ask the experts, any thoughts or ideas?