Large Folded Miter Joint

[Jerry Booher]

Wife wants a 3' x 5' coffee table with a 6" skirt made to look like it is a huge thick one-piece slab. Although I think I can rip the 6' long miters to fold the sides, how do I crosscut the 4' x 6' (3' x 5') glued-up top so I can fold the cutoffs so the grain flows over the end?

I have a SawStop with a built in router table, so support table length is not a problem. My sled is too small, but I could build a huge one. I still makes lots of mistakes due to inexperience. I will be using a light wood, maybe Canarywood.

What do you think?

Jerry

[Dave Cav]

I would find someone (local cabinet shop?) with a panel saw and a nice, sharp blade. Another alternative would be to use a portable circular saw with a sharp blade and a fence clamped on the wood. You might want to make a zero clearance insert for the base of the saw out of 1/4" ply or hardboard, attached with 2X tape, too.

Dave C

[Lee Schierer]

how do I crosscut the 4' x 6' (3' x 5') glued-up top so I can fold the cutoffs so the grain flows over the end?


Jerry, in a solid top the grain wouldn't flow over the end you would have end grain.

With 4' to guide along the rip fence you should be able to cross cut the ends just like ripping the sides. Or as you suggested, build a bigger crosscut sled to handle these two special cuts.

[Chris Padilla]

Veneering is another alternative, Jerry.

[Frank Drew]

Veneering is another alternative, Jerry.

My thought, too; it's anybody's guess whether that much miter joint in solid wood will look good over the long term, even if perfect on day one (not an easy task in itself).

[Jerry Booher]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I was hoping to achieve the thick, one-piece look that Mark Singer has for his end table and coffee table, without the years of experience he has.:)

The sharp mitered edges probably would not be a good idea for a coffee table. Might bloody too many shins walking around it. Round over after mitering would show end grain and defeat the one-piece look I want.

Jerry