Honeycomb Tops

[Paul Franklin]

Hi again

Does anyone have experience making thick lightweight table tops, I am thinking something with a honeycomb interior? Where can I find out more and where can I buy the supplies?

Thanks

Paul

[Tom LaRussa]

Hi again

Does anyone have experience making thick lightweight table tops, I am thinking something with a honeycomb interior? Where can I find out more and where can I buy the supplies?

Thanks

Paul
Hi Paul,

Sounds like you're looking to build a torsion box. Here are a few links:

http://web.archive.org/web/20030216032558/www.americanwoodworker.com/200111/projects/index.html

http://www.diynet.com/diy/shows_wwk/episode/0,2046,DIY_14350_26946,00.html

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/276-torsion.html

HTH,

Tom

[Paul Franklin]

Tom

Thanks, but I am looking for something to use on furniture. I need to build some small tables, with thick tops, but they need to be light weight tops.

Thanks again
Paul

[Jamie Buxton]

Paul --

You can buy cardboard honeycomb material from www.vacupress.com, but I don't recommend it. After you pay for shipping it is more expensive than making your own spacer grid with wood. Making your own grid also lets you select your own thickness instead of using the few possibilities of cardboard honeycomb.

And Tom is exactly right. A slab made of a honeycomb middle plus skins on both faces is a torsion box. A torsion box is often used for furniture, and can be made very lightweight. It also has the useful property of being quite stiff despite its light weight.

Jamie