Joe Craven
03-21-2017, 4:53 PM
Hey Creekers,
I am almost done with a kind of goofy project that I have been working on where I sandwiched yellowheart between walnut for an entry way table. This is the prototype so it's not perfect!
Anyway, I have two issues before I can apply the finish. I tried searching the site but I couldn't find the exact answers I was looking for:
First, due to the way that I had to accomplish final assembly (and probably some slightly-off dimensions), I ended up with one leg that's ~0.10" shorter than the rest on a flat surface....they are all of equal length when disassembled. The picture below is taken with the table upside down and a piece of MDF on top of it to assess the level of the legs. I figure the easiest way to "fix" this issue is to add an appropriately-thicknessed shim under that one leg since my wife won't care (this one is her piece). Alternatively, just using differently-thick felt pads would probably work too. However, given that the glue has to go on before I can get to this level of measurement accuracy, how does one level (shorten) the other legs after assembly (and therefore after sufficient clamping leverage is not available) without spending a lot of time hand-sanding the edge grain? Do I just go at them with a ROS and be very cautious and patient?
Second, because of the delicate joinery to the table's top, I thought the only way to ensure long-term stability in the entire piece was to use screws to affix the shelf to the legs. Now I have these holes that need to be filled/covered. My preference (and the reason I am reaching out) is to fill them by getting as close to the yellowheart's color as possible. I tried mixing a good amount of the yellowheart sawdust into some epoxy in a test piece. That worked, but the color is still pretty grayish looking. Is there a better technique to accomplish this, or should I drive the screws a little deeper, bore out the holes a little more, and then just go with a yellowheart plug? My easy alternative is to just use walnut plugs but again I would prefer to hide these screw holes rather than bring attention to them.
Thanks for any advice you might be able to provide. The zoomed-out picture is just for perspective.
-Joe
356656 356654 356655
I am almost done with a kind of goofy project that I have been working on where I sandwiched yellowheart between walnut for an entry way table. This is the prototype so it's not perfect!
Anyway, I have two issues before I can apply the finish. I tried searching the site but I couldn't find the exact answers I was looking for:
First, due to the way that I had to accomplish final assembly (and probably some slightly-off dimensions), I ended up with one leg that's ~0.10" shorter than the rest on a flat surface....they are all of equal length when disassembled. The picture below is taken with the table upside down and a piece of MDF on top of it to assess the level of the legs. I figure the easiest way to "fix" this issue is to add an appropriately-thicknessed shim under that one leg since my wife won't care (this one is her piece). Alternatively, just using differently-thick felt pads would probably work too. However, given that the glue has to go on before I can get to this level of measurement accuracy, how does one level (shorten) the other legs after assembly (and therefore after sufficient clamping leverage is not available) without spending a lot of time hand-sanding the edge grain? Do I just go at them with a ROS and be very cautious and patient?
Second, because of the delicate joinery to the table's top, I thought the only way to ensure long-term stability in the entire piece was to use screws to affix the shelf to the legs. Now I have these holes that need to be filled/covered. My preference (and the reason I am reaching out) is to fill them by getting as close to the yellowheart's color as possible. I tried mixing a good amount of the yellowheart sawdust into some epoxy in a test piece. That worked, but the color is still pretty grayish looking. Is there a better technique to accomplish this, or should I drive the screws a little deeper, bore out the holes a little more, and then just go with a yellowheart plug? My easy alternative is to just use walnut plugs but again I would prefer to hide these screw holes rather than bring attention to them.
Thanks for any advice you might be able to provide. The zoomed-out picture is just for perspective.
-Joe
356656 356654 356655