Hardwood Table Top

[Alexis Hope]

Hi All,

First time woodworker here. I'm trying my best to build a dinning table. Was going to start with a bedside table prototype before tackling the full thing.

I was after any advise on tools and process. For the most past I was following a great tutorial on woodgears.ca but for the top I am trying to glue together 50x50mm pieces of 80 year old hardwood (no idea what it could be).

I borrowed an orbital sander, and 80 grit paper to try clean up the splinters and guff on the sides before gluing. But the paper isn't for the orbital sander and hangs loose a little. When I take it too the wood all the grit comes gets worn off within a min. So far I've changed paper 3 times, and got through about 1 miter of 40.

I was going to buy an electric planer to take them back a little. I was thinking of getting a cheap one, as I don't know how much wood working I'll be doing.... Or should I just get better fitting sand paper?

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Also I have basically 0 tools. Recently I purchased about 4 g clamps and 2 nearly 1000mm bar clamps, rafter square, chisel, nice little hand saw. Was intending on rebate joins with doweling. Any other recommended tools or tips for the job are also welcomed.

[Sam Murdoch]

Hi Alexis - welcome to the Creek. Now having dispensed with the pleasantries - YIKES - where to begin?

I recommend that before you buy any tools or glue up any boards start by doing a search here on the forum a few search topics - making a table or - gluing up boards for a table top. Just these 2 searches will yield many results and a few hours of reading and then some more questions for your next post. I think it is fair to say that very many of us in the Creek started out doing woodworking with few tools and very little experience. You will find a good support system here. It will serve you well to do some reading and develop some basic ideas as to the process so that your questions and your understanding of the answers will help you move forward on your project.

Have fun.

[Alexis Hope]

Hi Sam,
Thanks for the response. Yeah I thought I may have been a bit vauge, will have a search for gluing up boards. I was trying to google these things but I kept getting hardwood flooring results.

I guess my main concern at the moment is the most appropriate way to clean up old timber. Even if I don't make the table but just clean up the wood, then I'll just hang it in my room

[John TenEyck]

My I suggest a book or two on making furniture. There are many, and this is a pretty good one: http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Ca...ds=bill+hylton You may also consider taking an introductory woodworking course at a local college or similar. You have to start somewhere and, like learning a new language, it's a process built by first learning the fundamentals. Unlike language, woodworking can be down right dangerous if you don't.

John

[Sam Murdoch]

Do your searches from this forum and you will get shown links to old post on the subject of your choice from Sawmill Creek.

Otherwise - sand paper (or in the current vernacular - abrasives) is an inexpensive tool. It degrades and should not be used past its useful life. I see people try to make heirlooms out of sandpaper . Geez - just throw it away and use a new sheet as soon as it starts to not work. Of course you need a decent sander. Can you rent tools near by? If not, buy the best sander you can afford and the various abrasives to go with it - probably from 60 grit to 120 grit based on your description. Be patient and sand away until you are happy with the results.

If you are intent on sanding edges in order to be able to make a clean glue line then you are starting wrong. At the least you need to saw, rout or joint the edges using a guide that you know is straight. That begins another discussion and/or more thread searches. And, yes to quote John " ... it's a process built by first learning the fundamentals. Unlike language, woodworking can be down right dangerous if you don't." Reading is a good beginning.

[Jim Matthews]

This is precisely the sort of project suited to an introductory woodworking class.

They'll provide the tools and materials,
you provide the effort.

While you can start out, on your own, you'll encounter all the same pitfalls awaiting us all.
A class will help you to see those coming, before things get complicated.

Perhaps you might indicate where you keep your shop on this ball of mud...

[Alexis Hope]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
As I've been getting into it I'm realizing just how much work it all is. Have been doing some googling for wood work classes in my area (Melbourne), will keep an eye out.

In the mean time I did have some success with sanding last night. Took to the wood by hand with the same 80 grit sand paper I used on the orbital sander. Within a minute the wood had taken off most the grit. Tried out some 40 grit by hand and that did the trick, chewed through the splintery shards, bringing the wood back to its former glory. And also realized the sander I had borrowed is a Orbital Finishing Sander, and I would have been better off with random orbital or belt sander. Its shameful I can't even sand properly.

[Lee Schierer]

Welcome, I know you are new, but sandpaper and a power sander is the wrong thing to use to prepare an edge of a board for gluing. You need a smooth flat edge to get a good glue up. Sandpaper is likely to round over the edges, create dips and peaks which will create a poor joint. A hand plane will make the edges smooth and flat. A little care and practice can create a tight joint. You can purchase old hand planes for nominal amounts $25-35 at many garage or antique sales, but they will need some TLC and the iron will need to be sharpened properly to work right. If you have a table saw, you can also joint the edges of your boards if your saw blade is properly aligned with your rip fence such that the blade leaves no visible saw marks.

When you put the edges of boards that are to be glued together against each other and hold them up to the light you should not see any light along the length of the joint. Any gaps you see will create a weak joint and should be avoided if you want you project to last. Filling the gaps with glue is not advisable as thick glue is not strong.

[Alexis Hope]

Thanks for all the replies.
After more reading and a lot of pondering.

Went and got a cheap 9" Jack plane and cheap oil stone.

There were a few novice mistakes I was making with the sandpaper.... It was paint abrasive, I was also using a finishing orbital sander.
I'm now trying to master the art of sharpening chisels & plane blades, think it's going to take a few years...

In the mean time I built a workbench for $40 with structural 4x2. Using coach bolts and just screwing a sheet of mdf on top. Surprisingly its level, and I rebated and dropped a brace 1" giving me a flat surface to clamp the timbre onto for planing.
Obviously for this I needed to add a few things to my arsenal. I got a power drill, drill bits, and compound miter saw totaling about $140 AUD (just buying home brand tools from Bunnings, cheap but do everything I need em too, and have a 3 year warranty)