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Thread: Solution for slightly warped coffee table base.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
    Posts
    42

    Solution for slightly warped coffee table base.

    I am making a coffee table and went out of town for 2 weeks right after I put together the legs/aprons w/ mortise and tenon joints. Came back and it warped slightly so there is an 1/8th to 1/4 inch lift from two of the table legs, diagonal from each other. It is easily pulled back into shape with very minimal pressure when pulling on the legs that are resting on a flat surface. I was planning on using z fasteners to secure the top to the base. Is it possible to just apply the slight pressure to get it back into square and secure the z fasteners? I was also planning on finishing the top and bottom separately for simplicity but if I need to slightly bend the base into shape should I just put it together and finish it as one piece? It's all cherry that will have BLO>shellac for color>poly for durability. This is the first woodworking piece I have made outside of frames so it is largely just a learning experiment that will be a bit more useful than something that hangs on a wall. If a suitable fix is something like adding brackets to the underside of the table is the best solution I've got no problem doing that. Thank you for any advice.

  2. #2
    The first thing I would check is see if one or more of the aprons has bowed. Check for square to legs, too.

    Normally, you want the frame for a top to be as flat as possible.

    That said, it is also possible you could attach the top, and not have any issues. If you try this, be sure the base is clamped down flat before tightening the fasteners.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    I would say it depends on the weight of the top. From your explanation it sounds like the base may be fairly lightweight in construction if you can easily rack the structure back to level. If your top is of sufficient weight then I think you would be OK. Otherwise the rack of the base may overcome the weight of the top and end up warping it.

    Which ever path you choose, try to understand why the base racked on its own. It should not have. Did you let the lumber acclimate to your shop before milling? Did you plane one side much more than the other? Moisture imbalance is a leading cause of deformation. Is the lumber you used straight grained or does it have a twist? Just a few of the things aside from construction technique that might have contributed to your result.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
    Posts
    42
    Most likely I did not let the lumber acclimate after cutting it down from a roughly 6ft 2"x10" plank. No idea how old it was from the lumber supplier but it sat inside at my house for a few months. Since starting this project I have done quite a bit of reading about acclimation times and milling/glueing up all in the same day, or leaving a little extra and resawing on a day you have time to glue. I think I only waited a week or two to glue the base together after cutting the boards. I moved fairly slow on this since everything is triple checked and I have never done it before, so I have no rhythm. The two long apron sides do have a bit of twist to the grain I believe. It is all fairly light, everything is 3/4". I think I will try and bend it into place when I attach the top and sand/plane a little from the leg bottoms if necessary. When I rest the top on the base with a half gallon of mineral spirits for a little weight, it holds square when pulled back into shape. As long as I can safely put my beer down on the table I'll be happy with it as a first build hehe. I learned a lot and feel confident the next iteration will be much more refined, this started as just something to put in my assembly area/back house to replace the wicker patio table currently in use inside. Disclaimer: I bought the legs from Rockler, at $15 a pop I figured they would be a warranted expense that far outweighed my time/material/inexperience. IMG_2346.jpg IMG_2348.jpg

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