Hello;
This is my first post. Since it's boat related, I thought this would be the best place to post. Excuse me if I'm wrong.
I need some advice. I’m building a replacement table top for a friend's boat. The boat has hardware in the deck to accept an aluminum pole, and the tabletop will have hardware on the bottom to attach to the top of the pole, so the table and pole can be stowed away when not in use. The table will be used both inside the cabin and also on the exterior deck. The table will have a trapezoidal shape approximately 30 inches long, with the wide end 22 inches wide, and the narrow end 17 inches wide.
I purchased a nice piece of mahogany, ¾” x 25” x 72, with the intent of cutting two pieces to surface glue and to give me a thickness of one and a half inches. When I cut the board in half, within a few hours one of the pieces cupped in the center almost a quarter of an inch, and then flattened back out over the course of a few days.
Here are my questions:
Is there anything I can do to ensure that no more cupping occurs during glue up or cutting out the final shape? How do I make this stable?
What would be the most effective method of clamping, especially towards the middle of the pieces?
What would be the best finish to use for beauty and durability? We’re more concerned about harsh sunlight than we are about it being waterproof, though waterproof is a desirable quality.
I welcome your input.
Thanks,
David