# Ideas to finish table pedestals



## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

For an absolute amateur, I was well pleased to tap the three pieces together for the two pedestals for dining table and to see they are much better than I had imagined. The words measure twice, cut once is the best advice I ever listened to.



Grateful for any ideas on how to use the router to soften the edges and showcase the wood.

thanks to one and all


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Here are a couple of thoughts. There are a ton of shapes out there, browse around till you find one you like.

Buy Woodriver Round Over Router Bit 1 2SH 3 4R at Woodcraft

Buy Freud 99-480 Base Cap Router Bit Style 163 at Woodcraft


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

My gosh, Chris. How big is that table going to be.

Nice job on the legs......


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

jw2170 said:


> My gosh, Chris. How big is that table going to be.
> 
> Nice job on the legs......


And that's just the first two legs. :laugh:


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

*price of router bits*



Daikusan said:


> Here are a couple of thoughts. There are a ton of shapes out there, browse around till you find one you like.
> 
> thanks for ideas, I got a whole router and bits for less than the cost of these. I think I will definitely round off the edges...


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

JOAT said:


> And that's just the first two legs. :laugh:


Table is pretty standard size - about 1.8 m long 90 cm wide and just under 80 cm high.

Original plan was to build four standard legs from laminated stock. Plan changed and I feel this will look much better.


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

Here is a pic of the table top. This is the second attempt at laminating or gluing it together. My first attempt used the sash clamps incorrectly and I didn't spend enough time ensuring the edges fit together. Result was gaps and the top was going to need a lot of planing. So it was ripped apart to start again.

This time I spent hours with planer and then glued up two at a a time. Today, I will glue up the middle and will use three 10mm dowels to ensure top edges are flush as there is a bow in one of the pieces.

Note the Triton Mark 3. A great pick up from Gumtree for only $40. Just need a proper workshop now. Perhaps a work bench as next project?


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

*Table top*

Just having a cuppa after setting my table top. Used three dowels and it came together well. I learned the hard way that you need to set everything up so that when you apply the glue, you can quickly get it all together before the glue starts to harden.

Will try these two edging bits on some scrap later...


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Great result, Chris.

$40 for a mkIII......bargain.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Chris, I do not want to rain on your parade but it appears you did not alternate the grain when you glued up your boards. This helps prevent warping. The two on the left are curving up and the two on the right are curving down. Your wood will naturally try to move into an "S" shape. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Next time alternate them and you will get better results since they pull against each other and tend to stay flatter.

My vote would be for the chamfering bit on the right for a trestle style table.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

ChrisCairns said:


> Just having a cuppa after setting my table top. Used three dowels and it came together well. I learned the hard way that you need to set everything up so that when you apply the glue, you can quickly get it all together before the glue starts to harden.
> 
> Will try these two edging bits on some scrap later...


Both good choices Chris. Another alternative is the stopped cove for the uprights and the bottom edge of the cross members. I use this profile often. The picture is from a junction in some wainscotting I made. I just eased the edges that I didn't rout with a sanding sponge.


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

Mike said:


> Chris, I do not want to rain on your parade but it appears you did not alternate the grain when you glued up your boards. This helps prevent warping. The two on the left are curving up and the two on the right are curving down. Your wood will naturally try to move into an "S" shape. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Next time alternate them and you will get better results since they pull against each other and tend to stay flatter.
> 
> My vote would be for the chamfering bit on the right for a trestle style table.


Yes, I realized this later Mike. I chose because of look and also how well edges met. I now know I should have used the router earlier. I think the rounded edge for table, with the 45 bit for the base. Will do the bases first.

Am part way through cleaning up one end. I know the bit broke out at the end, but should be able to clean this up later. One bit of advice I am following is a small bit at a time...


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Chris, to help reduce tear out rout across the grain, with the grain, across the grain and with the grain around your wood. This will allow the cut with the grain to help remove any tear out. Remember clockwise on the outside diameter, counter clockwise on an inside diameter for _table mounted routing_, reverse this for _free hand routing_ which is shown in this image looking down at the work. Note: this image can be confusing since it only shows bit location and not the router.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Chris
To help stop the warping you might consider bread boarding the ends of the table also gives a nice finished look . My suggestion on the legs round over on base stop chamfers on outside edge of uprights a put a lambs tongue on both ends


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

thanks Mike and Semipro. Could you clarify bread boarding (adding a piece at the end?). Also a lamb's tongue?

Regards Chris


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Mike said:


> Chris, I do not want to rain on your parade but it appears you did not alternate the grain when you glued up your boards. This helps prevent warping. The two on the left are curving up and the two on the right are curving down. Your wood will naturally try to move into an "S" shape. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Next time alternate them and you will get better results since they pull against each other and tend to stay flatter.
> 
> My vote would be for the chamfering bit on the right for a trestle style table.


Mike your advice is fully correct, there are many things that have to be done when working with such solid timber, moisture content is very important but alternating the grain will also go a long way to keeping the top straight, as will polishing or at the least fully sealing the finished top on all sides including the under side, and that top cannot be allowed to get hot so as soon as it is finished and all the sanding is done then it has to be sealed up on all sides as that type of top cannot be left to sit around over any period of time where it can be attacked by humidity or hot days, this type of top has to be finished in good time or it will twist. NGM


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Chris
Bread boarding is the technique of using a board a cross the grain ,cut a tongue across the table top then cut a groove on a board with the grain and attach to table top, here is a picture of a lamb tongue on a leg


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Chris
Here a explanation of bread boarding there are a number of different ways to do this but this should give the idea 
Breadboard Joinery for the Table Top - Fine Woodworking


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

Semipro said:


> Chris
> Here a explanation of bread boarding there are a number of different ways to do this but this should give the idea
> Breadboard Joinery for the Table Top - Fine Woodworking


Thank you, it seems I have a lot to learn still.

I spent some hours with the planer, belt sander and ros before taking it very slowly with the router. Here is the result to date. Lamb tongues look tricky... and I still don't know what to do with those sharp edges on the ends of the bases. The top is fine I think as I need the width to support all the boards on the table top.


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## ChrisCairns (Jun 30, 2013)

Semipro said:


> Chris
> Bread boarding is the technique of using a board a cross the grain ,cut a tongue across the table top then cut a groove on a board with the grain and attach to table top, here is a picture of a lamb tongue on a leg


by the way, your work is something to aspire to SP


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