Hickory Coffee Table with Walnut Raised Panels-FINISHED

Great Job Obi! The walnut came out beautiful.

Yes, I need to try spraying on my projects.

Did you make yourself a spray booth, or just spray it outside?

Beautiful work Obi. Is the Thorsen table done yet? (sorry, just kidding!) Congrats on your new piece. It's just terrific!

Maybe this is Obi's Thorsen table? A different interpretation for sure, but who knows?

O.K. 3/4 " Hickory top, oiled with mineral oil then sprayed with 8 coats of high gloss lacquer.

Walnut Raised Panels, walnut dowels to secure the top Octagon Hickory legs. Hockory Drawers dovetailed.

Be real careful with that finish for a couple of weeks. I found out the hard way. It takes awhile for the Lacquer to harden up. Don't put anything heavy on it.
You may already know this though.

iF THEY SCREW IT UP, THEIR MONEY'S GOOD.

A nice job Obi. I am sure they will love it for years to come.

OBI you need to be careful useing dowels to hold the top,it does not let it move.A big top like that will split,you dont want all your hard work to go down the drain!!!!!Thats why the clips and other thing are used.BTW very nice work

Let's see, I've built 12 tables so far and have yet to have any of them do anything.

Hey, I am just trying to help. No need to get mad. furniture making 101. wood expands and contracts therefore if you have two boards meeting crossgrained you can't glue you must let it move. Why do you think they make wood clips and figure eights to fasten table tops they are not just for looks there is a reason be it.I know you have made 12 tables but it takes time mark my words if you secured the tops that way on all of them they will all split.This website is to learn about woodworking from other woodworkers and that's what I was trying to do. Just help

I'm greatful for the information. I haven't made any tables and am just learning about this wood movement stuff.

Thanks for the info Phil

Phil,
I don't see where you got a "mad" in there,I don't get mad.

So how long or how big does it have to be to suffer the "movement"?

And does it do it all the time or only when there are weather changes more than 10 degrees?

Does it do it on small tables and large tables alike?

And if this is the case, then it does it to dressers too?

And desks?

Obi, You might have something there.
There's a possibility that using dowels without screws, that the dowels give a little to forgive the wood movement. That's why you haven't had any problems.

That's what I was thinking Dick, since the top wasn't absolutely fixed to the aprons, if it had to give just a hair… and Marc (WW) showed the figure 8 fasteners, I din't take into cosideration that they might move some.

Well, so far so good.

That is what counts then.

I made a butcherblock type counter top and I glued a breadboard end on it . In the first winter I got a crack about 1/4" wide, about 6" from the breadboard and then worked both directions. So I've changed my construction techniques..

SO, KARSON. EXPLAIN WHAT CHANGES YOU MADE TO REMEDY THE SITUATION