Carpentry and Woodworking - Need help with a custom table top

I need to build a custom table top for a breakfast nook using an existing base. The table top will be 54” x 48”where the top of the base is 19” x 24”. I was thinking of using ¾” cabinet grade plywood with solid pine all around. My wife wants to paint the whole table with some type of designs in it. I have two questions:

1. With a limited amount of power tools (router, circular saw, self centering dowling jig by Rockler) what is the best method (strongest) for jointing these two woods, dowels or some type of tongue and groove joint (should the groove or tongue be in the plywood).

2. Can I cantilever a ¾” plywood plus pine top without placing a second ¾” support board under the table top.

Thank you in advance, :eek:

Lloyd

Cabinet grade plywood such as Sandeply is fine for this application. If you are talking of banding the table with solid pine, dowelling may be ok, but I prefer using biscuit joinery. That is purely a personal choice, as others use dowels with just as much success. In reality, you could probably get by with Titebond II or Gorilla Glue and nails, countersunk and finished. I would, however double the plywood at the cantilever part, purely for strength. Your banding will probably be 2" wide, so it will hide it from view. Round off the edges of the banding with your router, and let her paint.

I agree, biscuits and gravy...er...glue. lol
Biscuits are easier to keep aligned than dowels.
Tite bondII is an excellent glue.

I am going to agree also with te biscuits and glue. Titebond II would be better for this than Gorilla glue. I don't use Gorilla glue if I am using buscuits. But it does sound like you have enough tools to complete the job. Good Luck

I have never used a biscuit joiner, so why is it easier to “line up” a biscuit vs. a dowel? Is the biscuit hard when you place in the biscuit cut or does the glue harden it? Does the holding power come from the biscuit portion or from the glue the length of the two pieces?

If I purchase a biscuit joiner what is a good one for home use?

The biscuit will leave a miniscule amount of lateral movement whereas the dowel is exact, and if you drill it off a little, it won't fit. I use the Dewalt cutter, and have great service from it. The biscuit gets it strength from two sources, the glue you use on the edges, which is given. The glue tends to swell the biscuits, as well as having additional glue surface in the cutouts.

Instead of using biscuits or dowels, I would use a spline joint on the front and back, and bread-board the ends. By using these methods you will eliminate any cupping that will occur in the future. Cabinet grade ply is a pretty stable medium, but when you get up into the size your talking about, I would do as much as possible for ridgidity, especially if it is a table you will be using every day. If you just band all the way around with pine using dowels or biscuits, you are not adding anything for stuctural integrity. Biscuits do not really add any strength, they just align. Dowels add some strength, but not in this paticular application. Also by using the spline/bread-board method, you should be able to cantilever. How are you planning to cantilever and attach?
Chris

With the table top being 54” x 48” and the base top being 19” x 24”, I am planning to use two 3/4" plywood and using a 2" wide pine board (probably 4" wide). My hope is that this will be rigid enough over time. Another thought would be use one 3/4" plywood and turn on the side solid pine 1 3/4" in a cross pattern. Two crosses 45 degrees from each other. Less weigh than the second 3/4" plywood.

What does bread-board the ends means?

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated,