Several months ago, I got a brainstorm to replace an island countertop with
wood. SWMBO and I decided that cherry would be the choice, and since I had
enough cherry knocking around...
It took about a month (part time when I could find the time) to finish the
counter top. I used the very best of methodology to match the boards,
biscuits to help with the alignment, alternated grain patterns, did the
glueup in two stages, and used a breadboard edge. The field is 3/4"... most
of the boards are 4-5" in width; I banded the edges with 1 1/2" and the
breadboard edges are 1 1/2". Maximum width is 24"... 42" long. I only glued
the very center of the breadboard edges, using dowels in elongated holes on
the edges... Thank God.
After being installed since January 5th or so, the field has shrunk fully a
1/16", leaving the breadboard edges "hanging in the breeze. I don't find it
objectionable, but I'm having to do "lot's of 'splainin' " about "what
happened here?".
It's almost March here in Connecticut, and admittedly, my house is pretty
dry (not much drier that my basement, where the cherry had been stored prior
to milling), but with central air conditioning that fires up as soon as the
weather gets warmish (allergies, etc.), I'm wondering how much of the 1/16"
I'll recover over the summer. Will it close up? Or, I'm I faced with
trimming the breadboard edges (and refinishing them!!!) because the field
doesn't recover fully? Or am I being anal, and should I just leave well
enough alone?
BTW, the island top looks fabulous!!! I gave it a two day suntan, and then
finished with 2 coats of Danish oil to snap the grain; about 6 coats (top
and bottom!!!) of dewaxed Platina (1# cut) to level the surface (wiped on)
and 5 coats of wipe on poly... rubbing with either 400 grit or 0000 steel
wool between every coat of oil, shellac and poly. Whew! Getting darker by
the day.
On Feb 27, 2:35 pm, "Don Sforza" wrote:
>......breadboard edge. The field is 3/4"... most
> of the boards are 4-5" in width; I banded the edges with 1 1/2" and the
> breadboard edges are 1 1/2" I only glued
> the very center of the breadboard edges, using dowels in elongated holes on
> the edges.. the field has shrunk fully a
> 1/16", leaving the breadboard edges "hanging in the breeze.
> I'm wondering how much of the 1/16"
> I'll recover over the summer. Will it close up? Or, I'm I faced with
> trimming the breadboard edges (and refinishing them!!!) because the field
> doesn't recover fully? Or am I being anal, and should I just leave well
> enough alone?
leave it alone for a couple of years. then you'll know what it needs.
> Or am I being anal, and should I just leave well
> enough alone?
Um, if you want my opinion... Just enjoy your beautiful new countertop
and don't stress about the edges that are functioning like they're
supposed to. Some friends of ours have a fairly new Stickley coffee
table with breadboard ends, and the ends of the breadboard ends stick
out at least 1/8" in the winter. So if you accept that Stickley is
some of the better mass-produced furniture available today, relax and
know you're at least as good as they are.
Andy
And THAT'S why Greene & Greene, Stickley et.al. used those
"rounded edged and stepped/cloud" partially exposed ebony
splines - to protect that sharp exposed corner of the bread
board ends AND visually make it less noticeable. Dem guys
was downright clever.
Not too late to add them - if you're willing to risk routing
a groove for them to slip into.
charlie b
"alexy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Showing my ignorance here... Do you have any cites to an explanation
> or illustration of the "rounded edge and stepped/cloud" splines to
> which you are referring?
http://www.gamblehouse.org/tours/details.html
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/20/07
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> After being installed since January 5th or so, the field has shrunk fully a
> 1/16", leaving the breadboard edges "hanging in the breeze. I don't find it
> objectionable, but I'm having to do "lot's of 'splainin' " about "what
> happened here?".
>
All I can say is: I feel vindicated. I have always refused to put 'breadboard
ends' on anything other than (veneered) mdf panels.
Just as well you had anticipated what might happen! Good on yer, as they say
Down Under.
Funny aside: I was in a workshop(seminar) once and this guy related how he had
laminated a dining table, parquet style, in a heringbone pattern and then put
breadboard ends on it. One night it exploded .... shrapnel all over the living
room! Hard to credit ;-)
-Peter
--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com
"Don Sforza" wrote in message
> After being installed since January 5th or so, the field has shrunk fully
a
> 1/16", leaving the breadboard edges "hanging in the breeze. I don't find
it
> objectionable, but I'm having to do "lot's of 'splainin' " about "what
> happened here?".
As a dinner guest last night I ate on a beautiful handmade pecan table with
breadboard ends that were "hanging" a full 1/4" proud of the top.
I explained to the only one who remarked upon it (out of earshot of the
hosts) that it was a built-in "dynamic feature" that was doing its job.
I wouldn't worry about it. CharlieB has given you the solution, which was
designed to draw attention away from the visual impact, a la Greene & Greene
et al, should you really wish to do something about it.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/20/07
Coincidence? it is almost March here in Maryland too!
What you have described is normal behavior for breadboarded ends on a
solid wood slab. You may even find that at some humidity level, the
slab becomes _wider_ than the breadboard end. I would leave it alone;
when the humidity rises enought that the width of the slab again
matches the ends, point it out to SWMBO and ask "What was that problem
you were talking about?"
--
No dumb questions, just dumb answers.
Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf.lonestar.org
charlieb <[email protected]> wrote:
>And THAT'S why Greene & Greene, Stickley et.al. used those
>"rounded edged and stepped/cloud" partially exposed ebony
>splines - to protect that sharp exposed corner of the bread
>board ends AND visually make it less noticeable. Dem guys
>was downright clever.
>
>Not too late to add them - if you're willing to risk routing
>a groove for them to slip into.
>
>charlie b
Showing my ignorance here... Do you have any cites to an explanation
or illustration of the "rounded edge and stepped/cloud" splines to
which you are referring?
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Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.