I have just been commissioned by a friend to build a trestle table.
The design is Shaker, as per
http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/ezine/plans/shakertrestletable.pdf
(watch for word wrap)
that I will adapt so that I don't have to turn anything (no lathe, no
experience).
He is putting this table in a rental house/bed and breakfast where he
regularly hosts large groups of people. Okay, fine, no problem. The
Problem is that the guy wants this table to be ten (10) feet long.
Yes, ten. Should I do anything additional to help support the table
top? Can I use 4/4 wood for the top, or should I go 5/4 or even 6/4?
Also, do I need to beef up the trestles themselves, or can I get away
with maybe running an additional stretcher?
I feel pretty proficient with the nuts and bolts of building a table;
it's the design of a ten-foot long trestle table that I'm not sure
about. The basic look of the aforementioned table is what I'm after,
but ten feet? In a week-at-a-time rental?
I poked around Google for a good while, but found nothing in the
ten-foot range as far as plans go.
Anyhow, if y'all have pearls of wisdom, I'd appreciate it.
-Phil Crow
Wow! You'r lucky, this looks like a great commission.
Checkout www.tablelegs.com and I'll bet you could find a turning you
could use at a pretty decent price. I've used these guys a few times
and other than having to resand some of there stuff they are great and
will do custom milling pretty cheap too.
Depending on the material you use for the top, you might consider a
little better (more efficient/effective) detail for the breadboard.
BW
>
> Look at it this way, the design shows an 84" table width using a 42"
> stretcher. Using the same design proportions, you will be going to
120"
> width, and will be using a 60" stretcher.
>
I've been figgerin' and lookin' and that would mean about 30" of
cantilever over the trestle. Is that too much? I have a nasty
tendency to overbuild everything, and so that seems like a bit much.
> IME with trestle tables, I would say you won't have a problem with
the extra
> length, as it is designed, _particularly_ if you use 5/4 wood for the
top
> and middle stretcher.
>
> I wouldn't even change the stretcher stock width, just go with 60"
instead
> of 42". That and the length of the top, sans breadboard ends, will be
the
> only changes you need to the plan.
>
Also, regarding breadboard ends...Do I need them? Do I want them? It
seems to me to be another (useless) architectural detail that I could
do without.
Thanks.
-Phil Crow
On 5 Jan 2005 18:06:06 -0800, [email protected] calmly ranted:
>>
>> Look at it this way, the design shows an 84" table width using a 42"
>> stretcher. Using the same design proportions, you will be going to
>120"
>> width, and will be using a 60" stretcher.
>>
>I've been figgerin' and lookin' and that would mean about 30" of
>cantilever over the trestle. Is that too much? I have a nasty
>tendency to overbuild everything, and so that seems like a bit much.
Since people tend to sit on tables, that's way too much. I'd use a
third leg under it for more heft and definitely improved stability.
>Also, regarding breadboard ends...Do I need them? Do I want them? It
>seems to me to be another (useless) architectural detail that I could
>do without.
They'll help keep it flat, but extra cleats could also do that. Just
remember to pin the center and use elongated holes for the rest of
the holddown points for expansion. Lee Valley has elongated washers.
--
"Menja bé, caga fort!"
On 2 Jan 2005 19:26:41 -0800, [email protected] vaguely
proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
My gut feeling is that you should run _deeper_ stretchers. Depth gives
far greater strength per weight than breadth (adding more). You could
also look at steel strapping underneath the stretchers, very strongly
glued, and bolted right through under the table top. This will be in
tension and make them very stiff. They could be hollow beams. Again my
gut says to place the top and bottom faces outside the side walls.
Give thought to a torsion box (door on its side) for the top. You can
make this nice and thick, so it sounds good when tapped <G> but will
cost a heap less, and be stable in shape more than timber. Weighs
less, too. Veneer for looks.
Beef up the trestles accordingly. The table will carry nearly twice as
much weight as the example, so they will be under greater strain. Any
webbing at corners would be best increased as well.
Or another trestle.
>I have just been commissioned by a friend to build a trestle table.
>The design is Shaker, as per
>
>http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/ezine/plans/shakertrestletable.pdf
>
>(watch for word wrap)
>
>that I will adapt so that I don't have to turn anything (no lathe, no
>experience).
>
>He is putting this table in a rental house/bed and breakfast where he
>regularly hosts large groups of people. Okay, fine, no problem. The
>Problem is that the guy wants this table to be ten (10) feet long.
>Yes, ten. Should I do anything additional to help support the table
>top? Can I use 4/4 wood for the top, or should I go 5/4 or even 6/4?
>Also, do I need to beef up the trestles themselves, or can I get away
>with maybe running an additional stretcher?
>
>I feel pretty proficient with the nuts and bolts of building a table;
>it's the design of a ten-foot long trestle table that I'm not sure
>about. The basic look of the aforementioned table is what I'm after,
>but ten feet? In a week-at-a-time rental?
>
>I poked around Google for a good while, but found nothing in the
>ten-foot range as far as plans go.
>Anyhow, if y'all have pearls of wisdom, I'd appreciate it.
>
>-Phil Crow
<[email protected]> wrote in message
> He is putting this table in a rental house/bed and breakfast where he
> regularly hosts large groups of people. Okay, fine, no problem. The
> Problem is that the guy wants this table to be ten (10) feet long.
> Yes, ten. Should I do anything additional to help support the table
> top? Can I use 4/4 wood for the top, or should I go 5/4 or even 6/4?
> Also, do I need to beef up the trestles themselves, or can I get away
> with maybe running an additional stretcher?
Look at it this way, the design shows an 84" table width using a 42"
stretcher. Using the same design proportions, you will be going to 120"
width, and will be using a 60" stretcher.
IME with trestle tables, I would say you won't have a problem with the extra
length, as it is designed, _particularly_ if you use 5/4 wood for the top
and middle stretcher.
I wouldn't even change the stretcher stock width, just go with 60" instead
of 42". That and the length of the top, sans breadboard ends, will be the
only changes you need to the plan.
... and find some help, that will be one heavy top!
Just my tuppence ...
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
<snip>
>
> I could be wrong, but I am thinking there was a FWW article sometime
> in the last year of two that had a massive trestle table as a feature
> article ... I'll see if I can find it and post the issue. Might want
> to take a stab at googling it down.
>
> In my dim memory, the author had an additional and unique support
> system that was part of his stretcher assembly. He also used an
> unusual wood for the table style, IIRC ... if that helps to jog
> anyone's memory who has all the FWW issues.
>
> I am pretty sure I still have the mag and I'll look for it tonight. It
> would be a good source for some more ideas if we can track it down for
> you.
>
I picked one up off of the 'recycling pile' at a recent woodworking club
meeting, with such a feature. #141, April 2000. Pretty certain that
design could be sized to work like the OP needs.
Patriarch
Ill tell you this. I just got done building a 10' bar out of 6/4 Mahogany.
Wheedling(sp?) around 10'x9" wide pieces of wood thru a jointer and planer
was a feat in itself.
When you buy the wood - spend the extra a get 4 sides surfaced.
(I just happened to have some rough so I used it)
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have just been commissioned by a friend to build a trestle table.
> The design is Shaker, as per
>
> http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/ezine/plans/shakertrestletable.pdf
>
> (watch for word wrap)
>
> that I will adapt so that I don't have to turn anything (no lathe, no
> experience).
>
> He is putting this table in a rental house/bed and breakfast where he
> regularly hosts large groups of people. Okay, fine, no problem. The
> Problem is that the guy wants this table to be ten (10) feet long.
> Yes, ten. Should I do anything additional to help support the table
> top? Can I use 4/4 wood for the top, or should I go 5/4 or even 6/4?
> Also, do I need to beef up the trestles themselves, or can I get away
> with maybe running an additional stretcher?
>
> I feel pretty proficient with the nuts and bolts of building a table;
> it's the design of a ten-foot long trestle table that I'm not sure
> about. The basic look of the aforementioned table is what I'm after,
> but ten feet? In a week-at-a-time rental?
>
> I poked around Google for a good while, but found nothing in the
> ten-foot range as far as plans go.
> Anyhow, if y'all have pearls of wisdom, I'd appreciate it.
>
> -Phil Crow
>
<[email protected]> wrote in message
> I've been figgerin' and lookin' and that would mean about 30" of
> cantilever over the trestle. Is that too much? I have a nasty
> tendency to overbuild everything, and so that seems like a bit much.
Consider kicking the 5/4 stretcher length up to get more into your comfort
zone for the overhang. IME, a 5/4 thick stretcher, 4 1/2" wide and 60' long
provides a good deal of span support. You may even want to double up on the
stretcher and use two, spaced apart, if it makes you feel better.
That's going to be one massive, heavy table, BTW.
> Also, regarding breadboard ends...Do I need them? Do I want them? It
> seems to me to be another (useless) architectural detail that I could
> do without.
I would say that depends a lot upon the type of wood used in your table top,
and even the way it is cut. Breadboard ends generally help to keep a table
top flat, but are not always necessary. I rarely use them in quarter sawn
oak projects for instance ... but that's just me.
I could be wrong, but I am thinking there was a FWW article sometime in the
last year of two that had a massive trestle table as a feature article ...
I'll see if I can find it and post the issue. Might want to take a stab at
googling it down.
In my dim memory, the author had an additional and unique support system
that was part of his stretcher assembly. He also used an unusual wood for
the table style, IIRC ... if that helps to jog anyone's memory who has all
the FWW issues.
I am pretty sure I still have the mag and I'll look for it tonight. It would
be a good source for some more ideas if we can track it down for you.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04
wrote in news:[email protected]:
> I have just been commissioned by a friend to build a trestle table.
> The design is Shaker, as per
>
> http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/ezine/plans/shakertrestletable.pdf
>
snip
> He is putting this table in a rental house/bed and breakfast where he
> regularly hosts large groups of people. Okay, fine, no problem. The
> Problem is that the guy wants this table to be ten (10) feet long.
> Yes, ten. Should I do anything additional to help support the table
> top? Can I use 4/4 wood for the top, or should I go 5/4 or even 6/4?
> Also, do I need to beef up the trestles themselves, or can I get away
> with maybe running an additional stretcher?
My vote is for beefing up the stretcher. We have a now 25 year-old 6 ft
trestle table from the Shaker Workshops and the stretcher is 5 1/4" wide.
The stretcher extends across the legs and strengthens the cantilevered
ends.
The top is 1 1/4". Looks like they are still making them:
http://www.shakerworkshops.com/fx21.htm
Those 3 1/2 inch legs in the plans you linked to are pretty hefty. For
comparison the Shaker Workshops' design has leg thickness of 1 3/4"
although
they are wider.
http://www.abbeville.com/pdf/0789203588.pdf (see page 20)
Shows a real Shaker trestle table that looks like it may be around 10
feet long. Does not look like they beefed up the thickness of the top
or the legs. Another example:
http://www.furnitureontheinternet.com/tables/trestle.htm
Looks like John Shea has published measured shop drawings, and he calls
our table, a Harvard trestle table. Its advantage for you is no turning
of the legs:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486270033/104-1275812-
4658350?v=glance
--
David Winsemius
"Swingman" wrote in message
> I could be wrong, but I am thinking there was a FWW article sometime in
the
> last year of two that had a massive trestle table as a feature article ...
> I'll see if I can find it and post the issue. Might want to take a stab at
> googling it down.
I went through my stack of FWW with no luck. Will look through the _piles_
of other magazines soon as I get a chance.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04