# Coffee table



## sunnydazebymel (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi. I'm getting ready to build a 3x6 ft coffee table. I'm going to make it out of 3/4 inch plywood. What ply is best for staining? I would also like to round over the edges with a round over bit but don't want to see the plywood layers. What do you suggest?


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## sunnydazebymel (Mar 22, 2012)

sunnydazebymel said:


> Hi. I'm getting ready to build a 3x6 ft coffee table. I'm going to make it out of 3/4 inch plywood. What ply is best for staining? I would also like to round over the edges with a round over bit but don't want to see the plywood layers. What do you suggest?


Also, what ply chips the least when cutting with a jigsaw?


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

sunnydazebymel said:


> Hi. I'm getting ready to build a 3x6 ft coffee table. I'm going to make it out of 3/4 inch plywood. What ply is best for staining? I would also like to round over the edges with a round over bit but don't want to see the plywood layers. What do you suggest?


Put a one or two inch edge band of solid wood with a set of these bits:
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...es/bit_edgeband_ogee.html#edge_banding_anchor
Then do your roundover. 

Baltic birch ply is probably as good as it's gonna get for chip resistance but with a jig saw it's still gonna be a crap shoot. I'd at least tape the line on both sides and cut from the bottom:smile:


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## sunnydazebymel (Mar 22, 2012)

How will I add the solid wood around the edge if the corners are going to be round and not square?


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## Treeoflifestairs.com (Jan 9, 2012)

I would border the plywood with solid material.


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

+1 to the edging with wood. Did that to a table I built, then cut it in circle. Works great. Taping the cut line will help on your ply als.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I'm skeptical that you'll get acceptable results with a jig saw....it's very hard to get clean enough cuts, and very hard to get straight cuts. A table saw would be best IMO. If you can't get access to a TS, can you buy or borrow a circular saw and put a 40T to 60T blade in it, and use a straight edge as a guide? 

The best way to round the edges without seeing the ply edge is to band the plywood with solid wood, and roundover the wood edges using a router....if you don't have a router, a sander or handplane can work too, but it's a lot more work. 










To strengthen the joint, it's a good idea to use a spline, router bit joint, or biscuits to help strengthen the joint.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

sunnydazebymel said:


> How will I add the solid wood around the edge if the corners are going to be round and not square?


Add wide enough bands at the start so that you can round the corners and do the roundovers after it's banded and still be hitting solid wood.:smile:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Another option is if you would use lumber core plywood you could work it just like it was a solid piece of wood except for sanding the face. You can cut curved edges and route an edge on it. Furniture companies have been doing this for years.


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## sunnydazebymel (Mar 22, 2012)

Thank you for all the comments. I do appreciate them all. If anymore comments come I appreciate them as well


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## sunnydazebymel (Mar 22, 2012)

If I do get the Edge Banding Router Bit, what size do I get for 3/4 inch ply?


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

sunnydazebymel said:


> If I do get the Edge Banding Router Bit, what size do I get for 3/4 inch ply?


MLCS has a choice of two sets that are as reasonably priced as any, and they offer free s/h. Their set covers 1/2" to 1" panels, and is offered with two shank diameters...1/4" and 1/2". Get the 1/2" if your router will accept it.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Steve Neul said:


> Another option is if you would use lumber core plywood you could work it just like it was a solid piece of wood except for sanding the face. You can cut curved edges and route an edge on it. Furniture companies have been doing this for years.


Can you give more explanation on this? Do you mean that edge banding is not necessary?

G


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

GeorgeC said:


> Can you give more explanation on this? Do you mean that edge banding is not necessary?
> 
> G


Where most plywood has 7 or more plys of veneer the lumber core has a thick layer of solid wood with two thin layers of wood on each side to stabilize it. Many high end furniture companies will make table tops with rounded corners and just stain and finish the edge without banding the edge. There's no telling how many mahogany tables I have refinished that had this type of top. These had no routed edge however there is no reason someone couldn't route a edge on this plywood.


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## mshapiro (May 22, 2012)

Instead of plywood, I like to use red oak and laminate the pieces together. A little more expensive but a lot nicer, I think.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

If you will be using a jig saw, be sure to apply masking (or painters) tape to both side of where you will be cutting. And, use a fine tooth metal cutting blade. It should result in a smooth cut with very little chipping. Try it first on a piece of scrap material and see if it produces the cut you like.


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