# correcting a table top glue up mistake



## panhandler (Apr 28, 2011)

I have been working on a new dining room table for my family off and on for a few months. Nothing fancy, it is a 60+" square table to seat 8 people. It is made with primarily with cherry with Peruvian walnut picture framing the top. 

Well because of clamps and a bit of indecisiveness I decided to glue The table in two panels. After gluing 2 panels together I realized I needed about 4 more inches so that my table would be at least 60". So I planed and jointed a 4" board to glue in between the two panels while adding the outside walnut. I set up my clamps and spread glue then clamped. What I didn't realize was that the panels had bowed a little and did not glue the last 9-12" on each end. So it is glued ~5 feet in the middle and no glue as you reach the end. Obviously this won't do. 

What would you suggest to fix the problem. My gut reaction is to cut the top on each side of the problem board then reglue after dry fitting this time. But I wanted to know if there are other options. 

I'll try and send pictures when I get home to help with explanation.


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

panhandler said:


> My gut reaction is to cut the top on each side of the problem board then reglue after dry fitting this time.



Yep.

Also, are you wanting to glue a solid walnut frame around a solid cherry table top? :no:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Listen to you gut. Any thing else will be a life long patching job. Any time you make a glue up, whether it's a little panel for a cabinet door or a table top, dry fit the joint and make sure the parts fit well before spreading glue. Sometimes the joints will fit pretty close and a lot of people will just use extra pressure on the clamps and force it together. The problem is the amount of pressure it takes to force it together is how much pressure the wood is putting on it trying to pull it apart later.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

I would think a 60 inch wide solid cherry table would change in dimension by abou 1/2 an inch from winter to summer. How are you going to attach a walnut frame?


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## panhandler (Apr 28, 2011)

Great question midland I, I realized I didn't do a very good job explaining what I am doing with the top. The top is cherry boards glued up into a panel with wh outside boards being Peruvian walnut then walnut breadboard ends.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Cutting along the glue line should give you surfaces on both sides that will fit perfectly together as long as you have a sharp smooth cutting blade.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

Ripping and rejoining is the way to go.
I am still interested that you are comfortable with a 60 inch breadboard. I am just finishing a cherry table that is 36 inches wide at the ends. I calculated a .33 inch change of dimension by next summer. I built the breadboards a bit long as the table is probably at its driest now. 
If I wanted to go that wide , I would use shop made veneer ,1/8 inch, and make a 3-4 foot panel with Baltic birch and the cherry top and bottom. 3-6 inch solid wood sides would make the wood movement almost a non issue. The darker frame could be almost glued solid?


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