# Need some basic woodworking advice for wedding present project



## jeffesonm (Dec 23, 2009)

Hi all,

I'm looking for some basic woodworking advice/help for a wedding present project I'm making for some friends of mine that are soon to be married. A year or so back I made a similar present for another couple: a beer pong table using the sides of 6 pack holders. It was constructed using 3/4" plywood with some trim along the edges. Here is a picture of that table in progress, after most of the 6 pack thingies were laid out:











And here is a pic of the finished beer pong table top:











Well this second couple wanted one for themselves, but of course I cannot make the same thing for someone else, so I came up with the idea of a cocktail table. It's going to be a bar height cocktail table inlaid with various beer bottle caps and two nice bar height chairs to go along with it. I already purchased a metal base from a restaurant supply store and now I need to construct the table top.

When I made the first table the trim along the outer edge of the table was about 1/4" above the surface, forming a dam around the perimeter into which I could pour the epoxy. I want the cocktail table to be round so I need to figure out some way to create the same type of situation.

I originally considered cutting a round table from plywood and making a temporary dam out of rubber base cove molding. I did a small test piece to verify the epoxy wouldn't stick to the molding, which it did not, however I didn't like the look of the unfinished epoxy edge.

Next attempt was using a pre-fab edge glued round pine board 15" in diameter that looked just like this:










I'd like the final table to be around 30" in diameter but I wanted to do a small test version first. My plan was to rout out around 1/2" of the center of the table so I could place the bottle caps inside, leaving a nice lip around the edge to contain the epoxy. I borrowed my father's 1980 Craftsman router and made up a basic circle jig, and then began routing the inside of the table.

Well after struggling through 4" of routing, scorching all along the way, I put down the tool and hit the internet to read all about routers. I realized my bit was too small and very dull, and that all the bigger bits are 1/2" shank, and that a plunge base would make this job a lot easier, and so on and so forth... 

So I bought myself an early Christmas present: a Bosch 2.25 HP router kit with fixed and plunge bases, along with a 1 1/4" mortising bit, which was the biggest one I could find. I made up another circle jig and went about routing the inside of the table. It was a breeze with the new router/bit and I quickly removed 1/2" of material from the center, leaving a lip of around 3/4". I stained the wood using some Minwax and then set about pouring the epoxy. I started with a thin coat to seal the inside, and while it was still tacky, stuck the bottle caps in. I covered this with another thin coat to fill in any gaps and close off any air bubbles. Finally I poured a flood coat of about 1/4" of epoxy, filling up the recess and running over the sides to seal them as well. Once it dries I'll cut off the excess from the bottom and sand it smooth and my test table will be complete. A few pics of it as it dries:





















So now comes the part where I need some help... I can't find the pre-fab pine rounds in 30" diameter... only 24" which is too small, and 36" which is too big. Also pine doesn't seem to stain all that evenly, and is somewhat soft, so I'm guessing something like oak would just be nicer overall. Here is a quick sketch up of what I am trying to make:











How do you suggest I go about making this? Seems to me like there are a few different paths:

A. Find a 30" pre-fab pine board (manufacturer's site shows they make them) and use the same process as the test table. Hope it stains well and hope it's hard enough.

B. Edge glue several oak boards together and then use the router to cut into a circle, and then proceed with the process in A. Based on what I've read this would require clamps, glue, maybe a planer/joiner(?) to straighten the edges, hand plane to smooth the surface once joined, etc. Worried I may lack the skills/tools to do this right.

C. Cut a 30" circle from plywood and figure out a way to bend some molding/trim to fit around the edge of it, making a nice outer surface and creating a dam to hold the epoxy. Have read about water and steam bending, but again, concerns about skills/tools needed to accomplish this successfully.

Any other suggestions/advice? Also I've read a bunch about wood expanding/contracting with moisture changes... should I be concerned about this when it comes to the tabletop/epoxy? Do I need to worry about end grain at all?

Sorry for the long post and all the questions, but I want to make something nice for these folks! Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can provide.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*WoW, nice post!*

Usually there be a bunch of questions before we can get to any answers. You did a great job of explaining your issue and those are very nice tables.
I like your "C" approach, bending strips to form a molding which can then be routed into a 30" circle.
The trick here is the bending jig, which I see as the outside "scrap" which remains from the 30" circle. Since the narrow strips, probably 
1/8" or so will want to spring back out, the scrap will contain them while the epoxy sets up. AS you build up several layers inside the form you can drive nails every so often to hold the strips tightly against the form. Obviously the form needs to be cut larger than the finished dia since the strips will add to the diameter.
Second choice would be to glue up your own wood and rout away the center, but you'll end up with end grain on 2 sides rather than long grain all around...not as nice. 
A center mounted router guide plate will assure the circle is concentric and true.
You could glue up segmented mitered sections, maybe 6 or 8, to form a circle from 6" wide stock, you'd have to lay it out to see what width board and how many sections will work. 
Good luck with a cool project. :thumbsup: bill


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## Jwolf24601 (Dec 4, 2009)

Awesome work! I am very anxious to see your progress in this, I was looking to do something simular myself but with cigar bands. Seeing this though I feel inspired to route out the center and make a bottle cap chessboard.

Did you glue the box sides down before using the resin?

How hard was pouring the epoxy? I worry bout getting it even and bubble free.

What are you going to do for legs? I am a little intimidated of making a pedestal base.

I was planning on making a nightstand in poplar to practice joining wood so I could get the skills to do option B which I think is the best in reguards to craftsmanship of the final piece.


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## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

*Very Nice !!!*

Well, you could make a similar pong table, just re-arrange the beer boxes. Or use different one.
I think you need a Shiner Bock Box in there somewhere.
HHHMMM if you need some caps or boxes let me know.


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## jeffesonm (Dec 23, 2009)

Jwolf24601 said:


> Awesome work! I am very anxious to see your progress in this, I was looking to do something simular myself but with cigar bands. Seeing this though I feel inspired to route out the center and make a bottle cap chessboard.
> 
> Did you glue the box sides down before using the resin?
> 
> ...


For the first table I glued the beer box sides down using spray adhesive, then covered them with Elmer's white glue to seal them off... just wanted to make sure the epoxy didn't bleed through. The epoxy I use is called Kleer Koat and manufactured by US Composites. It is one of the cheaper ones I've found and it works very well. You basically mix the two components 1:1. You start with a thin seal coat to fill in any holes and seal off the surface, using a paint brush to help spread it around. Next you mix up a larger volume and pour a flood coat... the epoxy is thin enough that it self-levels, although a squeegee can help this process. If you need more depth you can wait a few hours and pour another one, and they will just seal together. A small propane torch works really well to bring the bubbles to the surface and pop them... just sweep it across the surface after pouring and you will see them come to the surface. The application guide has far more detailed instructions but feel free to ask.


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## jeffesonm (Dec 23, 2009)

Thanks for the kind words and advice received thus far. I am pretty well set on the cocktail table since I have already purchased the table base which looks something like this:












I like the idea of cutting a circle from plywood and then using the leftover as a form/mold. Can you explain a bit more about how I would actually bend the wood? Would I just get some 1 1/4" x 1/8" trim from somewhere and then bend it into the mold? Maybe 1/2 circle at a time or something? Will wood that thick just bend, or do I need to get it wet first? I keep reading about layering together wood laminate too... is laminate really thin strips of wood? Any thoughts about just using plywood and using a veneer around the edges?


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## Eddie (Dec 20, 2008)

First I have to say the table and ideals behind it are great and a nice touch with all the beer logos, keep up the good work.
Taken two pieces of ¾” together 36” square and screw them together to hold them in place, now cut a piece of wood about 17’ long by ½ thick or ¾” thick x 5” wide, place screw in the cut piece of wood on one end (1” in from the top and 2 ½” on the side) on the other end measure down from the screw to 15” dead center. Drill a ½” hole so the router bit fits into it, attach you router to that piece of wood a secure it. Now got back to 36” square plywood and fine the center, using the piece of wood with the router attach and the screw. Place the screw into the center of the 36” square and *adjust* *the height of the bit* accordingly to the cut. Using your router with a straight cutting bit ½ shank a must. Doing 3 to 4 passes will cut through both pieces of plywood clean and smooth. Removing small amount of wood at a time. Once that completed, move to the 2ND stage of the project. With is, remove the router and measure again from the pivot screw down to 13-¾” and *adjust* your router for ¾” cut to remove only the top piece of plywood leaving the bottom piece on touch. Now to cover the plywood end grain you can use edge banding that come in 2” wide and easy to apply, you also can do the inside with ¾” wide edge banding. You can fine it at Lowes. I hope this can be helpful.


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