# 7 foot wood cross



## Parkerdog (Aug 15, 2013)

I was volunteered to make a cross for an easter display of some sort at my sisters church.

I suppose I could have made it simple and been done but nooooo I get the bright idea of finding a use for this reclaimed oak flooring that's in my way.

Anyway I have sorted out my long ones for the 7 foot part and I'm going to plane them down to 1/2' inch thick so that they will be smooth on both sides. Then I'm going to rip them at least 1' wide maybe a little more depending on where the nail holes end up etc.

There's not enough long ones to just glue them all the same way(standing on edge) so I plan on putting the ones in the middle of the width flat(which will actually be two stacked) Mainly to give it some character, width and not just look like a striped board.

Will this cause problems with expansion and contraction? Never really glued this many boards together like this. Usually just edge gluing for a panel. It wouldn't look too nice if my cross turned into an "s' or "c". lol

To put it together I'm going to make the crossbar the same way. Plane them both to the same thickness then make a lap joint and glue and screw the cross piece on.

I hope this makes sense. I know what I want but it's hard sometimes to get my ideas across to other people.

I was doing some searching on cutting boards that's what got me wondering about the contraction issues. I figured this is kind of one big long cutting board.

Finish with Danish oil since it won't be handled and maybe no cracks?

Any suggestions are welcome I'm still in the planing process. 


How many clamps do you suppose? 1 a foot on the bottom?


Thanks


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

If you are turning your center pieces 90 deg. to your outer pieces, I wouldn't recommend it. :smile:


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## Parkerdog (Aug 15, 2013)

Edge grain on Face grain is that much weaker? I'm just asking, like I said newbie to laminating stuff together.

The middle boards will be 2 stacked on top of each other to make the 1 inch thickness that the sides will be.

Then overall it will probably end up being 3/4" thick. The idea is coming from a cross another lady saw at a different church. It is just single boards. Here is a pic I took just for reference the other day.


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## Parkerdog (Aug 15, 2013)

And for my sins I guess I need to make two crosses now.

I ended up making almost exact to the pic I showed and it's already been decorated for Easter in my sister's church. (and they covered up my nice base to make it look like a rock I guess) Please excuse the crummy camera phone pic.

That one's done. Now to finish the other one. 

I want it to be more decorative and I am going to end up with oak strips 1" wide x hopefully 5/8" thick and at least 7' long for the upright and long enough for the crossbar. Never again will I mess with reclaiming old flooring. Lesson learned on that.

Ideas on what to do to dress it up? Somewhat simple to build would be nice too. lol Kind of like the old car expression do you want to go cheap or fast? Can't have both.


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## builder64 (Jan 1, 2014)

Alternating wood colors is one thing to do if you are gluing up like a butcher block. I know oak can go from very light to very dark.
Other than that, perhaps a trim or chamfer around the edge. Or a rabbet + trim around the perimeter.


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## Parkerdog (Aug 15, 2013)

builder64 said:


> Alternating wood colors is one thing to do if you are gluing up like a butcher block. I know oak can go from very light to very dark.
> Other than that, perhaps a trim or chamfer around the edge. Or a rabbet + trim around the perimeter.


This reclaimed flooring I'm using is surprisingly uniform in color. Also the way I'm cutting it up I'm getting a lot of quarter sawn pieces so I'm thinking I'll try to alternate them or use them around the edge if I end up with enough of them. For contrast I think I'm going to just go buy some walnut and put another cross on top of the oak one with the ends angled like they do in the modern united Methodist symbol. Here's a crude drawing. I didn't show the base.


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## builder64 (Jan 1, 2014)

Looks good.


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## Parkerdog (Aug 15, 2013)

builder64 said:


> Looks good.


 
Do you think if I pegged the walnut cross on with oak dowels trimmed flush it would look funny? 

I'm wondering if the round pegs wouldn't go with the angular and straight lines theme I'll have going on I guess.

Maybe four spaced across the walnut cross piece and 5-6 on the walnut upright.

Or should I figure out some other way to secure it. I'm trying not to put a lot of screws through it from the back in case they put it somewhere more visible than the other one. (which I think they will take down when Easter is over, not sure though. Not religious myself. Seems odd building crosses?) LOL!


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## builder64 (Jan 1, 2014)

Do square pegs if you have a good chisel. Just drill your holes and square it up. 
A couple of your pegs could even go through the oak lap joint.


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