# Questions about trivets



## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

I am going to make some trivets for a dining room table. This is just an idea:
















1. What thickness is best? 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8?
2. What woods? I thought about anything that would not warp under heat. I figured pinw would not be good. I am not sure about poplar or not. Red Oak? Wlanut? Maple?
3. I want to glue up some pieces (different pieces of wood or the same) What glue would be best? Titebond II or III? I was concerned about heat making the joint weak.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I would make them 1/2" thick. My first choice of woods you have listed would be walnut followed by pine and then maple. I probably wouldn't use poplar or red oak. Eventually you will get the trivet wet and oak turns black if gotten wet and I've had trouble with poplar warping. The heat won't really be a problem with the glue joint. Either titebond II or titebond III would work unless you expect to get them very wet where titebond III is waterproof.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

If you have 3/4in stock I would use this, otherwise I would not go thinner than 1/2in.

Glues can handle some heat, as long as less than about 200 F. Some types will soften before this temperature.

Any finish may be impacted before 200 F.

If I were making a trivet today I would use walnut or maple or hickory of cherry.

Steve is correct about oak. I forgot about water and oak when I made some trivets several years ago.

The scroll saw patterns are nice. You can also consider an expandable trivet if you want to hold several dishes for a large dinner.

I only found the picture of this one with the trivet closed.









A different trivet, this one open.









Grooves on both ends. The fingers are glued in one end and held by pieces under the fingers. I need to add another picture of the underside, but the other applications are frozen and I will need to reboot. I will edit later.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Steve Neul said:


> I would make them 1/2" thick. My first choice of woods you have listed would be walnut followed by pine and then maple. I probably wouldn't use poplar or red oak. Eventually you will get the trivet wet and oak turns black if gotten wet and I've had trouble with poplar warping. The heat won't really be a problem with the glue joint. Either titebond II or titebond III would work unless you expect to get them very wet where titebond III is waterproof.


Thanks....actually, the last wood I thought of using was pine.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I've used cherry or ash. I make mine 5/8" thick.
Tom


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

TomC said:


> I've used cherry or ash. I make mine 5/8" thick.
> Tom


What finish do you use? BLO?


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

mengtian said:


> What finish do you use? BLO?


Yes, BLO THINED ABOUT 50 per cent.
Tom


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

It's water and IRON and oak. 

I would use a thickness like 1/2 - 5/8 so you could stack and cut out at least two at a time. A couple of tacks thru the last few pieces you cut out would hold the pieces together.
It would be best wit quarter sawn wood to minimize warping.
The TB III or even II would withstand most heated objects especially as only the top few mm would get hot unless you put the whole thing on the heat source.


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