24 Dominoes Later...

[Ken Nagrod]

Fred,

The wide bands of unevenly alternating heartwood and sapwood actually looks really good.  Was that intentional?

 

[bruegf]

Darcy,

Definitely softer than oak or other hardwoods, but quite a bit better than pine and it does have the advantage that is very reasonably priced.  At the time my father built it for me (before I was doing any woodworking for myself) the price of the material was a major factor.   The table is pushing 20 years now and it still looks almost like a new, but we are fairly careful.

Fred

 

[mouppe]

Good job, David. I agree with a previous poster, too nice for paint. Danish oil would give it a nice and simple finish, maybe with a gel stain underneath if you wanted a darker colour?

Richard.

 

[bruegf]

Fred,

The wide bands of unevenly alternating heartwood and sapwood actually looks really good.  Was that intentional?

Ken, nope just the way the boards worked out, but its very typical of the look of naturally finished poplar

Fred

 

[mouppe]

How did you connect the tabletop to the frame? 

I used figure 8 fasteners, angled in a slight bit to account for any expansion.

I use dominoes to attach the top. It is so simple. I use the wider mortise in the tabletop and this allows for the wood expansion. On my workbench I did not glue them in- the weight of the top was sufficient to keep it all in place. On a smaller table like this I would just glue in the centre domino.

Richard.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Darcy,

Definitely softer than oak or other hardwoods, but quite a bit better than pine and it does have the advantage that is very reasonably priced.  At the time my father built it for me (before I was doing any woodworking for myself) the price of the material was a major factor.   The table is pushing 20 years now and it still looks almost like a new, but we are fairly careful.

Fred

I also find finishing poplar to be a total pia. 
I use a ton of it for all my painted casings, base, crown and paneled walls.

 

[nickao]

Looking good. 

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Darcy,

Why poplar for your crown molding?  Doesn't that get a little pricey?  Are you molding the stuff on a something like a W&H or you having a shop do it?  Ever use Windsor One's crown?

 

[DavidCBaker]

Nicely done David,  I think it would look really nice finished naturally.

Fred, that's a beautiful table!

 

[DavidCBaker]

I use dominoes to attach the top. It is so simple. I use the wider mortise in the tabletop and this allows for the wood expansion. On my workbench I did not glue them in- the weight of the top was sufficient to keep it all in place. On a smaller table like this I would just glue in the centre domino.

For some reason I've having trouble picturing it. Are you using a loosely fitted mortise so that the tenon (i.e., domino) can slide?

 

[mouppe]

I use dominoes to attach the top. It is so simple. I use the wider mortise in the tabletop and this allows for the wood expansion. On my workbench I did not glue them in- the weight of the top was sufficient to keep it all in place. On a smaller table like this I would just glue in the centre domino.

For some reason I've having trouble picturing it. Are you using a loosely fitted mortise so that the tenon (i.e., domino) can slide?

That's exactly it. The domino is perpendicular to the grain on the tabletop. Glued snugly into the tops of the legs and crossbars, but sitting loose in the bottom of the tabletop. It's the expansion across the grain in the tabletop about which you have to worry. 

The other advantage is that when you have to move the 300lb bugger, it is much easier to do as it can be moved in two sections. 

 

[DavidCBaker]

Gotcha. That's an interesting idea. Thanks for the explanation.

My wife is very excited about the table, and I'm finding that to be good motivation to keep building things.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

A very nice table David.  You really have a knack (or beginner's luck!!)  Did you design that, or build from a plan?  Either way, nicely executed.  [thumbs up]

I am also of mixed opinion about poplar.  The ugly green streaks are a real turnoff, but as bruegf showed, it ages into a nice appearance.  One of the woodworking mags has a comparison of "primary" woods this month, and covered poplar's color changing.  The green mellows and turns brown/gray (IIRC).  I just recently build some bed frames for my daughters out of poplar (I had it on hand... easy to work, cheap-ish), and my wife was adamant about wanting them white.

Anyway, here's the real point of this post:   Domino slotting and construction to accomodate and allow wood movement, and held in place using pocket hole screws.
This is Jerry Work's very awesome treatise on using a Domino.  This write-up is the main reason I kept my Kreg jig after I got the Domino.  The technique here is very clearly explained, shown with photos and just clicks.

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/Getting_the_most_from_the_Festool_Domino_Machine.pdf
Go to page 21.

 

[DavidCBaker]

I'll read that! Thanks.

I based it loosely on a photo in a plan. It had different slats and a drawer, and used traditional mortise/tenon joinery. But it gave me a good place to start.

The nice thing about the domino vs. mortise/tenon joinery is that I don't have to figure out all those extra lengths!  [big grin]

 

[jvsteenb]

The nice thing about the domino vs. mortise/tenon joinery is that I don't have to figure out all those extra lengths!  

An that, my friend, makes you a lazy slob by definition  [poke] Be it a rather smart one ..... [wink]

Nice table, I'm very much into clean and simple designs. I think much of the softer but relatively stable woods like ( yellow ) poplar are underrated. Not every piece of furniture needs bullet proof concrete-like janka ratings, and signs of usage may add to the character of a piece. Even in the case of relatively "dull" woods, I usually prefer natural transparent finishes for furniture pieces whenever possible. What can I say - I like wood, and as a contractor who earns a fair deal of his keep doing (renovation) paintwork I find it releaving to let out the beauty of the material whenever feasable.

Oh, and BTW Kreg, 

then a head board......... on and on and on !

I think you misspelled on that one. I'm pretty sure you meant to say: ... then some beadboard......... on and on and on !...

Regards,

Job

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Darcy,

Why poplar for your crown molding?  Doesn't that get a little pricey?  Are you molding the stuff on a something like a W&H or you having a shop do it?  Ever use Windsor One's crown?

It is super cheap.  I pay .90/ft for 3 1/4" mouldings (case, base, crown)  I think it is .60/ft for 2 3/4"

I am installing some 4 1/4" red oak crown that is 1" thick, that runs me 1.71/ft.

It is a good thing I have a mill shop 4 blocks from home.
It also lets me sell a bunch of trim work.  I don't mark up the trim very much and am able to charge a premium for the install.

I have ripped trim out of 4 year old houses to put all new up. 

 

[tiralie]

David:
Nice work. I love using poplar for trim, and anything that will be painted.
I am not a big fan of pine.
I wish we could get some of those Festool classes up here in Canada, I heard they are working on it...

 

[DavidCBaker]

David:
Nice work. I love using poplar for trim, and anything that will be painted.
I am not a big fan of pine.
I wish we could get some of those Festool classes up here in Canada, I heard they are working on it...

Thanks for the kind remarks!

The other thing about poplar: it doesn't leave goop on your blade like pine does.

 

[wnagle]

Pretty nice table David.  It will look good painted or finished!  Here is a nice site for some info on finishing poplar.  Charles Neil has videos on going and other training videos.  I subscribe to his weekly series and like his work and advice. 

He has some finishing videos that show ways to finish poplar and deal with the green and sap wood.  According to him, he shows you how to finish polar without too much work, and you can't distinguish it from Walnut.  Might be worth looking at.  Anyway, here's the site to look around.  http://charlesneilwoodworking.com/

 

[DavidCBaker]

Thanks, Wayne. I'll check out the videos.