has anyone built a table top 3" thick?

[EZland]

All,
I have building some trestle style tables for a few customers and the lastest one wants the top at 3 inches.  The thickest I have built was 2inches and that thing was heavy and the cost of the lumber will be up there.   I tried to talk her into one the technques the make it appear 3" from the edge, but she wants it solid. 

Any advice on techques to keep it stable? 

[mesquite buckeye]

Quarter saw the log dead center on the pith.  How big is this thing anyway?

[Ianab]

Is this a glued up top?

In that case no real problem, apart from the cost and weight. Make sure the wood is dry. Wood moves when it changes in moisture.

The top is going to change seasonally in width, no matter what the thickness, so you need to allow for that. Other than that, a way to move it is the main issue.

Use a router bridge to surface the completed top once it's all glued up. Not really practical to feed something like that though a wide sander.

I didn't build this, it's at the Kauri Museum in Northland. It's 15ft long, averages 5ft wide, and is 4" thick. Weights about a ton. It's also one single board.


Ian

[SwampDonkey]

What in the world? Is that woman going to get up and dance on table tops? Ask her to move it. ;D

[woodworker9]

This is a trend presently going great guns in the design world, and all the furniture designers are showing rustic tables made from thick slabs, wide boards, and plenty of character.  If you can handle the weight in your workshop, it's not that difficult a build.  I've recently made one from 3 slabs that were around 14" wide each.  My son helped me run the edges over my jointer to get the edges straight, and I cleaned them up with a hand plane before gluing together.

You'll need to decide if you're going to leave the edge grain exposed, or if you're going to do a breadboard end.  It's a personal choice, and the bread board end can help keep the table flat......within reason.  Just don't glue it on, or it'll explode on you.  I pin them from underneath with enlarged slots for movement.

Jeff

[Jay C. White Cloud]

Hey EZ,

It's been a long time, but I did a repair to what is called a "butcher's Table."  They are usually 3" to 4" thick.  I work in green wood almost exclusively, so I would be glad to help.  The methods aren't that unique, but some of the modern tooling to do it fast can be expensive, (chain mortiser, oscillating tenon cutter.)  You can do it with all hand tools, (very rewarding,) but that will take 5 to 10 times as long to accomplish the same work.

I would need to know some of your personal design criteria to be of any real service, (i.e. type of wood, width, etc.)  You can work this green and the food grade oil finish I use retards the drying process considerably. If this method is of interest, let me know.

Regards,

jay

[Lud]

I did a couple of large tables last year in the 2" range and I handed the guy's wife up on the table so , who knows, maybe she did dance on it.  If you have enough guys weight's not really a problem.  Moving it later may be.  UHMW sliders can really help .

Y'know, .......you're only increasing the weight 50% .  And the cost of the wod goes way down with a sawmill..... ;D ;D

[EZland]

Thanks gents,
I was hoping to use my lumber that I have set up, but looks like I will have to buy it. I have only 2" in stock.  The real factor for it may be the price in the end.  The labor is nearly the same except everything is super heavy. 

She wants the end grain showing which makes some of it easier and other things harder.  So that solve the expanding issue but not the warping problems.  Yes, dry is a must.   

Any other ideas, did I mention is was trestle table?  Any thoughts on that? 

[SwampDonkey]

Around here, can't get hardwood thicker than 2" kilned. That is, select and better. So if you get 3" kilned stock it's gonna be a premium. I know the customer "knows what they want". But sometimes, do they really? 2" is even over kill, but that's just a personal opinion of course. I wouldn't want it.

[pigman]

Since it is a trestle table, it should be easy to fasten the top to the supports in such a way to stop most of the warp.

[opticsguy]

i have three spalted maple planks, 3" thick x 24" wide x 18' long wiht natural edges.  Been thinking about a trestle tabel for my house, but 18 feet long spans the dining room and 1/2 family room.  Would be sooo cool and sooo impratical!!!

[mesquite buckeye]

Bigger house. ;D

[Axe Handle Hound]

The labor is nearly the same except everything is super heavy. 

I would advise you to make sure you charge a premium for your labor simply because of the weight and danger of moving something that size.   It will take you more effort to rotate it for cuts, more effort to lift, and you'll likely need help transporting.  Plus, I believe my 10" table saw will only cut 2 15/16 in height so if the top is a true 3" you may have to use a bandsaw for ripping and that will require some stought stands or in-feed/out-feed tables. 

On the positive side, a top 3" thick will be less prone to warping than one 3/4" thick.  Thicker wood (if cut from the log correctly) is more stable.  It being a trestle table shouldn't really affect you too much other than making it easier in my opinion.  I built my trestle table with the legs as independent assemblies.  The stretcher bolts into/through them and then the top bolts to the supports on the top of the legs.  Got any back of the napkin sketches you could share with us?