On Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:17:46 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

My new tabletop is made up of 7 red oak boards 42" long by 10" wide; so the
tabletop measures 42" long by 70" wide; well, actually an oval that size.
It is 1" thick, if that matters.
(I had a big pile of 50" long 5/4 oak, and no 70" oak...)
If this is not clear, a picture of it (well of the bottom) is at:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~toller/tabletop.jpg

I planned on making the base 60" by 32" and attaching the top with metal
clips set in groves. But I just did the math and it is horrifying. My
reference says that red oak will move 0.31"/ft, so 5' will move 1.6". That
seems rather too much for clips.

How do I deal with this? My only thought is to use clips on the apron along
the movement, and leave the perpendicular aprons free, but that doesn't seem
right.

Any advice would be appreciated.




That (1.6") seems like a lot. I built an entertainment center with an
Oak top 50" long and the most seasonal expansion I'm seeing is about
3/8". I used clips in slot all around without a problem

I think it may be variable based on the change in relative humidity in
the final environment. Maybe that figure is a worst case.

Frank