Swingman wrote:
Jim Helfer" wrote in message

Tonight I start building the "Limbert Tabourette" featured in 11/03
Pop. Woodworking. This table has to surfaces, one 16" round and one
10.5" square.

Of course I am going to have to edge-join several boards together to
get that width. My question is what would be an appropriate width to
cut the boards for maximum happiness with regard to strength and

appearance.


(For instance, a 16" table top made of 2 8" wide pieces may look
strange, and a bunch of 3" wide strips will most likely end up looking
like a cutting board).


There is nothing wrong with using two, 8" boards ... although you would do
much better to have them total over 16" so that you have some wiggle room
for cutting off the excess.


Should I try to have all the "slats" the same width? Why or why not?


I think you will find that random width's will please the eye and look less
like your "cutting board". Normally, I simply match the grain as best I can,
without regard to annular ring orientation, using 2 or more, random width,
boards.

For a 16" wide table top, I would generally use three or four +/- 6" wide
boards totaling around 18" and cut off the excess when done. Among other
things, this extra width lets you clamp without worrying about clamp marks.

You shouldn't have a problem with that width, but in the event that you need
to run it back through a planer because of a glue-up problem or
non-flatness, it is nice to be able to make a single cut where the now two
parts are not so wide that they can't be run through your planer
individually, then be re-glued, making it necessary to clean up only one
glue line.


This piece will be made of plain-sawn red oak (not the more
traditional q-sawn white oak) if that makes a difference.


Shouldn't make any difference.

Got a biscuit jointer? If so, use it for aligning your boards ... biscuits,
and good cabinet clamps, make a flat panel glue-up much easier to
accomplish.



Thanks for the advice! Good post.

Jim Helfer
Pittsburgh PA