(Also Posted in abpw)

I would like to run this past the group. For years we have been told that
the best way to glue up slabs, like table tops, was to alternate the
direction of growth rings using 4"-5" boards. Occasionally this caused us
to rip and join a perfectly good 18" to 24" slab of hardwood and end up with
a slab with discontinuous grain pattern -- necessary for the integrity of
the slab.

A couple of years ago I was building a 8/4 Oak table top for a coffee table
and was unsure of the best rip widths for the glue-up assembly with this
heavy material. I posted to forums of a couple of woodworking magazines and
was surprised at a response. A magazine editor said that with heavy stock,
with fairly large radius growth rings, it was ok to rip at 4" to 5" and glue
them back together in their original position. He claimed the glue joints
did an adequate job of relieving the stress and I could retain the original
appearance of the slab.

The post came slowly -- after I had ripped and glued in the conventional
(alternating) manner. The top looked fine but I still
wonder.............????

ANY INPUT?