Stan wrote:
Help! I've been building a dining room table that is 5ft square made
of
hard maple. I've followed the directions in my FWW mags and books to
the letter. I've alternated the grain but with the climate change,
my
table top has curled up ALOT. Now there are 4 separate areas where
the
6inch wide boards, which were biscuited, glued, and clamped, have
become separated at the ends, perhaps 1 to 4 inches into the table
from
the edge. A gap exists between 1/16 and 1/8". Now what? The only
thing I can think of is to somehow get glue back in this tiny crack
and
then re-clamp. Please offer me your good suggestions. Thanks,
-Clueless

Stan, In addition to the other suggestions, if you didn't apply equal
amounts of finish to all sides, that could have something to do with
it.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Stan, In addition to the other suggestions, if you didn't apply equal
amounts of finish to all sides, that could have something to do with
it.


Second or third mention, but untrue. It may cause bowing of the entire
top - usually does, but won't cause failure of the glue at the ends of the
boards of a glueup.

OK I think I've finally figured out why my tabletop split apart. I
recently ripped it into individual boards again per your suggestions.
I then re-jointed all the edges. This time I noticed that if one end
was held flush against the mating board, there was a tapered gap
increasing in size towards the other end. I soon determined that this
was due to the relationship between my jointer blade and the outfeed
table. I made an adjustment to this. In the end, I adjusted the gibs
for both the in and outfeed tables to the point now where, using a VERY
flat, thick and wide, 4ft starrett ruler, I have the in and outfeed
tables adjusted within microns of each other and the relationship to
the blade is practically perfect (I spent 5 or 6hrs doing it--I hate
giving up!). Now when I joint the two mating surfaces, I get a
1/64inch gap in the middle but the ends are flush. I should say again
that my boards are 5/4 hard maple, 5.5inches wide and about 57inches
long.

Now my question to you JOINTER EXPERTS: Is this gap simply inevitable,
given that my combined in and outfeed table length is about 47inches
and my stock is about 10inches longer than that or is there something
else I'm overlooking?

I have the Yorkcraft 6inch wide jointer which is the same model as the
Delta.
Stan

"Stan" wrote in message
oups.com...
OK I think I've finally figured out why my tabletop split apart. I
recently ripped it into individual boards again per your suggestions.
I then re-jointed all the edges. This time I noticed that if one end
was held flush against the mating board, there was a tapered gap
increasing in size towards the other end. I soon determined that this
was due to the relationship between my jointer blade and the outfeed
table. I made an adjustment to this. In the end, I adjusted the gibs
for both the in and outfeed tables to the point now where, using a VERY
flat, thick and wide, 4ft starrett ruler, I have the in and outfeed
tables adjusted within microns of each other and the relationship to
the blade is practically perfect (I spent 5 or 6hrs doing it--I hate
giving up!). Now when I joint the two mating surfaces, I get a
1/64inch gap in the middle but the ends are flush. I should say again
that my boards are 5/4 hard maple, 5.5inches wide and about 57inches
long.

Now my question to you JOINTER EXPERTS: Is this gap simply inevitable,
given that my combined in and outfeed table length is about 47inches
and my stock is about 10inches longer than that or is there something
else I'm overlooking?


Not a jointer expert, but six foot on my old 4" Rockwell (30") wasn't a
chore. Eight on the 6" Jet isn't either. Watch your hand technique. After
the initial half foot passes the blades, there should be a hand over that
position as much as possible while feeding..

You compare those edges to the Starrett, or just to each other?

I'll let an expert chime in with praise for sprung joints.

Stan wrote:
... In the end, I adjusted the gibs
for both the in and outfeed tables to the point now where, using a VERY
flat, thick and wide, 4ft starrett ruler, I have the in and outfeed
tables adjusted within microns of each other and the relationship to
the blade is practically perfect (I spent 5 or 6hrs doing it--I hate
giving up!). Now when I joint the two mating surfaces, I get a
1/64inch gap in the middle but the ends are flush. I should say again
that my boards are 5/4 hard maple, 5.5inches wide and about 57inches
long.

Now my question to you JOINTER EXPERTS: Is this gap simply inevitable,
given that my combined in and outfeed table length is about 47inches
and my stock is about 10inches longer than that or is there something
else I'm overlooking?
....

If the edge is concave, the outfeed table is just a tad high relative to
the knives. It should be possible to get essentially perfect contact on
a piece of that length. If the outfeed table is adjustable, the final
tweak should be nothing more than a nudge and test cut or two. As I
recall the Yorkcraft is a Delta clone so that should be the case.

Did you check that the infeed/outfeed tables are actually parallel to
each other, I presume? That also could be a cause if the ends droop
relative to each other.

"Stan" wrote in news:1115828699.149114.124930
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

snip
1/64inch gap in the middle but the ends are flush. I should say again
that my boards are 5/4 hard maple, 5.5inches wide and about 57inches
long.


I believe that if you leave these boards overnight in my shop, and measure
again in the morning, you will get a different reading.

1/64 inch over 5 feet ought to be within woodworking tolerances.

Go Cougars!

Patriarch

Stan wrote:

I get a 1/64inch gap in the middle but the ends are flush.
I should say again that my boards are 5/4 hard maple, 5.5inches wide
and about 57inches long.

Now my question to you JOINTER EXPERTS: Is this gap simply inevitable,
given that my combined in and outfeed table length is about 47inches
and my stock is about 10inches longer than that or is there something
else I'm overlooking?

Over that length, you should be able to do better. But 1/64 isn't a
crisis, IMO. Especially in the middle of the board, wouldn't want it at
the ends.

--
dadiOH
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