Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me.

I've just taken our dining table out from the garage where it had been
stored during renovations to the house. To my horror the top of the
table has split down about 1/5 of it's length - the split is about 8
inches long and 1 inch wide at its widest point, with the table top
being about 1 1/4 inches thick. The table top is made of solid oak in
three sections (main central section which is split, with a narrower
piece of wood on each end, tongue and grooved in). The whole top of
the table can be removed because the table is extendable.

I know it was stupid to keep it in the garage but I am gutted because
it is a lovely table (the only bit of furniture I have really saved up
for).

So, any ideas for how I can at least try to sort it out? Is there some
sort of clamp that I could use or is that a waste of time - any ideas
would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ben

Wed, May 2, 2007, 12:15am (EDT-3) doth query:
snip So, any ideas for how I can at least try to sort it out? Is there
some sort of clamp that I could use or is that a waste of time - any
ideas would be appreciated.

I suppose nailing a piece of plywood over the whole top is out.

Bummer. Clamping was my first thought. My second thought was put
it back in the house, live with the crack for awhile, let the table get
re-acclimated to the house, and see what the crack does on it's own,
before taking any other action. I'd go with my second thought.

That's as far as I'm willing to commit myself for advice, for now
anyway.



JOAT
What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new
humiliations?
- Peter Egan

I've just taken our dining table out from the garage where it had been
stored during renovations to the house. To my horror the top of the
table has split down about 1/5 of it's length - the split is about 8
inches long and 1 inch wide at its widest point, with the table top
being about 1 1/4 inches thick. The table top is made of solid oak in
three sections (main central section which is split, with a narrower
piece of wood on each end, tongue and grooved in). The whole top of
the table can be removed because the table is extendable.

I know it was stupid to keep it in the garage but I am gutted because
it is a lovely table (the only bit of furniture I have really saved up
for).

So, any ideas for how I can at least try to sort it out? Is there some
sort of clamp that I could use or is that a waste of time - any ideas
would be appreciated.


Ben,

From your description it is uncclear of you have breadboard ends or not. 1
inch wide seeems impossible. 1 inche deep (into the thickness of the
table..sure. I picture would really help.

Post a picture to alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking and we can make a more
informed assessment.

-Steve





--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

What a downer!

My first thought was why did it split? There's a good chance that putting
it in the garage just speeded up something that was going to happen anyway
because of the way it's made.

As I understand it, the top is 1 1/4" thick x 40 or so inches long. The
grain on the top runs lengthwise, and there is a piece on each end with the
grain running sidewise, with a tongue and groove joint between the ends and
the rest of the top.

Not seeing it, it seems to me like the top wanted to shrink widthwise
because of temperature or humidity changes, and the crossways ends hindered
its moving, until the wood finally found a weak spot and split.

But 1" wide is A LOT of movement.

I like the idea of putting the table back where it was and seeing if the
wood will move back to where it was. If you force the crack shut and glue
it, the stress is still there, and you will end up with another parallel
crack at the next weakest spot.

If the crack closes, you could put a couple of butterfly dutchmen across
it. They will hold the two parts in alignment.

The crack becomes part of the personality of the table.

You could remove the ends and rip the top to remove the crack, then reglue
the top. Fairly extreme in my mind, and you will lose width.

If the table has value, I'd consult a person who does furniture restoration
for advice or services.

Shame to lose a nice piece of furniture.

Good luck


wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me.

I've just taken our dining table out from the garage where it had been
stored during renovations to the house. To my horror the top of the
table has split down about 1/5 of it's length - the split is about 8
inches long and 1 inch wide at its widest point, with the table top
being about 1 1/4 inches thick. The table top is made of solid oak in
three sections (main central section which is split, with a narrower
piece of wood on each end, tongue and grooved in). The whole top of
the table can be removed because the table is extendable.

I know it was stupid to keep it in the garage but I am gutted because
it is a lovely table (the only bit of furniture I have really saved up
for).

So, any ideas for how I can at least try to sort it out? Is there some
sort of clamp that I could use or is that a waste of time - any ideas
would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ben

On 2 May 2007 00:15:50 -0700, wrote:

Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me.

I've just taken our dining table out from the garage where it had been
stored during renovations to the house. To my horror the top of the
table has split down about 1/5 of it's length - the split is about 8
inches long and 1 inch wide at its widest point, with the table top
being about 1 1/4 inches thick. The table top is made of solid oak in
three sections (main central section which is split, with a narrower
piece of wood on each end, tongue and grooved in). The whole top of
the table can be removed because the table is extendable.

I know it was stupid to keep it in the garage but I am gutted because
it is a lovely table (the only bit of furniture I have really saved up
for).

So, any ideas for how I can at least try to sort it out? Is there some
sort of clamp that I could use or is that a waste of time - any ideas
would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ben

Sounds like the table will need a tablecloth or a new top. You can
rip out the split section and replace it--this means the entire table
will need refininshing. A piece of properly made furniture should
not split if stored under cover. I wonder how the top was fastened to
the base?? If that's correctly done, the wood may have some serious
internal stresses with more splitting in the future.

Ben:
Looks like you have several folks trying to figure out the problem without
actually seeing it. That's good. I would suggest submitting a few photos,
in a reasonably small format, to alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking (aka
abpw); or linking them to this newsgoup if you have a website or use a photo
sharing service (ex. - Flickr). Pics of the top and from below, showing
under-structure, would help.

It sounds like you have breadboard ends. Properly installed they are great.
Improperly installed they can cause a crack to develop. But a 1" crack is
huge even for a breadboard problem (no offense, but the horror of seeing
damage like this can increase the size of the damage). Also, how old is the
table? If it is fairly new you might have reason to go back to the seller.

RonB

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me.

I've just taken our dining table out from the garage where it had been
stored during renovations to the house. To my horror the top of the
table has split down about 1/5 of it's length - the split is about 8
inches long and 1 inch wide at its widest point, with the table top
being about 1 1/4 inches thick. The table top is made of solid oak in
three sections (main central section which is split, with a narrower
piece of wood on each end, tongue and grooved in). The whole top of
the table can be removed because the table is extendable.

I know it was stupid to keep it in the garage but I am gutted because
it is a lovely table (the only bit of furniture I have really saved up
for).

So, any ideas for how I can at least try to sort it out? Is there some
sort of clamp that I could use or is that a waste of time - any ideas
would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ben

On May 2, 3:15 am, wrote:
Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me.

I've just taken our dining table out from the garage where it had been
stored during renovations to the house. To my horror the top of the
table has split down about 1/5 of it's length - the split is about 8
inches long and 1 inch wide at its widest point, with the table top
being about 1 1/4 inches thick. The table top is made of solid oak in
three sections (main central section which is split, with a narrower
piece of wood on each end, tongue and grooved in). The whole top of
the table can be removed because the table is extendable.


1 in wide crack? Come on, that can't be right...

If somehow it really is 1 in wide you need to rip & joint into two
pieces and re-glue or put carboard under the crack and fill the crack
with some type of epoxy.

After re-acclimation of course.