I'm making a sewing table for my wife for our hobby room. After a
kitchen remodel, the old base cabinets went in there, along with a
custom built cabinet/closet folding table. Both of the previous
additions received 6' laminate countertops, complete with backsplash.
The remaining available wall has about 5' of space, and it's got a
window on it (with a standard 34" sill). she wanted a sewing table
with a countertop to match the others, except the top must slide under
the window sill.

I figured it should be too hard. I built the frame out of 3/4 MDF. I
took the skill saw and lopped off a good chunk of the backsplash,
figuring to delaminate and fold down enough to make a flat surface.
The delamination didn't go as easy as planned, and I wound up
chiseling away the particle board to leave just the laminate, I
figured I could just heat it up and bend it down. It was too hard to
heat it evenly enough, and I broke the hell out of it.

Moving to option 3, I put the countertop on the table saw and took
evened what was left of the edge, planning on filling the void with
3/4 MDF, which will blend satisfactory enough with her travertine-like
laminate.

She wanted 3 drawers, and since I had 1 12' and 2 18" salvage drawers,
I made her 3 12's. It was fun, trying to determine placement of the
new slides, since the 1 vertical was not in place, and after it WAS
installed I figured I wouldn't have much room to get in there with the
power driver for mounting. After several hours of measuring and
remeasuring, and finally mounting, I had the slides on the drawers,
slides on the side of the cabinet, and slides on the yet-to-be-
installed vertical piece. On paper, it was perfect!

I set the vertical piece in place (the countertop was already
mounted), put the drawers in, and it looked like hell! Everything was
crooked! I verified the sides were square and noticed the side of the
cabinet was off the floor. Putting a level in a drawer verified one
side was high.

I figured I overlooked cutting the vertical piece to height, which
would explain everything, so I figured it was an easy chore of pulling
it out, cutting it in the table saw and cutting it ti length. I put a
tape on it and it came out dead on. As I was sitting there scratching
my head I noticed the the countertop had a dip in the middle. Sheesh!

I put it all back together, sat on the countertop, and everything was
perfect. I got up, the top returned to it's skewed condition, and
everything was off again.

Now I'm unsure of what to do next.I could replace the countertop, but
I don't want to spend another $40 if there's another way. I could
shorten the vertical and remount the slides on it,which would make the
drawers right but the top will be uneven.

All this work so far has been in the shop, and the outside doors have
been open most of the time.

Did the removal of the backsplash allow the top to deform? Was it the
humidity? Was it the fact that because it wasn't as big as the base it
is currently only supported by each end?

If I finish it as planned and place it in her hobby room, will it
return to level once it's supported on 3 sides with the center
vertical or will it stay this way forever? I'm contemplating placing
my lathe on it (with the vertical in place) and see it that makes a
difference after a few days.

Anyone else run into this before?

Drifter
Bend, Oregon

On Apr 14, 2:53*am, Drifter wrote:


Did the removal of the backsplash allow the top to deform? Was it the
humidity? Was it the fact that because it wasn't as big as the base it
is currently only supported by each end?

A proper laminate top will have a laminate backer on it as well. They
seldom do, however.
The top was held somewhat straight by the back-splash, but the removal
of it, along with it being exposed to air is the likely cause. In a
lot of cases, the cabinets will help keep it straight.

If I finish it as planned and place it in her hobby room, will it
return to level once it's supported on 3 sides with the center
vertical or will it stay this way forever? I'm contemplating placing
my lathe on it (with the vertical in place) and see it that makes a
difference after a few days.

Not likely to have a successful ending.

Anyone else run into this before?


Yup.
Make a new top. And if you want the top to float freely, use a balance
sheet. (Which, in a pinch, can be normal laminate.)

Drifter wrote:

Did the removal of the backsplash allow the top to deform? Was it the
humidity? Was it the fact that because it wasn't as big as the base it
is currently only supported by each end?

If I finish it as planned and place it in her hobby room, will it
return to level once it's supported on 3 sides with the center
vertical or will it stay this way forever?

Have you considered fastening the top to the vertical sides and partition?
Also, the back and face frame if they exist.

Anyone else run into this before?

Something that is supposed to be flat but isn't? Sure.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico