John Loftis
KKF Vendor
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2012
- Messages
- 255
- Reaction score
- 270
I've done numerous countertops over the years, and I think the biggest end grain I've done to date was 11' long X 25" wide X 2" deep.
This one sets a new record for my little shop... 93" long, 50" wide, 2 3/8" thick, solid walnut. Each strip was numbered and sequenced, creating a continuous flow of the wood grain through the entire length of the block. The process for something like this is different in a number of ways, so thought I'd show how we did it. It's been 4-5 days of milling and glue ups so far.
Pictures are as of today; I'll post some of the finished product next week. This thing is HEAVY. Going to have some sore arms.
Glued up 2 big walnut panels, and split them into 2 sub-panels each for ease of milling:
Cross-cut the strips, panel one sequenced and numbered and panel 2 sequenced and numbered. Alternated strips from panel 1 and 2:
Getting all the strips laid out properly in the clamp rack. Gluing this up in 3 sub-panels:
On something this large, there are inevitably going to be little pin holes, voids, etc. The wood was very clean this time, but if I saw something I didn't like, I filled it with a little black resin.
The three sub-panels became one monster this morning. I used four, 5" wide cauls of solid walnut to keep the sub-panels flat and in-plane with each other.
Will let everything cure and then get back to it on Monday.
This one sets a new record for my little shop... 93" long, 50" wide, 2 3/8" thick, solid walnut. Each strip was numbered and sequenced, creating a continuous flow of the wood grain through the entire length of the block. The process for something like this is different in a number of ways, so thought I'd show how we did it. It's been 4-5 days of milling and glue ups so far.
Pictures are as of today; I'll post some of the finished product next week. This thing is HEAVY. Going to have some sore arms.
Glued up 2 big walnut panels, and split them into 2 sub-panels each for ease of milling:
Cross-cut the strips, panel one sequenced and numbered and panel 2 sequenced and numbered. Alternated strips from panel 1 and 2:
Getting all the strips laid out properly in the clamp rack. Gluing this up in 3 sub-panels:
On something this large, there are inevitably going to be little pin holes, voids, etc. The wood was very clean this time, but if I saw something I didn't like, I filled it with a little black resin.
The three sub-panels became one monster this morning. I used four, 5" wide cauls of solid walnut to keep the sub-panels flat and in-plane with each other.
Will let everything cure and then get back to it on Monday.