Stylin
Pair
Hey gents, I'm building a topper for a table a recently built. I don't think I've seen any build threads on a topper here so I figured I'd make one. Maybe this will even inspire people to post more build threads, as I for one love watching them. Feel free to ask questions!
This topper will be made of A1 grade birch plywood. It will be oval with a skirt, and a tight fit to the poker table under it. The poker table measures 44 x 92. The topper will be 1 1/2" bigger to allow the 3/4 skirt and a 3/4 offset.
In all of these pictures the board is face down, and you see the "bad" side. This is A1 grade, so 1 is still damn good, but it is the backer. This is important because by using a spiral up cut bit it doesn't create splintering in the side that you are going to finish. The jig also will leaves faint grooves that you don't want on your finish side.
First thing I did is cut the full sheet down to the width I needed. I didn't take a picture of the circular saw, but basically I just use 3/4 plywood leftovers from full sheets that were cut down as straight edges and rip away. The 48" T square shows a bit missing. This is the part where I decided to make a build thread so it was the first picture I got.
Next I went about setting up the oval jig. I use one from Rockler, and it's worked really well for me. You just find the center of your table width, and mark it. Then use that same distance of half the width and measure that from the edge length wise. Mark this line all the way across the width of the table. Drill an 1/8" hole where the lines meet, just deep enough for the pin in the jig. From here, I put the jig in place on the edge of the table as shown in the picture below, spin the bit so the widest part is flush with the side of the board, and lock the jig in place. Use the line you made to be sure the jig is center by using the slot in the jig as a window.
From here it's just a matter of cutting the radius. I make three passes on each end, 1/4" at a time. What was once square is now round!
Now I'm cutting a 3/4" wide by 1/2" deep groove around the table for the skirt to sit in. I measured from the edge of the table 3/4" then 1 - 1/2" and put two marks along the line that was made and used before to center the jig. Using a 3/4" double fluted router bit spun so the widest part is along the line, I simply put the bit edge to edge along the marks that were made, and lock the jig in place. Also of note here is on the left side of my router there are steps. I plunge the router to the top of the board, then set the metal rod flush with the top step. Every step is 1/8", and I turn the steps two at a time during my two passes to cut first at 1/4" then 1/2" deep.
This picture shows using clamps as stops. I didn't use them before because I can feel when the resistance of the router gets less I know I'm on the outside of the radius and it's easy to see where to stop. With this cut, you really can't tell to well, so I set how far I want the bit to travel along the radius and then put a clamp on the edge of the router so it doesn't cut into where I need it to be straight.
Once the radius cuts are done, I switch the jig out for a straight edge attachment. To set the edge, I just plunge the bit down into the far edge of the radius cut, then push the fence flush with the board. Make sure the bit is spun so the widest part is making contact with edge of the groove closest to the edge of the board along the line that was made earlier. I do this on one side and set the clamp as my stop, then go to the other radius and set my stop. Then I make my two passes to get down to 1/2".
All the cuts on the table top are done at this point. Next up is the skirt cuts.
This topper will be made of A1 grade birch plywood. It will be oval with a skirt, and a tight fit to the poker table under it. The poker table measures 44 x 92. The topper will be 1 1/2" bigger to allow the 3/4 skirt and a 3/4 offset.
In all of these pictures the board is face down, and you see the "bad" side. This is A1 grade, so 1 is still damn good, but it is the backer. This is important because by using a spiral up cut bit it doesn't create splintering in the side that you are going to finish. The jig also will leaves faint grooves that you don't want on your finish side.
First thing I did is cut the full sheet down to the width I needed. I didn't take a picture of the circular saw, but basically I just use 3/4 plywood leftovers from full sheets that were cut down as straight edges and rip away. The 48" T square shows a bit missing. This is the part where I decided to make a build thread so it was the first picture I got.
Next I went about setting up the oval jig. I use one from Rockler, and it's worked really well for me. You just find the center of your table width, and mark it. Then use that same distance of half the width and measure that from the edge length wise. Mark this line all the way across the width of the table. Drill an 1/8" hole where the lines meet, just deep enough for the pin in the jig. From here, I put the jig in place on the edge of the table as shown in the picture below, spin the bit so the widest part is flush with the side of the board, and lock the jig in place. Use the line you made to be sure the jig is center by using the slot in the jig as a window.
From here it's just a matter of cutting the radius. I make three passes on each end, 1/4" at a time. What was once square is now round!
Now I'm cutting a 3/4" wide by 1/2" deep groove around the table for the skirt to sit in. I measured from the edge of the table 3/4" then 1 - 1/2" and put two marks along the line that was made and used before to center the jig. Using a 3/4" double fluted router bit spun so the widest part is along the line, I simply put the bit edge to edge along the marks that were made, and lock the jig in place. Also of note here is on the left side of my router there are steps. I plunge the router to the top of the board, then set the metal rod flush with the top step. Every step is 1/8", and I turn the steps two at a time during my two passes to cut first at 1/4" then 1/2" deep.
This picture shows using clamps as stops. I didn't use them before because I can feel when the resistance of the router gets less I know I'm on the outside of the radius and it's easy to see where to stop. With this cut, you really can't tell to well, so I set how far I want the bit to travel along the radius and then put a clamp on the edge of the router so it doesn't cut into where I need it to be straight.
Once the radius cuts are done, I switch the jig out for a straight edge attachment. To set the edge, I just plunge the bit down into the far edge of the radius cut, then push the fence flush with the board. Make sure the bit is spun so the widest part is making contact with edge of the groove closest to the edge of the board along the line that was made earlier. I do this on one side and set the clamp as my stop, then go to the other radius and set my stop. Then I make my two passes to get down to 1/2".
All the cuts on the table top are done at this point. Next up is the skirt cuts.
