Exposed Edge on a Raised Rail Build - Square or Round Over? (3 Viewers)

justsomedude

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Finally getting to my table build this weekend and working through everything in my head before I take the saw to wood...

On a raised rail build where the lower piece of plywood is exposed and finished, do you keep the bottom edge sharp/square, or is it recommended to round it over with a tight radius bit? I figure a larger radius might look weird?
 
Any point that could have intentional or inadvertent human contact (hand, arm, leg, abdomen) should be rounded, imo.
 
Any point that could have intentional or inadvertent human contact (hand, arm, leg, abdomen) should be rounded, imo.
How about outside bottom (that sits on the base sheet)? I'm more concerned with it looking blocky and square...unless maybe that's the point.
 
Finally getting to my table build this weekend and working through everything in my head before I take the saw to wood...

On a raised rail build where the lower piece of plywood is exposed and finished, do you keep the bottom edge sharp/square, or is it recommended to round it over with a tight radius bit? I figure a larger radius might look weird?

If you're going to edge band it, then square. Once you add a roundover then it becomes very hard to cover the plywood edge.
 
If you're going to edge band it, then square. Once you add a roundover then it becomes very hard to cover the plywood edge.

Hmmm... good to know.

I hadn't even considered banding, but that's certainly a possibility. I was originally considering staining the ply-edge black, and sealing it up with a lacquer...

1594655751979.png


Now I have some thinkin' to do.

Thanks for the banding tip, @T_Chan! :tup:
 
Why expose the bottom piece? I just wrapped mine in the vinyl:

View attachment 490594

This isn't to pooh-pooh your design (because I realize it's also way easier to build that way), but I personally do not like the look of three layers of plywood upholstered. It just tilts the right-half of my brain. I can't even explain it... it's just a weird OCD personal-aesthetic. I just don't like the look of "thick" rails.

I prefer a "thinner" upholstered rail with a reveal edge. Here's my design...
1594656717885.png


Visual example here, but I'm doing an oval... (just googled "poker table with reveal edge" and got this pic - turns out it's from Chanman's site, so credit to @T_Chan on the pic)...
1594656667210.png
 
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I prefer a "thinner" upholstered rail with a reveal edge. Here's my design...
Definitely a much nicer look :) I went for comfort over aesthetics as my table is hidden away most of the time.

Do you have access to a table saw? If so, you can cut yourself some 1/4" or 3/16" thick strips to use as edge banding. They're thin enough to bend around your shape but thick enough to add a roundover or chamfer on the bottom edge should you wish.

The iron-on edge banding is probably the easiest solution though and you can still break the edge with some sand paper when using edge banding.
 
Definitely a much nicer look :) I went for comfort over aesthetics as my table is hidden away most of the time.

Do you have access to a table saw? If so, you can cut yourself some 1/4" or 3/16" thick strips to use as edge banding. They're thin enough to bend around your shape but thick enough to add a roundover or chamfer on the bottom edge should you wish.

The iron-on edge banding is probably the easiest solution though and you can still break the edge with some sand paper when using edge banding.

I do not have a table saw... no space for it.

I'm kind of leaning to the banding approach right now. Just got a link to this stuff from @Brandon. For $29.99 it's not too much of a risk. Still thinking about black stain and lacquer... will see how it works out. :tup:
 
You can do several layers of 3/16 edge banding to build a thickness suitable for routing.
 

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I round both of them. I don’t know what the advantage of leaving them square would be? Round them over to make sure it is the most comfortable.
 

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