Starting the Table Leaves

This weekend I started on the table leaves. First step was to break down the boards into 4’ sections:

Next was cutting them to approximate width, and in some cases cutting an angle into the board to get the grain as straight as possible. The simplest way was to attach a long wedge to one side:

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Then I matched up boards in pairs, trying to get a similar grain pattern on each, and marked them with the trusty Cabinetmaker’s Triangle:

Next up is dry fitting them in clamps to see how well the two edges pair up and to get the boards as flat as possible across their width:

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Ideally you want no light showing between the ruler and the wood. I only need one side flat, which is the side that will be down for the first pass through the planer (the planer has a cutter on the top, which will then make that surface flat and parallel to the face that’s down on the bed). It’s good that I only need one side flat because the boards weren’t exactly the same thickness to start with (here you can see a little light on the backside):

Ready for glue, I lay down a strip and then smooth it out using my finger, “nature’s glue spreader” as one of my woodworking teachers called it:

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Into the clamps:

After a couple of hours they come out of the clamps and go into the planer:

So smooth!

Now I trim the boards to length and width:

All 6 are ready!

A quick fit on the table to make sure I didn’t make a huge mistake somewhere:

The last board doesn’t fit yet: I haven’t cut the 1/2” rabbet that’s going to allow each board to overlap each other. Once I do then all 6 will fit (hopefully).