Blacker Table Top, The Plan

The next step in the construction of the Blacker table is to build the table top.  I’ve already glued up the wood for the main section, but need to run to the lumberyard for some thicker Sapele for the breadboard ends.  In my plans I originally made the top 3/4″ thick and the end caps 7/8″.  When machining the stock I left it thicker, at .930″ because it looked better, but that’s thrown a monkey wrench into my plans.  I need the end caps to be 1/8″ thicker than the top, which I can’t get out of 4/4/ material.  It also complicates making the fixture to cut the slot for the spline.  It seemed like a good idea at the time though, I like the extra visual weight of the thicker top.

I also decided to make the breadboard ends wider, going from 2″ to 2.5″.  This was in part aesthetics, and in part wanting more “meat” for the attachment screws.  The screws hide under the ebony plugs on the outside ends and drive into the tips of the tenons.  Since the tenons protrude 1.375″ into the ends, and I’ll need about a 1/4″ mortise for the ebony plug that leaves me a 1/2″ of wood in between.  Enough, but barely I think.  I may shorten the tenons by another 1/8″ just to be sure.

And finally, I did the layout for the inlay that goes in the top.  It is similar to the design on the legs, 1/16″ Silver wire for the main stem, 1/32″ wire for the smaller stems, silver and copper “buds” and Abalone leaves/petals.  It’s slightly abstract, but I like it.

Design for inlay on top

Updated rendering with all changes

So my to-do list includes sourcing wood for the breadboard ends, figuring out the jig to make the spline slots, making the breadboard ends and doing the top inlay.  I’m hoping to get the breadboard ends sorted out tomorrow and get on to the inlay by Sunday, but we have some family plans too so we’ll see how it goes.