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suggestions wanted for fixing a problem w/glass table top

3K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  frankp 
#1 ·
I have a beveled glass coffee table top that unfortunately has become chipped on one edge. To attempt to save this expensive chunk of glass my idea is to make a laminated wooden band to encircle the glass and cover the chipped area. The shape is an irregular curve, sort of kidney shaped but with more curves. The top is about 48" long by 24" wide at the widest point. Any tips or advice on how to proceed. I would love to make it in one continuous piece so that people would marvel and wonder "how did he do that"...
 
#4 · (Edited)
Yeah, lamination

I agree with corndog, sounds like a job for a lamination. Sounds like a tough thing to do. I've had a lot of fun lately with lamination bending, but some frustrations today - I clamped a chqair leg too tight putting in the cross-piece and the outside lamination snapped off and I had to re-glue another one on... worked out anyway, was able to save it.

How would you go about it? I'm just brainstorming, but how about trace out the glass onto a double-thickness of 3/4 plywood (glued & or screwed together) and then cut it out (leaving the line, to make sure the result will fit around the glass)... and then cut out a similar curve inside of that so you have, sort of, a very big kidney-shaped plywood donut. I say to cut out the inside so that you have a ground for clamping - and you will need a heck-load of clamps or do part at a time.

So then, mill down (preferably thickness-planed although just a smooth table-saw cut might work okay) -- 1/8" thick strips of your choice wood. Check that 1/8" strips will bend to the tightest radius without breaking. You're better off to choose a smooth and pliable wood, nothing brittle.

You'll probably want 3 or 4 layers, I'd guess.

Then glue up the lamination, butting the strips to each other and making sure that the butts don't come too close to each others.


Then, check that it fits okay over the glass.

Then take it off again and glue in a couple of less-wide laminations on the inside of the curve -- so that it creates a lip on the inside, so the edge-band will hang on the glass by gravity.

That's a heck of a time-consuming process, but it could look really sweet.

Or, you could take a simpler approach, and glue up a series of solid pieces of wood, maybe two layers of 1/2" stock, staggering the joints, so you have a roughed-out shape that covers the edges of the glass. Then trace the pattern onto a thin plywood or masonite, and cut out the inside of the shape -- then route it out in two passes -- one pass for the top, with a spacer bearing, so it creates a 1/4" or 3/4" lip to hang on the edge of the glass, and then cut out the bottom with a straight bearing bit to follow the pattern exactly. Then... somehow cut out the outside perimeter of the whole assembly - either with some router jig or draw a line and jigsaw or bandsaw it. Or save the inside cut-out of the pattern, and use a big spacer-bearing to cut the outside.

Either way, that's a lot of work. Good luck and post photos if you do it !

Sage
 
#6 ·
Thanks to all

Yeah, I have been thinking somewhat along these lines: a bent lamination which just sits over the glass edge. I like the idea of using a double thickness of 3/4" ply and making a "donut" to use for a lamination form. This project is currently on the back burner as I have bigger (and more hateful) projects which are demanding attention at the moment. Ah, the joys of new home ownership... When/if this gets underway, I'll keep posting the good, the bad, and the ugly results. Sounds like I will be in the market for a bandsaw and about a million clamps!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Mvnocall

For clamps, I'd suggest going out and buying a 6 foot length of 4 inch pvc. Cut this into one to three inch wide rings (depending upon how much pressure you want) and cut a band across them (split the ring on one side). These make excellent poor man's spring clamps for layups like the one you're thinking of here.

Here's a link to a diagram on CLC boats.com. I used these types of clamps extensively while glueing up the parts of my kayak and on many other projects since.

http://www.clcboats.com/shoptips/shoptips_clamps.php
 
#9 ·
As for jigsaws, I'd go ahead and use a cheap one with a reasonable bit. I have a B&D $30 jigsaw and another one (can't remember brand) that was about $45 and both work great for cutting forms like your "donut". I use mine for everything scroll related and just change to better blades when I want more precision work.
 
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