Help! Need Joint Glue Clamp Advice

[Brian Patterson]

Well, since you asked, the following is my opinion and may not be shared by others and hope you'll take it as constructive. While it might be deceptive from the photos, I think the whole base is too massive. It appears you're using 1" or thicker lumber where I would use something less than 3/4". The different thicknesses of the side/end pieces may be evident even if you lower the top. In the future, if you used dados rather than mortises for the support pieces, I would stop them before the top so they are not evident. You may be planning some more work on these but as they are the support pieces are too thick. What I would do is sculpt them - clean up the edges with a spindle sander ( you can get an inexpensive attachment for a drill press if you don't have one) maybe slice off some width above the dados and use a round over bit to make them look more like a wine glass.
The more I look at it, the less objectionable the size of the base as it will be less over powering if finished like the beautiful slab.
Thanks for the work in progress photos.

Not sure if I follow everything you pointed out - the slab just sits on the pedestals and will be fastened with small, thin glue blocks on each side of the pedestals - there's no joinery there - so I can cut the pedestals down to adjust the 'float'. That should also hide the dissimilar frame thicknesses. Not sure what you're driving at with 'for the support pieces, I would stop them before the top'. Don't think you're referring to the frame, are you? It's just 3/4" and 1/2" material, BTW.

My hope is that just the external surfaces of the frame are seen and not its depth or height - I may trim off 1/2-1" of the frame height and will probably drop the slab to within 1" of the frame for its 'float' location. Am also adding some lower side rails all around about 6" below the frame between the legs for stability and appearance. Makes sense?

Will finish in a wipe-on clearcoat of WB polyurethane. Am also adding some lower side rails all around about 6" below the frame between the legs for stability and appearance. Thanks again for your comments.

 

[JohnnyR]

support pieces = pedestals As to the side rails, do a mock up to see what they look like before cutting good wood. You shouldn't need more support if the legs are solidly attached. As to WB poly, that will leave the base fairly light vs. the yellow toned top. If you want to get more of a yellow you might try shellac under the WB or use a mixture of varnish, BLO and MS.

 

[Brian Patterson]

I get it now - I took an inch off of them and think the look is coming along well. Need to make the rails for the legs and get the base done.

Am debating the color of the whole base - either go with a natural light Maple finish or possibly an ebony stain to get super dark to make the base visually ‘disappear’. Don’t want a yellow poly finish but will test with some amber shellac just fro grins.