- Since particleboard is highly absorbent, it was necessary to apply a second coat. As the adhesive dried, it turned from white to clear in color.
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- Ron tested the adhesive for dryness using the back of his hand. The adhesive stuck to the hairs on the back of his hand and felt a little rubbery.
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- They set several clean scrap boards of uniform width directly on top of the adhesive. These boards did not stick because the adhesive was dry.
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- They picked up the laminate, carefully turned it glue side down and then set it on top of the boards.
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- It was important that the boards were situated in such a way to keep the two glued surfaces from coming in contact with each other.
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- With the two surfaces separated, they could easily move the plastic laminate around until it was centered over the particleboard. Once the two surfaces contacted, it would become impossible to move them.
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- When the laminate was in the desired position, they slid the boards out one by one and used a pressure roller to press the surfaces firmly in contact with each other.
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- They rolled from the center to the edge forcing out any air bubbles that might have become trapped.
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- The next step was to trim off the excess laminate that was overhanging the surface. Ron used what is called a laminate trimmer and showed Candace how it worked. The bearing was designed to roll along the edge of the MDF and prevent the trimmer from cutting in too deeply. This provided them with a completely flush cut.
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- The laminate trimmer spun at very high speeds and threw off small chips or particles so Ron and Candace put on face shields for protection. Ron said the trick to using this tool was to keep the base flat and move at a slow and even pace.
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- After the laminate was trimmed, they needed to do something to finish off the edge. They could have put the same laminate on the side but Ron thought it would be nice to add a piece of oak trim. They used a nail gun to attach this.
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- Ron and Candace cut miters on the ends of the oak trim pieces. A miter is a 45-degree angle cut, which gives a nice clean look where the two ends meet.
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4. Assemble table base:
- With the edging attached, it was time to begin assembling the table base. The base was designed to have two ends, each made up of a pair of cabinets placed back to back.
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- They attached the backs of these cabinets together with screws.
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- Next, they connected the two end assemblies together with 1 x 4 strips called stringers. These would also provide added support to the tabletop.
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- With all three stringers in place, they were ready to slip the new top into place.
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- Candace slid the drawers into the cabinets and the project was complete.
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RESULTS:
Candace now had a lot more storage space including a nice area under the table where she can stack several boxes. Candace was very pleased with their handiwork! In fact, it was even better than what she had imagined. A customized table like this can make any craft or hobby more enjoyable by offering plenty of storage and ample workspace. Whether your pastime is model airplanes, sewing or creating Arizona Mistletoe" (one of Candace's red hot favorites), a good work area can make projects more fun! Candace agreed that building this craft table was fun but putting it to good use was going to be even better! |
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