Manufacturing the Table Top: Part 2

The channels need to be made into the table top.

In order to do this the router is going to be used to cut out channels 12mm deep into the table top. However, routers are not usually used to make circular channels. Since this is the case I made my own jig and attached the router to it so it would move around the table in a circular pattern.

The jig was made by taking a board longer than the diameter of the larger channel I needed to make and marking out where the cutting bit would pass through and drilling a large hole right through the board. Two bolts were then taken and the heads cut off and sharpened to a point. This was to mark where the machine holes were going to be so holes could be drilled through from the underside of the board. A small hole was then drilled into the centre of the table and a nail placed through the board at the right diameter for each channel. The router attached to the board was then able to me moved around in an accurate circular path.

Each pass around the circle took away 3mm of wood and therefore had to be done 4 times for each channel. The thicker middle channel took 3 different diameters to do. The top was then sanded down and two coats of shellac were applied to it.

A heavy exterior wood varnish is now going to be added around the areas where the channels are to ensure that when the concrete is poured the moisture does not get absorbed into the wood. This will be sanded off after the concrete has been poured.