Tray Tables - Smoothing Panels

Today I spent a little time playing hydro-engineer; trying to re-route rain run-off so it doesn't wash out our workshop driveway again, I have someone coming to pick up a cradle this afternoon and she will be needing that driveway.

Once I got to the woodworking portion of my day I started by taking the two walnut half-panels that I glued up last night out of the clamps and stripped the bindings off.  Then I glued up another pair.

Then I arranged ribbons so I was happy with them and bound up the other four half-panels so they are ready for gluing.  I would have had time to glue up another set this afternoon except the set I just glued had become a but unruly due to the changing humidity, so I want to let them stay in the clamps long enough for the glue to set up well; if I take the clamps off too soon a joint or two may pop open.

With those done I set about the task of smoothing and thicknessing Jeffrey's ribbon panels.  First I trimmed them to the proper width; as you can see the panels just BARELY fit through our big planer.  The design was done to allow them to be surfaced in one pass.  Shelly's tables are too big for this, so those panels are back to being done as halves that will be joined together in an extra step later.

By the end of the day I have 5 maple panels and the first two walnut half-panels  done.  They are much prettier once they are all smoothed out, aren't they?

I'll set these aside for the night and pick it up again tomorrow, when I'll address backer panels.

See you then!