glass table insert sealing & folding legs
meeotch
sensitive items under the glass. Ideally, I'd like to seal the insert
with some sort of gasket material, so that the glass can still be
lifted out, but liquids spilled on the surface won't make it into the
innards of the table.
I've considered sealing it up with silicone - but aside from failing
the removable-glass test, it also fails the easy-to-make-it-look-nice-
even-if-you-have-limited-spreading-sticky-sealants-and-not-making-a-
mess-of-it skills.
Any suggestions?
For bonus points: I'd like to allow the legs to hinge up into the
body for easy transport. I've googled up some solutions like this:
ww.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5817 But as you can see from the
reviews, it seems like those hinges don't provide for much stability.
Are there better solutions?
Morris Dovey
> I'm building a coffee table with an inset glass top and various water-
> sensitive items under the glass. Ideally, I'd like to seal the insert
> with some sort of gasket material, so that the glass can still be
> lifted out, but liquids spilled on the surface won't make it into the
> innards of the table.
>
> I've considered sealing it up with silicone - but aside from failing
> the removable-glass test, it also fails the easy-to-make-it-look-nice-
> even-if-you-have-limited-spreading-sticky-sealants-and-not-making-a-
> mess-of-it skills.
>
> Any suggestions?
You might consider spreading a _very_ thin coat of clear silicone caulk
on the surface where the glass will rest and letting it set completely
before dropping in the glass. If done carefully, you should have a good
seal and still be able to lift out the glass. An old credit card with
one end cut off square should allow spreading just enough to provide a
good seal.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
Robatoy
A trick I have used successfully is to cover the wet silicon with a
taut strip of clear food wrap. Lower in the glass, let the whole thing
set up and trim afterwards.
RicodJour
> I'm building a coffee table with an inset glass top and various water-
> sensitive items under the glass. Ideally, I'd like to seal the insert
> with some sort of gasket material, so that the glass can still be
> lifted out, but liquids spilled on the surface won't make it into the
> innards of the table.
>
> I've considered sealing it up with silicone - but aside from failing
> the removable-glass test, it also fails the easy-to-make-it-look-nice-
> even-if-you-have-limited-spreading-sticky-sealants-and-not-making-a-
> mess-of-it skills.
>
> Any suggestions?
Mor-tite might be just the ticket.
http://www.energycircle.com/store/weatherstrips-air-sealing/mortite-90-foot-rope-caulk-gray.html
Very easy to apply, is already a uniform cross-section so it will
spread out uniformly under load, easy to remove, won't harm most
finishes, etc.
It won't be 100% watertight - for that you'll have to caulk it in
place or provide some drainage holes so the water won't sit.
> For bonus points: I'd like to allow the legs to hinge up into the
> body for easy transport. I've googled up some solutions like this:
> ww.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5817 But as you can see from the
> reviews, it seems like those hinges don't provide for much stability.
> Are there better solutions?
Probably, but I don't know what you're storing under the top, whether
the stuff is fragile as well as water sensitive, whether it's mounted
or free to slide around when the top is tilted, etc. You may want to
look at a separate top and base, with the folding legs attached to the
base. That way you won't be manhandling your valuables while you're
setting up the legs.
R
Lew Hodgett
"RicodJour" wrote:
> Mor-tite might be just the ticket.
That's a product name I haven't heard since I worked in a hardware
store in the 50's.
Sold a lot of it this time of year getting ready for those northern
Ohio winters.
Lew
meeotch
turned up a few other ideas:
Silicone weatherseal: www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208062950&listingid=45643901
liquid electrical tape: www.plastidip.com/industrial_solutions/Liquid_Tape_-_Electrical_Insulation
"strip-n-stick" silicon tape: www.cshyde.com/Tapes/Data/stripnstickinfo.htm
The first one probably isn't as squishy as I'd prefer, and the second
one would be harder to build up to a decent thickness. That last one
looks like a good candidate - but finding a source for it in NYC will
be a trick.
mitch
PHT
Give cshyde a call. They could probably give you the name of a local or a
online retailer.
Paul T.
--
The only dumb question, is the one not asked
RicodJour
> Thanks to everyone for the suggestions so far. Some more browsing has
> turned up a few other ideas:
>
> Silicone weatherseal: www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208062950&listingid=45643901
> "strip-n-stick" silicon tape: www.cshyde.com/Tapes/Data/stripnstickinfo.htm
>
> The first one probably isn't as squishy as I'd prefer, and the second
> one would be harder to build up to a decent thickness. That last one
> looks like a good candidate - but finding a source for it in NYC will
> be a trick.
Must be some nice stuff you're putting in there. A 10 yard roll of
that last tape is $40. Any foam weatherization tape sold at the Borg
would work - doesn't have to be silicone, does it?
R
Larry Jaques
<mee...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:
>I'm building a coffee table with an inset glass top and various water-
>sensitive items under the glass. Ideally, I'd like to seal the insert
>with some sort of gasket material, so that the glass can still be
>lifted out, but liquids spilled on the surface won't make it into the
>innards of the table.
>
>I've considered sealing it up with silicone - but aside from failing
>the removable-glass test, it also fails the easy-to-make-it-look-nice-
>even-if-you-have-limited-spreading-sticky-sealants-and-not-making-a-
>mess-of-it skills.
>
>Any suggestions?
Don't do the "removable glass" trick. Instead, hinge the whole top up
or make it a self-aligning, drop-on lid assembly. Prefinish and wax
the pertinent portions of the wood, then silicone the glass in, and
trim off (from the bottom) the dried squeeze-out with a razor. Mask
off the top and carefully wipe the squeeze-out from the top while it's
fresh.
Tips to keeping silicone looking good:
1) Use only fresh unopened tubes of silicone.
2) Warm the tube of silicone, the wood, and the glass to room temps or
higher before use.
3) Try to apply it in an even thickness so when the glass squeezes it
down, it won't have any air bubbles trapped in it. This will make it
blend into the wood nicely.
4) Clean the glass with Windex or denatured alcohol to remove all
fingerprints and oil before you handle it, with gloves, during the
installation. You'll probably need help gently dropping it directly
into the opening, so have them use gloves, too.
5) Watch your gloves after dropping the glass. They'll probably have
silicone on them and will leave residue on anything you touch.
6) Let the table rest for 24 hours after the glueup before doing
anything else to it. Rushing it can cause flexing and air entrapment
which makes it look bad.
>For bonus points: I'd like to allow the legs to hinge up into the
>body for easy transport. I've googled up some solutions like this:
>ww.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5817 But as you can see from the
>reviews, it seems like those hinges don't provide for much stability.
>Are there better solutions?
(You forgot a w in the www.) Yeah, make mortised leg end-pairs (U
shape) and hinge them inward from the top subframe (like banquet table
legs), using a drop-in spreader/shelf to further stabilize 'em at the
bottom.
An even better way is to make the table chest of drawers style, with a
single slideout drawer containing your displayed goodies. It would be
very stable but not as portable. http://fwd4.me/3UK or
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/fuo/1455420485.html
--
The Smart Person learns from his mistakes.
The Wise Person learns from the mistakes of others.
And then there are all the rest of us...
-----------------------------------------------------
Larry Jaques
<mrd...@iedu.com> scrawled the following:
To do it and maintain a seal, it would have to be much thicker. He
could do a bead of silicone, wipe the glass edges with silicone
_lube_, and then drop it in. But that would be tricky.
It's better to avoid this situation if there is liquid involved. Water
and other beverages find their way everywhere, through the tiniest
gap.