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I am thinking of converting the cabin fibreglass table to a wooden one simply by covering with a fairly thin layer of ply which would be glued to the existing fibreglass top and adding edging to create fiddles in real hardwood. The edging could be rebated then screwed and glued to the existing top from the inside so no screw heads would show on the outside edge. It seems to me that the fibreglass top is rigid enough to supportthe glued on surface but I'm not 100% sure about this.Obviously I will need an additional thin packing layer to fill the recess in the middle part of the existing top first.

I am thinking this would all be fairly easy, fairly cheap and not too heavy.

I've looked at other folks mods but haven't been able to find one done like this.

Does anyone have any advice please on this plan?

Also, just to make things a bit harder, I am thinking of letting in a pre-made compass rose veneer in the middle if I can source such a thing in the UK. Anyone done this?

Cheers
Mike

search the forums for Kevin's wood table....complete with let in compass rose....Ill see if i can find a link and post

Be prepared to cry when you see it......

Here are the links to his table ***before*** he made it pretty

Thanks, Steph. Yeah, I don't have any newer pics of it, but it now also has drawers below it, in between the stiffeners.

A couple of notes -

• * Use brass or stainless screws. I used brass because I like the look.

• * Make very sure it fits between the settee seat 'ridges' so that it can be lowered down and used as the surface for a berth.

• * When/if you create an edging lip, as I did, make sure to not edge the corners so that you can more easily sweep off crumbs, etc. Makes for much easier cleanup.

• * Check the spacing of your stiffeners before you secure them, so that you can then buy off-the-shelf drawers and simply fit them between the bars.

• * Secure the stiffeners with both screws and glue (wood glue or Gorilla will do). The strength of the resulting composite will be strong enough for a very large man to stand upon without it flexing.

I used oak ply and oak trim on mine, as the colors looked nice and it's very hard wood once the finish is applied. You don't want dents in your table from using something soft like poplar or pine on the surface or edges. (You could also use teak, but it's more costly and difficult to work, and you need to use respirators as inhaling teak dust is not particularly good for you.) At the corners of the table I used oak veneer strips to cover the visible 'ply' layers and to prevent it chipping or delaminating. The knobs were simple wooden cabinet knobs, into which I screwed stainless studs so that they could then be used to replace the more plain black plastic table securing knobs. It's really a quite simple table to make and only took an afternoon to knock out.

Cheers.

Looks like a good candidate for a near term project since I just noticed my stock table - less than two years old - has a noticable dishing or sag in the center of the table.

Robert I would give a serious look at what caused that to happen.. TTBOMK that's a first.. Mine is an 05 and I sleep on it on occasion ( 207lbs.) and Mine is like new..

RobertB wrote:Looks like a good candidate for a near term project since I just noticed my stock table - less than two years old - has a noticable dishing or sag in the center of the table.

Divecoz wrote: I would give a serious look at what caused that to happen

I agree - wonder if your table is made of plywood and mine chip or particle board? Plywood would not dish - paticleboard would. I have only slept on the table (in the lowered position ) two nights. I did have some stuff sitting on it over the winter but nothing like a heavy anchor or engine block

Thought about a mod but then realised we use the perspex top to store charts under so any mod would probably have to this into account.Have now come up with a clear plastic flexible sheeting ie tablecloth? so new good looking table with charts stored flat with a clear covering...not perfect but find flat protected storage important

Robertb.
If I get a chance I'll look Monday ( I am heading out for the weekend tomorrow) I cannot imagine Roger using plywood for a table top ..No doubt one or the other...../ both ... table and window trim , comes from the same sheet stock??? Some sort of High Density HDF board , of some sort??
Though mine is like new I too want to at some point, to build my own with the edges and drawers etc etc .. Somewhere I have in my favorites the company Kevin got his Compass ( Rosette) Inlay from..

I've learned that my M table is cut in half and hinged as part of the BWY "cruising package". I never really gave it much thought, but being able to keep half of it down really adds more space to the cabin. I highly recommend this "mod". I may take a photo and post it to show how cool this is.

Divecoz wrote: Somewhere I have in my favorites the company Kevin got his Compass ( Rosette) Inlay from..

Constantine's in New Jersey. Best place in the world for veneer supplies.

kmclemore wrote:

Divecoz wrote: Constantine's in New Jersey. Best place in the world for veneer supplies.

I daubt it, that´s Oberstimm in Bavaria , by the way, what´s "veneer"?
rainer

Rainer,

"Veneer" ist "Holz-Furnier" zur Oberflaechen Verzierung.

Gruss

Obelix

I cut my table back by about 3-4 inches to give us more room to maneuver. Used a piece of birch plywood with a nice brown stain. Looks great and still works as a surface for an extra berth.

Bob