A sewing table in walnut

[Al Navas]

From my blog:



Sometimes I have an opportunity to become a hero to Sandy (my wife). This was one of those cases.
If you follow my blog, you will recall that a while back I made a table base, then a second one, for a small conference table for a client. The second base became part of that table; it included drawboring, to pull the tenons tight into the mortises in the legs. This photo shows the pin in the leg, prior to final sanding and finishing:




Fast-forward to last week:

Sandy wanted a new table for her sewing room. I had some black walnut left over from a previous project.

Result: A brand-new sewing table. Dimensions: 7 feet long, 30 inches wide. With an offset top, the result is perfect to accept a new sewing cabinet under the overhang. I already have a design in mind; but I need time to make that cabinet. And, with outdoor activities such as mowing 5+ acres, it proves to be a difficult task at best to work some projects for the home front, especially when a client's projects are also in the wings.




With several other machines in the sewing room, Sandy welcomes the new table. In fact, she had needed it for a long time, as she started acquiring vintage machines a while back - all are in good working order! The photo on the left will give you an idea of the room layout, and why she needed this new table. The new table is on the right.
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The final three photos show the table legs (walnut), the oak aprons in more detail, and the table top in perspective:










Thanks for reading!




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[Philip Johnson]

Nice job on the table... I'm not even going to show my wife her sewing room or I will be spending a lot of hours building sewing room projects.

It does pay to keep the wife happy, one of the best investments I have made is one of them fancy 8000 dollar Bernina sewing computers. The wife is amazed how I can buy 1000's of pounds of cast iron tools for less then this little sewing machine.

[chris beserra]

Very nice! What finish did you use?

I can't wait to see the cabinet underneath, even if it might be a while.

[John Keeton]

It does pay to keep the wife happy, one of the best investments I have made is one of them fancy 8000 dollar Bernina sewing computers. The wife is amazed how I can buy 1000's of pounds of cast iron tools for less then this little sewing machine.

Philip, your wife needs a $1000 serger, a $600 stand alone sewing machine, and I have lost track of what else to go with that computerized sewing machine. That Bernini stuff is nice. My wife went with Husqvarna/Viking years ago (several upgrades ago!), and has been faithful to the dealer over the years.

It does make it easier to say, "Honey, I am thinking about getting a new $300 plane."

Al, that is an extremely nice table. Was that done with all hand tools? You didn't say, but the top appears to be walnut, as well, although it looks a bit lighter? Is the cabinet going to be an oak/walnut combo?

[Al Navas]

Nice job on the table... I'm not even going to show my wife her sewing room or I will be spending a lot of hours building sewing room projects.

It does pay to keep the wife happy, one of the best investments I have made is one of them fancy 8000 dollar Bernina sewing computers. The wife is amazed how I can buy 1000's of pounds of cast iron tools for less then this little sewing machine.

Thanks, Phillip.

I think you should show her, as it might result in new tools... Food for thought?

Aren't the Bernina machines fantastic? The white machine on the new sewing table is a Bernina, but one in the sub-$1,000 class . Sandy has been swamped working on T-shirts for our 6 granddaughters... And her latest kick, which I think is just wonderful, is downloading free *.PES files she can use with the Bernina.

Very nice! What finish did you use?

I can't wait to see the cabinet underneath, even if it might be a while.

Thanks, Chris!

I used a Target Coatings waterborne garnet shellac to accentuate the color of the walnut table top a bit. Then I sprayed four layers of Target Coatings' new EM2000wvx alkyd varnish. The finish is terrific!

Philip, your wife needs a $1000 serger, a $600 stand alone sewing machine, and I have lost track of what else to go with that computerized sewing machine. That Bernini stuff is nice. My wife went with Husqvarna/Viking years ago (several upgrades ago!), and has been faithful to the dealer over the years...

Agreed! Sandy is also looking at the new $12,000 Bernina... <gulp...> Maybe I just need a few more commissions, to make this possible.

... It does make it easier to say, "Honey, I am thinking about getting a new $300 plane."...

A LOT easier!

... Al, that is an extremely nice table. Was that done with all hand tools? You didn't say, but the top appears to be walnut, as well, although it looks a bit lighter? Is the cabinet going to be an oak/walnut combo?

Thanks, John.

I used a combination of power and hand tools. I am not competent enough with all the hand tools to be able to make something this big with all hand tools. So, my shop is now a mixed shop. I use what I know best to get the best results. And the hand tools sure make the difference when it comes to applying the details that make the difference.

The table top is walnut. However, the finish schedule is a little different from the walnut I used for the legs. The table top is all waterborne coatings, including the tgarnet shellac. But I finished the walnut legs using SealCoat dewaxed shellac, then the Target Coatings garnet shellac, then EM2000wvx. In person the color is quite similar - however, you are right, as the flash changes the color substantially.

The cabinet will also be a combo of white oak and walnut. I will have to work in with another major project in the shop, one for a client.

Thank-you for looking!


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[John Keeton]

Al, couple of questions. Does the Target shellac raise the grain? It would seem that it would as it is waterborne. Finally, have you used the SealCoat and any of the Target lacquer over that? I just acquired an Earlex, and looking for some ideas. I actually like the look of the legs somewhat better than the top, at least from the pics. You indicated that the flash may have caused a difference in appearance that may not be present.

[Al Navas]

Al, couple of questions. Does the Target shellac raise the grain? It would seem that it would as it is waterborne. Finally, have you used the SealCoat and any of the Target lacquer over that? I just acquired an Earlex, and looking for some ideas. I actually like the look of the legs somewhat better than the top, at least from the pics. You indicated that the flash may have caused a difference in appearance that may not be present.

John,

1. Yes, the Target shellac raises the grain. Some gentle sanding with 600 grit removes the raised grain. I apply shellac after this first sanding, to completely seal the surface. Most of the time I pre-raise the grain by wiping the surface with a wet cloth, sand, and then apply the first coat of the waterborne -this results in reduced grain raising.
2. After the shellac, I apply the various coatings of the EM2000wvx, sanding with 600 grit in between each coat. The finish is super smooth when done. However, some folks still prefer the ultra silky smooth finish of an oil finish.
3. In person, the walnut table top looks just about identical to the walnut legs. I am certain the flash is picking up on the differences, though. I might have discovered a way of telling differences in finish...
4. Yes, you can apply lacquer, shellac, or just about anything else on the SealCoat. In fact, SealCoat (or a dewaxed shellac solution prepared from flakes) is a MUST on oak; it is especially so on red oak and, to almost the same extent, on white oak. Reason: Tannin content (read: low pH, or acidic) is very high in oak, and the high-pH (read: alkaline, typically pH 10 or higher) waterborne coatings react to the tannins by causing bridging and/or pin holes. When I first experienced this, I thought I had a silicone contamination problem, as I thought the pinholes looked to me like silicone-caused fish eyes.

Enjoy the Earlex, John!

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[John Keeton]

Thanks Al! I posted a general inquiry thread on the Earlex to get some ideas from some users. What system do you use?

[Al Navas]

John,

Many people are quite pleased with the Earlex. I use the Fuji Pro Q3, which has done a terrific job for me. I got it some time ago, and has made a huge difference in the finishing I do. As so many of us, I was a total newbie when I first got it.


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[John Thompson]

Very nice looking and well constructed Al. This is a monster sewing center you have created.

Sarge..

[Jim Kountz]

Nice job on the table, however I hope my wife doesnt see this, she would be all over me to make here one and I already have way too many projects!!

[Al Navas]

Very nice looking and well constructed Al. This is a monster sewing center you have created...

Thanks, John. My honey loves it...

Nice job on the table, however I hope my wife doesnt see this, she would be all over me to make here one and I already have way too many projects!!

Jim,

Thanks! I may have already mentioned this above - you might want to build it, and justify some new tools in the process...


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