Walnut Burl Table- waiting to rub out

[Brian Kent]

This table has been the subject of a many threads as I learned to resaw a burl, back thin stock, cut matching curves, repair cracks, cut a concave cove, apply waterlox, etc.

This is a piece inspired by a $3.00 walnut burl from a yard sale and from studying Sam Maloof's work in books, displays, a Saturday workshop class this spring, and from watching and listening as I attended his memorial service.

It is nearly finished. The last coat of Waterlox went on July 23 and the piece moved into our house yesterday. On August 23 I will begin rubbing out the finish to turn it from the shiny plastic look to a satin wood look.

[Brian Kent]

I won't try to duplicate this piece because I won't find another burl like this one, but I do hope to do other tables with this Maloof inspired style for a base. The base worked well, changing the angles from 90° between the legs to 120° and 60° to handle a rectangular table instead of round or square. I'll try that again. Therefore any critique will be helpful for the future.

The odd attachment of the top to the base began as I mounted the 1/4" burl on 1/2" plywood instead of 3/4", and used a 4/4 trim instead of 6/4 or 8/4 trim. It was weak and flexible. I did not know how to start over, so I added the trim on the sides for stability, made a sub-table for strength, and then fastened the top to the base with giant toggles.

The middle photo really highlights the plastic look that needs to be rubbed out in the final step, though the underneath is not what I care about.

[Jim Rimmer]

Man, that is one gorgeous table. Nice work.

[John Keeton]

Brian, the table turned out beautifully, and looks very nice in its new home. Excellent work, and a truly unique piece - one that will surely become a family heirloom.

[Larry Fox]

Brian, that turned out very nicely - congrats on a very nice job. I also think this might be the first mention I have ever seen of a "yardsale burl". The only thing I ever see at yard sales out here as I drive by are piles of Beanie Babies, a few tires and some other junk - sadly, no burls.

[Brian Kent]

It took me awhile to find my own post.

It was moved over to "Project Finishing." How about if we move it over to "Woodworking Projects" because the finish part of this is only incidental. I'm trying to show the work itself.

Thanks

Brian

[Ken Fitzgerald]

OP is just wanting to display his work. Moved at his request.

[Jerome Hanby]

That's a piece of which to be proud. Great job!

[John Thompson]

Beautiful table and fits perfectly with your wife's decor. That is some extremely nice joinery on the base from top to bottom. I'm giving a 9.9 on this piece and you get upgraded to 10 when you knock that sheen down. If your photo skills are like mine.. the table may not be as shiny as it appears in actuality but.. IMO as in yours... it needs to brought down to a satin and then you have a perfect piece off the bench.

Well done indeed...

[Brent Ring]

Very nice combination of woods! I like it.

[Bill Wyko]

That is georgous Brian. Very well done.

[Todd Young]

Beautiful piece inspired by a $3.00 burl at a yard sale. Wow!! Very nice work. Todd

[Neal Clayton]

did you do anything else to the burled top other than the waterlox, or is that just how it came out?

it came out really well. not too red, but enough red to show off the grain.

[Brian Kent]

Neal, I had the burl for about a year, resawed it to about 1/4", and then glued it in the double-bookmatch pattern to 1/2" birch ply (not baltic birch).

It was too thick to act like veneer and too thin to act as a board. The Titebond II curled up the burl and I spent all day chasing down curled up corners, adjusting clamps, re-gluing edges, and finally getting the whole thing flat. I set the whole thing aside while I did some other work.

I looked at it on the shelf a couple of weeks later and saw that the whole piece had cupped towards the burl side, so that the top was concave by a couple of inches.

I thought that I had to feed the beast, so I took some samples of the burl cut-offs and tried several different treatments:

Dewaxed Shellac was the lightest.
BLO and Watco Danish Oil looked muddy.
"Formby's Tung Oil" had the best contrast of light and dark.

So I gently clamped the piece down flat on the bench and started treating it with Formby's for protection.

When it was time for the edges to be added to the the top, I again clamped it flat and added the edges, sanded and treated with Formby's.

The top was almost flat but still slightly bowed so I added the aprons to give it more visual depth and to support the shape.

I filled in cracks with epoxy and stain or epoxy and sawdust, depending on size, sanded it again with 220 and 320, and then switched over to Waterlox. I would have started with Waterlox but at first I had never heard of it and then it took about 10 days to get here.

I just checked the four samples that I had used to test the finishes. Now that they are thoroughly cured, the Watco is still too dark and muddy, the BLO and Formby's are just right, and the Shellac is a little lighter but would have been just fine.

[John Timberlake]

Great looking table whatever you had to do to get it flat. Fixing problems is the sign of a great woodworker - or so I tell myself. Nice base and terrific looking burl top.