Another Hall Table--Can You Stand It?

[Bob Childress]

It seems that every WWer passes through a stage when he/she simply must make a hall table, even if they don't have a hall.

So here is mine. Ambrosia maple and cherry. Finished with a shellac seal and NC lacquer sprayed.

[John Thompson]

Nice floating top design, Bob. Interesting mix of the ambrosia and cherry. I would probably have used cherry on the entire bottom but.. that's just what I would do as my wife looked at it and loved it the way you did it. That's why they make suits in different cuts and colors. Variety rules...

[Brent Smith]

That's a great looking table Bob, and that's some beautiful Ambrosia Maple you have there.

I would agree with John on the Cherry. Here's the funny thing though. I have a friend, who is also an interior designer, looking over my shoulder right now. She's asked me to build a couple of tables to help showcase a model home she is working on. I thought coming to the Creek might give us a few thoughts on what she wanted. Long and short of it is, she agrees with your wife John and has declared her taste to be open and forward looking, while you and I are apparently stuck in a rut afraid to combine and contrast texture and color for the most appealing result. I think, but I'm not sure, we've just been insulted .

[John Thompson]

That's a great looking table Bob, and that's some beautiful Ambrosia Maple you have there.

I would agree with John on the Cherry. Here's the funny thing though. I have a friend, who is also an interior designer, looking over my shoulder right now. She's asked me to build a couple of tables to help showcase a model home she is working on. I thought coming to the Creek might give us a few thoughts on what she wanted. Long and short of it is, she agrees with your wife John and has declared her taste to be open and forward looking, while you and I are apparently stuck in a rut afraid to combine and contrast texture and color for the most appealing result. I think, but I'm not sure, we've just been insulted .

We probably have Brent.. at the least we have been put in our place which is not the decision makers for inside the house as you know which gender rules in those matters. And to be honest.. I'm having second thoughts they may be right as I keep looking at the 2nd and 3rd picture and they are starting to look better and better each time I look.

Bob may have one of those time delay pieces here as each time I look my original opinion is starting to sway over to I like the way he handled the base more and more.

I think I'll have another look. It's starting to look better than the.. you guessed it.. hall table I started laying finish on today. Bob will get to take a crack at it as it is a Bavarian design basically I am going to use as a fish tank table. My lovely hasn't seen it yet and I have a feeling she is going to kick my hinny when she does as not everyone is going to like this particular design. I just wanted to do something different and well... I did.

[Bob Childress]

John and Brent,

Thanks. You are right, not everyone likes the mixed woods below. But SWMBO is really taken with Ambrosia maple (and I got some really good figured boards) so, there ya go.

One of the hardest parts of developing my WWing skills has been the design variable in the equation. I built many pieces to plans but when you begin to develop your own permutations, you inevitably have misgivings now and then. This project was one of those. I am pleased with the result, but can well understand it would not be everyone's cup of tea.

[Ben Martin]

Great looking piece Bob!

I have never noticed it, but Ambrosia maple looks like the bamboo flooring that we have in our house. My wife and I loved the color and character of it.

[John Thompson]

John and Brent,

Thanks. You are right, not everyone likes the mixed woods below. But SWMBO is really taken with Ambrosia maple (and I got some really good figured boards) so, there ya go.

One of the hardest parts of developing my WWing skills has been the design variable in the equation. I built many pieces to plans but when you begin to develop your own permutations, you inevitably have misgivings now and then. This project was one of those. I am pleased with the result, but can well understand it would not be everyone's cup of tea.

I personally don't think we are right, Bob. You did a masterful job with mechanics and you catered to the wishes of the intended. It really doesn't matter what my opionion is.. nor your neighbors.. nor you peers. It only matters in the bottom line how the recipient... who is the most trusted and important person in your life views the result.

I would never compromise to outsiders or my own opinion when catering to my wife. She is the one.. and only one I really have to please in the end result. I have a piece almost finished now that my just go against her grain. If it does it will end up in a battered womens shelter as I am kind of free-lancing on this one just to see without asking her opinion in advance. We shall see....

I totally agree about design being the hardest part to master. I have evolved into a pretty good mechanic over 38 years but have only in the last 5-6 started "getting it" with design and finish for that mattter. I have never used a plan as I free-lance my own on note-pad with crude drawings and penciled in dimentions. Auto-cad would be helpful but.. I don't own a cell phone personally and at this point I will probably stick with hit and miss and trust me.. the misses far out-number the hits over 38 years so...

Well done...

[Brent Smith]

John and Brent,

Thanks. You are right, not everyone likes the mixed woods below. But SWMBO is really taken with Ambrosia maple (and I got some really good figured boards) so, there ya go.

One of the hardest parts of developing my WWing skills has been the design variable in the equation. I built many pieces to plans but when you begin to develop your own permutations, you inevitably have misgivings now and then. This project was one of those. I am pleased with the result, but can well understand it would not be everyone's cup of tea.

Hi Bob,

What Sarge said!!!

Just because I would have used the species differently doesn't detract from the beautiful work you've presented here!! I've been working wood for more than 35 years and think I've got the hang of the mechanics of it also. Design and imagination are another story though. Over the last couple of years, I've been reading some design books and, as mentioned above, doing a bit of work for an interior designer friend. I've come to realize that my personal opinions and design processes are not as open minded as they could be. It's seeing pieces like your's that, as John said grow on you, that give me ideas and allow my own imagination to broaden and hopefully allow me to come up with pieces and materials that will appeal to a broader audience than just myself.

[Bob Childress]

Thanks guys. And I never took your remarks as a criticism and even if I had, good criticism helps us get better.

But it reminded me that this woodworking "stuff" is a complex endeavor which combines mechanics and personal taste and the wishes of the client (esp if it is your spouse ).

[Don Bullock]

At first I had the same reaction to the combination of wood even though I'm a big fan of contrasting wood. The more I look at the piece toe more I like the design. There is no doubt that the maple is outstanding wood. BTW -- I dod not show the pictures to SWMBO because I know her reaction would be, "when are you going to make something like that for our front entry?"

[Michael Panis]

Nice design.
IMHO, if you had done a plain vanilla, straight apron attached to the top, it would have made sense to stick with cherry.
BUT...you've got a great, unique design between the floating top, the arched aprons, and the front/back vs. side aprons at different heights. I believe that's why the ambrosia apron works so well on this table.

[Shawn Stennett]

I love the maple top.

[John Thompson]

At first I had the same reaction to the combination of wood even though I'm a big fan of contrasting wood. The more I look at the piece toe more I like the design. There is no doubt that the maple is outstanding wood. BTW -- I dod not show the pictures to SWMBO because I know her reaction would be, "when are you going to make something like that for our front entry?"

Well Don... when are you going to make something like that for the front entry......?

You can run from her but... you can't hide.... not even on this forum!