My son wants an island with an end grain top. I have been working on this 30x43 base since June. I now have started making the 5" thick end grain top.IMG_4854.JPGIMG_4851.jpgIMG_4730.jpgIMG_4650.JPGIMG_4638.JPG
My son wants an island with an end grain top. I have been working on this 30x43 base since June. I now have started making the 5" thick end grain top.IMG_4854.JPGIMG_4851.jpgIMG_4730.jpgIMG_4650.JPGIMG_4638.JPG
making the top from 6/4 maple off cuts I got for a $100. Gluing up 30 wide x 22" section, which makes 4 pcs at just over 5" high when cut and planed. So far got 11" of top made up, got to make 4 more glue ups to get enough for 43" of top.IMG_4858-1.jpgIMG_4859.JPGI cut the glue up in half, plane, then cut again
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Last edited by Bryan Cowing; 09-11-2011 at 5:44 AM.
This is going to be a nice butcher block!
Thanks. So far I am two strips short. Spent 7 am till 8 pm, and now have 38" of strips I calculate the top will weigh 174 pounds. 5.8 per strip x 30IMG_4862.JPG
That's going to be a fantastic work surface. Looks great.
Have you thought about how you will flatten that? I built one of nearly similar size, and I would have saved about two weeks of time and a few tubes of icy hot if I just got it in mind to build a router sled from the beginning. If I had to flatten one again with handplanes, I would glue a sacrificial board to each end to mitigate the end-grain blow out.
Can't wait to see this finished.
Bryan, you just wanted to show off that great looking lathe. General or Grizzly? The project looks interesting. Enjoy. Greg
At 7 am I glued up 10 slices, about 14", and during lunch break, I ran it through the planer. I ran the 3/4 radius bit over the one end to stop blowout. IMG_4865.JPGIMG_4864.jpg
So any tricks you care share on how to do those pommel cuts on the lathe. I think the leg design is beautiful. I always make a mess of the wood when I attempt the pommels (square to round transitions).
Once I have it ruffed out, I use the skew on it's flat to slowly smooth it up. I still get slight chipping. What I do now is make the blank 1/8" oversize or so, take a 1/16" pass on the jointer, then re turn any spots the jointer may have flattened.
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What do you mean you clean it up by using the skew on its "flat"? Are you using the skew like a scraper?
Last edited by Bryan Cowing; 09-14-2011 at 5:27 AM.
kid want's a knife slot, added a 1/4 spacer of walnut, waiting on approval from him before I glue up the last sectionIMG_4866.JPG.
That is going to be one beautiful peice when you are finished.
No offence but I am glad I'm not going to have to help you move it in place when your through.