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Thread: Dining table with natural edge bookmatched figured maple boards

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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    Dining table with natural edge bookmatched figured maple boards

    The better part of thirty years ago, a group of local woodworkers organized a bulk purchase of figured maple.

    When I arrived (late) to help unload the trailer, I found these two book matched/spalted boards discarded in a snow bank !

    They were in pretty poor shape but I thought I could make use of them and they have been leaning against the wall of my shop ever since..

    Fast forward to a year ago when I spied them one evening and the idea popped into my head to make a table top with them.

    I used West System epoxy to fill all the cracks and soaked them with Watco Danish oil.

    Paying work occupied my time until a couple of months ago when I decided to make time to finish this project.

    At 14" wide the boards were too narrow for a top, I felt another dissimilar board would be a poor match so I decided to use ceramic tiles in the middle to make up a usable width.

    The original plan was to use another figured maple board for the gables but then I realized I had been "saving" a figured Bubinga board that would work nicely for the gables.

    Finished size is 64 3/8" x 38", a comfy size for six diners and possibly eight family members

    000_6557 E13 FS three quarters web.jpg

    000_6567 E13 FS side view web.jpg

    000_6540 E13 FS top three quarter 2 web.jpg

    000_6485 E13 FS mount web.jpg

    000_6473 E13 FS close mount details web.jpg

    Clicking on the link below should take you to a photobucket album with ~ three dozen start to finish progress pictures.

    http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps0g3lvbht.jpg

    Cheers, Don
    Last edited by Bruce Page; 03-29-2015 at 4:21 PM.
    Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker
    Product Photographer

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    Hey Don, I kinda like it. No, that's not right. I really like this a lot!. Very nice idea to put the tiles in the top and to go with the black and woodgrain. That black structure and tile insert really complements the spalting in the wood. Very creative.

  3. #3
    The spalted maple looks great, same with the figured legs. Is Watco Danish oil a durable finish for a dining table? I thought most oils didn't offer much resistance to heat / water.

  4. #4
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    That isn't wood working, that is a work of art ! Just gorgeous Don, those beautiful woods, the color contrast, the choice of using the tile, and the execution. It's stunning. Now you need to make some killer chairs to go with it.

    John

  5. #5
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    Oct 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Barry View Post
    Hey Don, I kinda like it. No, that's not right. I really like this a lot!. Very nice idea to put the tiles in the top and to go with the black and woodgrain. That black structure and tile insert really complements the spalting in the wood. Very creative.
    Thank you Pat !

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hallam View Post
    The spalted maple looks great, same with the figured legs. Is Watco Danish oil a durable finish for a dining table? I thought most oils didn't offer much resistance to heat / water.
    Thank you Jeff !

    The oil is not a durable finish for a table top but in a small way, the resins in it help a bit to stabilize the softer parts of the spalted wood. I neglected to mention all parts are finished with a conversion varnish.

    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    That isn't wood working, that is a work of art ! Just gorgeous Don, those beautiful woods, the color contrast, the choice of using the tile, and the execution. It's stunning. Now you need to make some killer chairs to go with it.

    John
    Thanks John !

    Funny you should mention the chairs

    Four of my six existing chairs went into the shop for storage, they were not worthy, he, he..

    Next project, design and build matching chairs, sigh...

    Cheers, Don
    Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker
    Product Photographer

  6. #6
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    Jun 2009
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    Spokane Valley, WA
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    What John said! Well done!

    Regards, Marty
    "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity" - anon

  7. #7
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    This is just amazing. I believe this is the best execution of a live edge top I have ever seen.

  8. #8
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    The black accents the spalting wonderfully!

    Cheers,
    C
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  9. #9
    WOW! thanks for sharing this..I enjoyed seeing all the PB pictures. A very stunning table
    Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning, the devil says, "oh crap she's up!"


    Tolerance is giving every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.

    "What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts are gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts will happen to man. All things are connected. " Chief Seattle Duwamish Tribe

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Gulseth View Post
    What John said! Well done!

    Regards, Marty
    Quote Originally Posted by Malcolm Schweizer View Post
    This is just amazing. I believe this is the best execution of a live edge top I have ever seen.
    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Charles View Post
    The black accents the spalting wonderfully!

    Cheers,
    C
    Quote Originally Posted by Michelle Rich View Post
    WOW! thanks for sharing this..I enjoyed seeing all the PB pictures. A very stunning table
    Thanks all for taking the time to comment, I appreciate your kind words !

    Cheers, Don
    Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker
    Product Photographer

  11. #11
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    that is simply stunning.

  12. #12
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    Thank you David.

    Cheers, Don
    Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker
    Product Photographer

  13. #13
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    Dec 2008
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    Gibsons British Columbia Canada ( near Vancouver )
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    Whoever threw those boards into the snowbank ought to have their head examined!

    I am a sucker for figured / live edge wood; you sir have executed this project extremely nicely.

    Dave B

  14. #14
    Great story, super project. Your finished project is beautiful and unique.
    Best Regards,

    Gordon

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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    Thank you Dave and Gordon !

    Cheers, Don
    Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker
    Product Photographer

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