Nakashima inspired console table help for a SUPER newby

[JD MacLeod]

Hello Gents -
This is my first post and i hope you'll welcome someone like myself who is truly a neophite to the ranks. I have pretty much no relevant woodworking experience outside of my college days in the studio using a bandsaw and tablesaw when needed for my found object pieces. My experience with wood since then has been refinishing and recaning some old chairs and other such odd projects around the house. I am about to take on a project which i hope you can help me out with. I am making a console table for my great room from a large cherry slab i got from a gent in PA.

What follows are pics of the slab itself (before planing and sanding) and a few reference pics. I have some turned legs (also cherry) that i was going to insert in the same manner as the two examples of Mr Nakashima's work below. Is there anything i should be wary of here (wood expansion issues e.g.)? It appears that he inserted his turned legs with the grain perpindicular to that of the the top pieces. Also, i have searched and searched the archives here with enumerable reccomendations on what to use when finishing cherry and once i think i am set on something, my mind is changed again. The folks i spoke with at Nakashima in new hope say they use tung oil varnish (a mixture of the two it seems) on all of their work. The finish i am looking for is what was accomplished on the triangular bench below. Any suggestions? Sorry for the ridiculously long post - i appreciate your help guys and hope you don't mind if i ask a few silly questions as i find my way.

Thanks a heap.

JD

[Earl Kelly]

JD,

Keep in mind the weight of your slab as it relates to the supporting structure (legs) a lot of weight up high(30"-36") can be quite top heavy with out the proper strength and placement of the legs. Now if you mean coffee table instead of console then disregard what I stated above.

[Jim Becker]

Earl brings up a good point about stability. The taller you go, the more you need to consider that in the design. You have a beautiful slab there and as a natural edge/slab piece, it is likely most suitable for a bench/coffee table as these items tend to be no more than about 18" tall. That's about what I did for the first one I built as a coffee table from a walnut slab. The walnut bench I'm anxious to "finish the finish" on is similarly configured as to height. The former uses turned ash legs with through, wedged tenons similar to the examples you show. The latter is, as you can see from the thread I link to, configured with slab-based support structure, too, for the added weight handling I wanted. (You can see the earlier piece in one or more pictures in the bench thread as I had it in the shop for some refinishing after it was damaged by a falling torch lamp)

As to finish, I prefer BLO, dewaxed shellac (usually garnet on cherry) followed by an appropriate top coat. Sometimes the shellac is the final step. More often than not for furniture I use water borne Target Coatings USL for a "durable" finish. I rarely use oil-based top coats, but this type of project could be well suited to a nice, easy to apply oil-based wipe on finish, such as Waterlox or a "witch's brew" mixture of oil, varnish and mineral spirits.

BTW, welcome to the 'Creek!

[JD MacLeod]

Thanks for the thoughts on this gents and thanks for the warm welcome. I really had my heart set on a console table, so 29 to 30" or so high. I have attached a picture of the leg(s) and here are the dimensions of each one:

30.75" long x 15/16" at small end, 2.125" in middle and 15/16" at large end

You guys think they'll hold at that height?

I have also considered steel legs for the console table as the interplay of the two materials (man made/refined matierial versus natural) i think would be terrific and also follows our (my wife's and my shared) overall design philosophy of a mix of styles, textures and patterns drawing from antiquity, modern design (Danish modern in particular) and contemporary style. Would you think this would be a safer option?

[Earl Kelly]

JD

I really like the interplay between steel and wood. I think you could have a very unique piece there with some steel legs or base. I like curves which might entail some welding. And strength would be a non issue.

The legs you show would probably work with a thru wedged tenon and splay them out to increase the stability.

[Tony Falotico]

JD, this is just one man's opinion and to each his own likings and style, but it seems to me small, thin, dainty legs just ain't gonna look right with the big massive slab. I agree the base should not overwhelm the slab top, but I would be looking at some sort of arched (or rectangular) base somewhat proportional to the top of the slab (is that clear as mud ??). Again, I don't see simple spindle legs on that beautiful slab.

Just one man's opinion, Good Luck whatever you decide to do and keep us posted on your progress.

BTW -- Welcome to Da'Creek !!

[Jim Becker]

Tony kinda expressed what I was going to say...the proportions may not look right with such a narrow table top. But here's a suggestion. Take a piece of inexpensive material, like MDF or scrap construction plywood plus some 1" baluster stock and do a mock-up/prototype of the same size (and similar shape/contour) and see how you feel about it in the location the real piece will live. That's a small investment that will really help you clue in to how well what you want to do will work aesthetically...

BTW, I live just a few miles from the Nakashima compound and have been fortunate enough to have a complete tour due to a regular fund raising event for the Mitchener Museum. Very kewel place...

[JD MacLeod]

Appreciate all the responses guys. I think i am going to try to use these legs and hopefully a through tenon w/ wedge will work (and hold). Given i have never done anything of this sort before, can you guys walk me through it a bit? I understand that i need to create a groove in the top of the legs and make a wedge to be inserted/glued in. When making the holes in the slab for the top of the legs to pass through should it be made the same diameter as the top of the leg all the way through or should it be smaller? Should it be tapered at all?

i.e.

l l or / \

Anything else to know? Best glue to use for this? I am a golfclub builder so i have epoxy handy as well (super high shear strength epoxy).

Thanks for being so kind and so patient - know my questions must seem ridiculous to seasoned woodworkers like yourselves.

[Jim Becker]

I slot the leg tenons on the bandsaw (can also be done with a ripping hand-saw) and cut some wedges the same way.

Please do yourself a favor and at least cut some sheet stock to the approximate size and shape of your slab, drill some appropriate holes for the legs and try it out BEFORE you drill into your slab. Not only will you insure that you will be happy with the look, but you will also be able to validate the leg angles for stability. I made the mistake of not doing that with my first piece and as a result the table is slightly more "tippy" than I would prefer.

You can use epoxy, but I use normal PVA to glue in the legs. (Titebond II) They are installed proud of the surface, the wedges installed and after the glue cures (overnight) the wedged tenons are trimmed flush using the appropriate tools.

[JD MacLeod]

Thanks Jim. Appreciate the help very much. I am certainly going to take your advice on doing a dry run with some cheap stock. Want to make sure i don't destroy that nice piece of cherry. I'll take pics of my journey - sure at the least will give you all a good chuckle if it doesn't go well

[JD MacLeod]

Well, went to the D-po this weekend and bought some doug fir (told heavy) and slapped together a table top at the approximate dimensions of my cherry slab. Drilled through it and dry fit the legs to see how it would look. I like the look a lot actually - seems consistent with Danish Modern furniture, the simple gently tapering legs like that. I took some pics, but haven't uploaded them yet (apologies).

I wanted to inquire further about finishes, i know jim suggested BLO, the a de-waxed shellac (garnett) and a WB topcoat if i wanted. I picked up some danish oil while out and am thinking ab going this route:

1. Danish oil
2. Target WB shellac sealer and barrier coat (garnett) - not sure how many coats i would need?
3. Target WB Superclear 9000 - bunch of coats to finish

I was planning on wiping this all on. Comments? Seem like a reasonable combo of products for a finish?

Thanks again for everything gents.

[Jim Becker]

Personally, the ONE product from Target I don't like is the WB shellac...I'd not buy it again. Really must be sprayed and doesn't bring out the "sparkle" that real de-waxed shellac does. And the Target WB products really are not designed for wiping on. Some can be brushed, but they are pretty much intended to be sprayed.

[jeremy levine]

[quote=JD MacLeod].....

1. Danish oil
2. Target WB shellac sealer and barrier coat (garnett) - not sure how many coats i would need?
3. Target WB Superclear 9000 - bunch of coats to finish

I was planning on wiping this all on. Comments? Seem like a reasonable combo of products for a finish?

..../quote]

Do read this http://www.targetcoatings.com/technician-jeff.html

[jeremy levine]

Aslo as for "some sort of tung oil" why not use a tung oil based product like Waterlox

[Martin Shupe]

I'm not much help, but I just wanted to say that is one sweet looking cherry slab. I can't wait to see how your bench turns out.

I know Jim has studied Nakashima's furniture up close and personal, so perhaps his comments have helped.