Coffee Table Top Update

[Jason Scott]

Hey all,

Well I just wanted to thank Todd Bin on here for suggesting to go to the cabinet shop and have it drum sanded. The guy worked with me a while gave me some pointers, and only charged me 20 bucks. The table top is now perfect and dead flat, (hopefully it stays that way). He said b/c it was solid wood, I might have problems with movement and suggested some walnut veneered ply for future tops. Most importantly though, while I was explaining to him what happened, I said, "I worked on the inlay for hours and I still have a small gap here and there, it really sucks, I know", and he told me that it was fine, in fact he said that if he did the same thing for someone he would charge them a fortune and that it was the same "quality" wise that the pros in his shop turn out. I was taken back, it dawned on me that if a professional custom shop owner/craftsman said that, then it might be true. So moral of this story, I have got to ease up off my own ass and enjoy the quality of work I do, and stop beating myself up. Anyway just wanted to post another pic of the now "fixed" top thanks to the owner of Balz Custom Woodworking here in Louisville. I can't wait to see the unique grain pattern in the walnut when finished, and the leaf is made of curly maple, should be a nice contrast.

[Jim Becker]

You'll not have problems with wood movement if you construct your piece to accomodate it!

VERY nice job on the inlay, Jason. It looks great.

[Jason Scott]

Thanks Jim!

[keith ouellette]

Glad it worked out Scott. Like i told you I had seen two different inlays done by guys that have been doing wood working for years and they both had gaps in them.
The table looks great.

[Greg Cole]

Jason,
Looks great. You'll definately like the 2 diff species in contrast when finished..... and maybe ya didn't learn something by osmosis as I hinted at, but you still learned from the pro's (ya learned ya can do what they do & do it well). If you have long arms, you can reach around and pat your own back....LOLOL
So, when can we see the top on the rest o the table??

Greg

[Todd Bin]

Great! I'm glad the $20 was worth it for you.

A word on wood movement. I'm sure you know this but don't glue the top to the base. Use the metal figure 8's with screws in a few places or you can make your own track usng wood. David Mark's uses the figure 8's and Norm makes his own using wood.

Please post some pictures of the table once you get it all assembled and finished. Do you have any ideas on what finish you might use? Watco, or General finishes Seal-a-Cell, or Shellac or ???

[Jason Scott]

Jason,
Looks great. You'll definately like the 2 diff species in contrast when finished..... and maybe ya didn't learn something by osmosis as I hinted at, but you still learned from the pro's (ya learned ya can do what they do & do it well). If you have long arms, you can reach around and pat your own back....LOLOL
So, when can we see the top on the rest o the table??

Greg,

Thanks for the comments. I am building the aprons/legs this week, but I am handcutting the dovetails so I don't know how long that will take me. I am going slow.

Great! I'm glad the $20 was worth it for you.

A word on wood movement. I'm sure you know this but don't glue the top to the base. Use the metal figure 8's with screws in a few places or you can make your own track usng wood. David Mark's uses the figure 8's and Norm makes his own using wood.

Please post some pictures of the table once you get it all assembled and finished. Do you have any ideas on what finish you might use? Watco, or General finishes Seal-a-Cell, or Shellac or ???

Todd, going to finish with shellac I think. I did my other end table for the first time with Zinsser 3lb cut which I reduced to 1lb and put 5 coats on. It came out great, so I am going with that again I think. As far as the top goes, I have always used pocket screws on all my tables, is that an ok method to use? Will post pictures as soon as I get a little farther.

[Greg Cole]

Jason,
Assuming you are referring to pocket screws to attach the top? I'd recommend sending a retailer (get mine from Rockler) a few bucks for the figure 8 style connectors for that task.... I've used a few methods but these are the easiest and are plenty secure.
G'luck on the hand cut DT's.... I'm plenty proficient with a mallet & mortise chisel these days, but haven't gone to hand cut DT's...... yet.
If you are looking for options on finishes... I'd recommend Jeff Jewitt's book. I read it twice last month & have definately stepped up my finishing aspirations & expectations a couple notches.
The legs n aaprons walnut too?

Cheers.
Greg

[Jason Scott]

Jason,
Assuming you are referring to pocket screws to attach the top? I'd recommend sending a retailer (get mine from Rockler) a few bucks for the figure 8 style connectors for that task.... I've used a few methods but these are the easiest and are plenty secure.
G'luck on the hand cut DT's.... I'm plenty proficient with a mallet & mortise chisel these days, but haven't gone to hand cut DT's...... yet.
If you are looking for options on finishes... I'd recommend Jeff Jewitt's book. I read it twice last month & have definately stepped up my finishing aspirations & expectations a couple notches.
The legs n aaprons walnut too?

Cheers.
Greg

Greg,

Yep, in walnut also, it will be similar to my end table in another post, but the aprons will have a gentle curve to them as well. Each piece I seem to change a little, even though it is suppose to be a matching set, but that is b/c I learn along the way and fix things that I wish I "wouldn't" have done on the previous. I think they will all look very similar, but have very distinct differences up close.

Jason

[Todd Bin]

Shellac would definitley look nice. Are you going to be using the dining room table to eat at or is it just for a formal dining room for your wife to look at. If you are going to use it daily the shellac is going to be a lot of long term maintanence.

[Jason Scott]

Shellac would definitley look nice. Are you going to be using the dining room table to eat at or is it just for a formal dining room for your wife to look at. If you are going to use it daily the shellac is going to be a lot of long term maintanence.

Todd,

Actually this is the coffee table, not the dining table, although I plan on making one of those too The table will be used, but only by my wife and I and we are pretty careful around the handmade stuff. I have only used two finishes before, and that is Minwax tung-oil finish (I like the way it looks) and shellac, which I love. I know that water stains shellac as well as alcoholic beverages are not good.

[Don Bullock]

Jason that looks fantastic. I'm glad that you got the problem resolved. That sure was $20 well spent to same all your fantastic work. Yes, stop finding fault with your work too. There are many, including me who have learned something from you on this top. I appreciate the post.

[Bob Feeser]

Jason,
I would finish the top, get it sealed as early as possible. Exposed the air, especially after a fresh sanding allows the wood to breathe, and it may do so unevenly. Also if one side was sanded and not the other, there is a difference in moisture levels that could cause problems. When refinishing, whatever you do to one side, do the same to the other. Thick finishes on one side, and thin breathable ones on the other is only inviting bowing. I really am amazed at how great wood looks, when you take the surface down into fresh material, then trap what you see with a clear finish. All kind of subtle colors come out. Left exposed to the air, or even worse the sunlight, the subtle vibrant colors fade, and you are left with a piece that is not as lively. I know there are other considerations, like how do you support the top while refinishing if it isn't already on the base. But if you have some of the underside wood unfinished, due to surfaces that are inaccessible, that can contribute to uneven wood movement.
Here I go, I don't even know you, and I am worried about your table top moving on you. The piece looks great. The inlay makes it special. Looking forward to seeing the pictures when it is finished. That top has to look dynamite with a nice finish bringing out all that beautiful grain.

[Jason Scott]

Jason,
I would finish the top, get it sealed as early as possible. Exposed the air, especially after a fresh sanding allows the wood to breathe, and it may do so unevenly. Also if one side was sanded and not the other, there is a difference in moisture levels that could cause problems. When refinishing, whatever you do to one side, do the same to the other. Thick finishes on one side, and thin breathable ones on the other is only inviting bowing. I really am amazed at how great wood looks, when you take the surface down into fresh material, then trap what you see with a clear finish. All kind of subtle colors come out. Left exposed to the air, or even worse the sunlight, the subtle vibrant colors fade, and you are left with a piece that is not as lively. I know there are other considerations, like how do you support the top while refinishing if it isn't already on the base. But if you have some of the underside wood unfinished, due to surfaces that are inaccessible, that can contribute to uneven wood movement.
Here I go, I don't even know you, and I am worried about your table top moving on you. The piece looks great. The inlay makes it special. Looking forward to seeing the pictures when it is finished. That top has to look dynamite with a nice finish bringing out all that beautiful grain.

Bob,

Thanks, although you are right, this thing bows overnight, not much but a little, so I clamp it down flat, sometimes it even bows back the other way slightly, is this normal? I am a newbie with wood movement, but this thing looks to me like it is trying to become a potatoe chip at times. I have it clamped lightly to my workbench. There is no sunlight down there but like I said it is trying to move, but I have no choice as I only have limited time to work on it so I am not sure what to do. I did get the front and back aprons milled today, hopefully tomorrow I can get the side aprons done and start the dovetails.

[scott spencer]

That's an impressive piece of work Jason! I'd love to see the finished pics!