Wider Slab for a Coffee Table

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I'm using latex paint then doing this, paint the ends and 4-6 inchs out from the ends, per smokin. I'll sticker it in the woods (nice wind with some sun for a year) flip it every four months, plus I'll put a heavy object on top so it will help stop warping.

zap
 
You have done this already?

I cant even keep a 4x4 in my garage for any time without warping and spliting.
 
Not yet, smokin is the guy to talk with, this is the start of my second summer milling. The slabs I did last summer are stickered in the woods an still look good.

zap
 
skyline said:
SmokinJ,

Nice table. Look forward to the pictures Zap. A little off topic but got roped into another school project last weekend where we made an outdoor eating area for the teachers.
This is one of the tables we came up with. I provided all the logs and supports but the slab was donated by a local tree service. 12' x ~42" x 3" .
Click to expand...


smokinj said:
Is that 43 inchs at the small end or large end?
Click to expand...

42" was what I remembered at the large end but there wasn't too much taper. I'll check next time I'm by since the memory isn't so good anymore. The supports on either end were 27".
I'm interested to see how much it moves as it dries, since it was still so wet.
 
zap said:
The circumference is 75 which will give us a slab 23.87 inches wide, perfect for the area it's going in.
zap
Click to expand...

Placement is everything........Kinda like thisle does, he finds a tree and know's what it is before he makes his first pass! :) I like that skill..........It takes me much longer but friends and family seem to figure it out much quicker than I do. :rolleyes:
 
smokinj said:
2-3/4 inch by 32 inch wide Black Walnut. Same tree as this slab.
Click to expand...

Jay I'll say it again,that is one of the most beautiful pieces of Black Walnut I've ever seen in 30+ years of woodworking.
 
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I'll be taking the bark off my cross pieces for the coffee table (pic 7078) next week when pic # 1 comes in, my legs better be at the bottom of that pile.
 

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I just love the talent here and seeing all the milled boards and woodwork. Wish I had access to a mill to try some of this stuff but I need a new hobby like I need... Well you know the rest.

I do have a 4' long 1/2 log of maple I noodled/milled with my saw that has been barkless and drying for a couple years and I am planning to forge some iron legs for it and using it as a bench around the fire pit. I will have to take pics so it is believable but in the mean time here is the recliner I made from a very large ash crotch this winter. Kind of just happened as I cut up the tree and stood this monster up. I looked at it for a bit and sat down - dog gone thing is perfect so it go loaded on the trailer and stood up next to the pit. Worst case, there is at lest 3 nights worth of heat in the bugger!!
 

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So Zap I guess you are going to be hand planning? That takes a lot of time from what I understand. I was at Italian guys wood shop and he joins the boards and runs them through a planner. You cannot even tell where the join is in most cases. I have some large Cherry slabs that are 2 inches thick and about 30 inches wide I would like to plane but hate the thought of hand planning.
 
golfandwoodnut said:
So Zap I guess you are going to be hand planning? That takes a lot of time from what I understand. I was at Italian guys wood shop and he joins the boards and runs them through a planner. You cannot even tell where the join is in most cases. I have some large Cherry slabs that are 2 inches thick and about 30 inches wide I would like to plane but hate the thought of hand planning.
Click to expand...
I'll be sanding with a Delta (hand held) sander, unless I buy a planer.
http://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet....&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CNmdgPWC4rYCFeZFMgodFAkAUA
 
That should make a nice table. You have some good advice on the stickering and drying. Renting a floor sander may be a good way to bring it down, but it may not be level.

The small tabletop planers can only handle material about 12" wide. I think a planer would chip out some material with grain direction change at the knots A commercial drum sander would be real good if you have a local wood shop that could do it for a fee. I would give you a pretty level surface. If there is even a slight twist to the plank when dried, it will require several passes to take off the high spots to bring it to level. Then it will probably need to be flipped and done to the opposite side. Looking forward to see it completed.

If the slab cracks, there are always dutchmans. If it was my table, I would want a crack in it just to set some in.


th


Did you try the tenon cutters yet?


Edit: I like the looks of the drawknife. It looks sturdy and shoud ease bark removal.
 
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fishingpol said:
That should make a nice table. You have some good advice on the stickering and drying. Renting a floor sander may be a good way to bring it down, but it may not be level.

The small tabletop planers can only handle material about 12" wide. I think a planer would chip out some material with grain direction change at the knots A commercial drum sander would be real good if you have a local wood shop that could do it for a fee. I would give you a pretty level surface. If there is even a slight twist to the plank when dried, it will require several passes to take off the high spots to bring it to level. Then it will probably need to be flipped and done to the opposite side. Looking forward to see it completed.

If the slab cracks, there are always dutchmans. If it was my table, I would want a crack in it just to set some in.


th


Did you try the tenon cutters yet? Not yet, the table top did crack some but were okay with that.


Edit: I like the looks of the drawknife. It looks sturdy and shoud ease bark removal.
Click to expand...
 
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brandon.jpgbrandon1.jpg
fishingpol said:
That should make a nice table. You have some good advice on the stickering and drying. Renting a floor sander may be a good way to bring it down, but it may not be level.

The small tabletop planers can only handle material about 12" wide. I think a planer would chip out some material with grain direction change at the knots A commercial drum sander would be real good if you have a local wood shop that could do it for a fee. I would give you a pretty level surface. If there is even a slight twist to the plank when dried, it will require several passes to take off the high spots to bring it to level. Then it will probably need to be flipped and done to the opposite side. Looking forward to see it completed.

If the slab cracks, there are always dutchmans. If it was my table, I would want a crack in it just to set some in.


th


Did you try the tenon cutters yet?


Edit: I like the looks of the drawknife. It looks sturdy and shoud ease bark removal.
Click to expand...


These bow ties really show off craftsman ship: Better have lots of practice before doing this on a sanded slab.




Heres one of my cousin joint work. He does this for a living. One more just to show off his skill set.brandon3.jpg


brandon1.jpg
 
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Nice work, I appreciate stuff like that. Looks really clean, like a router inlay set up. I have some wood projects underway and I may have to throw some on them for looks.
 
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fishingpol said:
Nice work, I appreciate stuff like that. Looks really clean, like a router inlay set up. I have some wood projects underway and I may have to throw some on them for looks.
Click to expand...

Inlays are an awesome touch. I just not that good yet but I keep trying.
 
I free hand cut them on my band saw. I then use a fine tip pencil to trace them on the board. I use a small router bit to remove most of the material and chisel out the rest just inside the pencil marks. I sand the dutchman edges until snug in the hole. Glue and sand.
 
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fishingpol said:
I free hand cut them on my band saw. I then use a fine tip pencil to trace them on the board. I use a small router bit to remove most of the material and chisel out the rest just inside the pencil marks. I sand the dutchman edges until snug in the hole. Glue and sand.
Click to expand...

That is some SKILL!
 
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