LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Project Information

Hi Everyone,
(I'm slowly catching up on posting past projects, this one is from Fall 2015)
One of the Grad Students in my lab asked me to make a dining room table for his family. After touring a few lumber dealers together his wife selected a >14 foot x 44 inch Paduak slab which was incredibly flat. I made a special table in my garage to work on the top. I cut off 30 inches from the ends and removed a wedge shaped center section from each to create the legs. To reinforce the glue joint I added a long cleat at the top and a shorter cleat with anti tip legs at the point where the lower stretcher penetrates. (The anti tip legs were suggested by a friend - a professional woodworker - who advised that I put them in to prevent any end to end rocking that may take pace with three toddlers in the house.) The pressure plate around the lower stretcher protrusion is to spread the force of the Walnut pegs, again to minimize stress directly on the glue joint. I wanted to arrange the legs as they came off the slab but their slight taper required me to set the cut-off edge on the floor.

The table was made to be easily dismantled for moving and I was able to transport it one trip (on a bright SUNNY day) to my friend's house. Screws were used to secure the upper stretchers to the legs after the Walnut pegs were hammered tight. The top was attached to the stretchers with buttons, screwed into its underside and fitted into shallow mortises in both the stretchers and the long cleats at the top of the legs. My friends also requested Forever Glides which gives the table a slight levitated appearance.

This slab was the widest I ever worked with and its rings indicate it came from the outer edge of the log; I can only guess the entire tree must have been greater than 60 inches in diameter. To smooth the bandsaw cut surface I hand planed the underside to see how well I could use hand tools but I was not pleased with its appearance and ended up sanding both top and underside. The entire table was finished with Arm-R-Seal, the top receiving a prior coat of shellac, and as promised I was able to deliver it in time for their Thanksgiving Feast.
(And speaking of feasts, I treated myself to this pizza on my way home from setting up the table.)
Thanks for looking,
Marc

Gallery

Comments

· Banned
Joined
·
2,675 Posts
Nice work, Beautiful Table.
I drool for a piece of wood like that.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
2,802 Posts
Beautiful table Marc with some interesting details. Excellent work!
 

· Banned
Joined
·
18,919 Posts
work like that deserves more than a mere pizza.that table just glows from the incredible slab of paduak.love the legs you made.not sure i like the choice of chairs they picked though,but hey you did your part in creating an heirloom that will many thanksgiving dinners.beautiful work.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
2,507 Posts
Marc, amazing table. You made the wood the star, but the joints are perfect. Nice work!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
110 Posts
That table is spectacular looking. I had no idea that Padauk grew that big. Can you share how much a slab that big costs?
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,767 Posts
Awesome table! My friends don't have pockets deep enough for me to build a table like that.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
164 Posts
Hey Gang,
Thanks very much for your comments and compliments, I really appreciate reading them.
Pottz, I really wanted that pizza, it's made at a restaurant owned by one of my friends (the guy who got the Cherry Wine Cellar door) and the chairs you saw are so much better than the ones they had when I delivered the table.
awsum55, they paid $1,800 for the slab and Woodmaster1, both are doctors.
Thanks once more guys,
.. ..Marc
 

· Registered
Joined
·
110 Posts
Thanks Marc, in my mind I was pretty close. I know if I had the money and saw a slab like that, it would be hard to walk away from. Again, that is an incredible looking table.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
2,934 Posts
When I saw this, I was thinking, man, he paid a fortune for that slab. I would consider 1800 a fortune. But the end result is worth the money.

This is some really really fine work. Looks like that table will last forever. I think I would live in fear every day with a slew of little kids around it. I would be like, hey, get away from that, you are not allowed to go anywhere near it; and make another table for them to sit at.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
1,434 Posts
Very impressive work. Well done.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
3,089 Posts
Wow - I can't imagine a better use for a slab as beautiful as that! Awesome!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
795 Posts
Superb , just stunning.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
34 Posts
That is a beautiful table. I really like they way you did the legs and supports. Great job!!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
164 Posts
Brian, Swert, Sras, Anthm, and Tim,
Thanks very much for your compliments, they are much appreciated.
Marc
 
Top