Black Locust - It aint just for fence posts anymore

[CrealBilly]

Here's another table I'm working on for the front porch, it's Quarter Sawn Black Locust HARD wood, it sure is pretty though... This wood about worked me silly, it burns real easy and had to progressive sanding fom 20 grit to 220 grit. I sanded every piece. It's silky smooth now and hard as a rock... The top is 7/8 x 28 x 28 and it stands 25" tall. Since it's for outside, I used water proof glue and will make the drawer out of ERC and the drawer runner out of WO. Should last a little while, I know he bugs won't eat it.

Nice job on the Kiln Drying Scott :thumbs_up

Finish sanded to 220 and first seal coat.

Thanks

 

[Ken Massingale]

Dang that's purty! Nice table too Jeff.

 

[nelsone]

That looks good Jeff! That table will likely out last you!

 

[Kyle]

you are a table making machine dude..

 

[CrealBilly]

Dang that's purty! Nice table too Jeff.

Thank Ken - It'll be nicer when it done with it. I'm still debating on how to hang the drawer :icon_scra. I want a flush fit front so I guess I'll have to make up some lengths of runner and hang them from the table top. Am I thinking right? here a pic of what I mean. I suppose I'll need to tweak it for clearance so it'll slide easy. Be here's the general idea...

Thanks

 

[PChristy]

Nice job Jeff:icon_thum

 

[ScottM]

Wow Jeff. Great table and some nice wood. How come we have not seen any locust at the wood runs. Private stock only?:wsmile:

 

[JackLeg]

Jeff, that's mighty purty, Old Son! :icon_thum You sure that's a "porch piece?":icon_scra

Nice job, Bro.
:wsmile:

 

[Ken Massingale]

Jeff I would use a web frame with wood center slide. I wasn't happy with the results the one time I tried to hang a drawer from the top.

 

[CrealBilly]

uggg... I hate drawers, I need a drawer making class. Anyways here's some more pics with the drawer in and sliding.

 

[CrealBilly]

Wow Jeff. Great table and some nice wood. How come we have not seen any locust at the wood runs. Private stock only?:wsmile:

Hey Scott, I test run new wood species before I consider selling any. Like I have done with QS Beech and QS Sycamore in the past. Now I know QS Black Locust is a workable wood. I'll be on the look out for big diameter Black Locust logs to quarter saw as a viable lumber to sell @ the lumber runs. I would not consider sawing and selling small diameter flat sawn Black Locust lumber, it cups to much for my liking.

Call me old fashioned if you like, but I would not sell any furniture grade lumber that I would not use my self. I mean have you heard of or seen any black locust furniture? I haven't till now. There's usually a reason a species is not made in to furniture. Sometimes the reason is the way it's milled, that prevents it from being use for furniture. If I can overcome the reasons why, by quarter sawing, I'm more than willing to experiment with small quantities to see how it works out.

Thanks

 

[Ken Massingale]

uggg... I hate drawers, I need a drawer making class. Anyways here's some more pics with the drawer in and sliding.

That's beautiful Jeff. Really.

 

[CrealBilly]

Thanks Ken, I also like the look of QS Black Locust, lets hope the Wife don't make me paint it. Here's the tables purpose in life. The rug and checkers go in the drawer for storage.

* We had the rockers for a long time - Painted white this summer.
* Wifey made the American Flag cushions.
* 28 x 28 checker rug purchased from Cracker Barrel country store.

Thanks

 

[Ken Massingale]

That's gonna be sweet Jeff. I like the rug but with that nice table I think you should make a checkerboard the same size as the rug. You could use India Ink to color the black squares!
:rotflm::rotflm:

 

[cpowell]

Too pretty for porch furniture but definitely a good species for it!

The table looks good. :icon_thum

How did you end up supporting the drawer?


Chuck

 

[CrealBilly]

Too pretty for porch furniture but definitely a good species for it!

The table looks good. :icon_thum

How did you end up supporting the drawer?


Chuck

Chuck - I made up some J's out of 3/4 WO like I mentioned in a prior post. They worked great with the ERC drawer. Even with 100% humidity outside today the drawer slid smooth when I opened and closed it. Here's a rough sketch of the J drawer runners.

Thanks

 

[gsdoby]

Nice Piece of furniture. I've heard locust can be rough on your health. Any issues?

 

[CrealBilly]

Nice Piece of furniture. I've heard locust can be rough on your health. Any issues?

nope I'm good with it... I didn't eat any leaves, young shoots, pods, seeds or bark, I just snorted the dust :gar-La;

 

[MrAudio815]

uggg... I hate drawers, I need a drawer making class. Anyways here's some more pics with the drawer in and sliding.

I can't see why.... You Make them look soooo Good~!

WOW Jeff, I really like how you used one piece for the front & drawer to keep the grain matched up.

By the way, How did you cut that out? I don't see any cut marks and the space between the drawer and front is so small for a bit I believe.

 

[CrealBilly]

Matt, I cheated on this one, I'll try and explain how I did it... The front rail is 5" wide. With a narrow kerf blade in my tablesaw I ripped 7/8" off the top and bottom and saved those two pieces. Then I took the 3" peice from the center to the chop saw and again with a narrow kerf blade I cut 3" off each end and saved all those pieces.

Then I glued all the pieces back together except for the drawer face. I attached the glued up rail to the table. Made the drawer a 1/8 smaller (1/16 each side top and bottom) than the opening and hung the drawer nice and snug off the table top with the J runners explained in a prior post.

Then it was just a matter of fitting the drawer face, I think I trimmed around a little less than a 1/16 off each side, top and bottom on the tablesaw and sanded the edges to remove any saw marks. I Shimmed the drawer face in the opening with thin strips of wood till it was equal all the way around. Then I attached it to the drawer with screws. Small dowel centers or tight fitting nails protruding a little from the drawer screw holes, help mark the back of the drawer face. It just takes a little bump by sliding the drawer forward to put dimple marks on the back of the drawer face to mark the pilot holes.

Lastly I Installed a drawer stop on the back rail so the drawer would not push to far in and it was as close as it could could get to being just slightly proud in the opening. Sanded the front rail with the drawer in till flush.

I like the way it turned out, Heck I cant even tell it's a glue up and I did it The drawer face sits just right in it's opening, grain matched and all. I was pretty amazed with myself that I actually pulled it off, and I didn't even have to call FredP for advise :gar-La;

Thanks