New to woodworking, need some guidance (after a rambling background story) of end table wood choices

Bonanza

New User
David
So not too long ago I got a table saw and router with the idea of making a few things. I've been watching YouTube videos, and joined WWGOA, and surfed Rockler & Woodworkers Supply websites. Bought a few gadgets like a pocket hole jig, random sander, and some clamps. My current project is a simple 3/4" plywood shoe cabinet that I am building with pocket holes and 1/4" ply as the shelves. Nothing very fancy. I am waiting on some edge banding to cover the ply just so I can get some experience with it. Ultimately I am just going to paint it. Its more of proof of concept that I can cut wood and keep all my fingers kind of project.

Anyway that is just sort of my background before I actually get to my questions so you can reveal your answers as if you were talking to a 10 year old.

I'm already thinking about making two end tables something like 12x18 or 16x22 for the top and maybe 28" high using some wood with nice grain pattern and maybe a live edge. Simple wood legs or some purchased metal legs. No drawers or anything just a nicely finished piece of wood that speaks to the viewer "ah that's a nice piece of wood". Mainly this projects goal is getting acquainted with sanding and finishing. (I do have some plans from Samurai Carpenter for some end tables but they might be too complicated for me at this point in time)

Questions: Keeping in mind I need to keep it simple and beginner friendly.
What kind of wood would you suggest? Maybe maple? How thick a slab?
Where should I look for this mythical unicorn wood? I saw a thread on wood sources. Since I am in Asheboro, I thought I might check out GPS Hardwoods in Kernersville. Any other places?
What kind of finish would you suggest? I've watched videos on finishing and many seem overly complicated. I guess I am looking for the idiot proof version of finishes.

I am sure there are some aspects of the project that in my ignorance I haven't considered so feel free to point those out.

Thanks in advance.
 

mdbuntyn

Matt
Staff member
Corporate Member
Pick a relatively tough hardwood, with a color that will fit into its future surroundings (unless you're planning on applying a stain), that falls within your budget. Keep in mind that live edge slabs are typically more expensive than sawn boards of the same thickness.

When I was at GPS Hardwoods a few weeks ago, Glenn had some nice cherry slabs.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Maple isn’t really the best choice unless you don’t plan on staining it.

Mahogany and walnut are nice woods to work with, and look good with just a shellac finish. Cherry is a beautiful too and looks good with an oil finish.
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
Welcome aboard David. Getting started in woodworking is almost the same as the fish taking the bait, but with a much better outcome for the woodworker than the fish.
 

Bonanza

New User
David
thanks all. I hope to be sliding by GPS Hardwoods on Friday. Maybe I'll see some wood I can't live without.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Welcome to the forum .Agree with Cherry and or Black Walnut. Both are not too expensive and are med hard. Both finish nicely. When you get your wood think about visualizing what part of the table would be cut from which section. Then think about if that is the look you were thinking about. It may just be an academic exercise, but over time you will gain insight about how plan out the graining in the wood so it comes out nicer and cleaner.
 
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LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
My finish of choice now is Waterlox Original. No need to sand between coats, safe to use indoors.

Disclaimer: I am not saying this is the best/only option. I know David is wanting non-complicated suggestions. Some with more experience with his wood of choice will chime in.

BTW, welcome to NCWW, David.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I guess I am looking for the idiot proof version of finishes.

mix equal parts boiled linseed oil, spar varnish, mineral spirits. You can rub it on with a rag, paint it, pour it on and rub with a sponge, spray it... always works for me anyway I try it. Dries slow so you can keep rubbing it till there are no runs, put as many coats as you want, the more you use the glossier it will be. Or use one coat, rub most of it off, and you have a finish that looks soft and natural. The only fool proof finish I know. Just don’t get in a hurry and don’t leave thick pools of it on the wood. It takes a long time to dry.
 

Sourwould

New User
Taylor
Do you have a method for flattening big ol' hunka slabs? I don't frequent hardwood stores, but have done a few live edge countertops. Every piece of live edge I've used has been rough sawn, and cupped like a mother.

I think the best advice I could give a novice is to stay away from woodworking magazines and youtube. These things are not designed to gain you skills, but to sell you things.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Where should I look for this mythical unicorn wood? I saw a thread on wood sources. Since I am in Asheboro, I thought I might check out GPS Hardwoods in Kernersville. Any other places?

The Hardwood Store in Gibsonville. It's the same distance from Asheboro to Kernersville or Gibsonville. They are open Mon-Fri. and Sat.


This is an end table using 3/4" thick red oak boards from Lowe's and put together using a Kreg pocket hole jig. The dimensions are 23.25" l x 19.5" w x 23" h. The legs are 1.5" t x 2" w.

I don't remember how it was finished but whatever it was is was really easy.

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bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
Moisture content of the wood is a make-break detail. Get a number from the seller. That number needs to be below 9%. "Grandaddy's barn for umpteen years" isn't a number. At the retail level, deal with a seller that knows his product. A moisture meter, like a board measure stick, will be part of a professional lumber dealer's gear.
 

Bonanza

New User
David
So I did call before hand and then stopped by Glenn's place as I was coming back home from vacation and I picked up a soft maple board, a sycamore board, and two walnut boards. The little piece on the right is elm and he said I could play with that.

@Jeff - that looks like something I could do. Do you have any concerns about wood expansion and contraction and using pocket screws?
@Sourwould - nothing at the moment to plane wood but if someone has an extra planner laying about . . . . :)
@LeftyTom - Glenn mentioned Waterlox too and I watched a video from the web site last night. Still pondering design and finish.

Thanks for all the advice and help. Feel free to keep it coming.
 

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Brian Patterson

New User
Bstrom
Just another perspective - I made a trestle style coffee table and end table set for a coworker using Douglas Fir on top and built up construction Pine for the bases. Polyurethane was chosen as a finish for durability and a modern glossy look - he loved them. Spar poly would be even better and the yellowish tint it produces would accent the Douglas Fir. A tad soft as a wood choice by some folks standard but attractive. See photo...
 

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Bonanza

New User
David
@ Brian patterson - those look very nice. So how do you decide between just a slab of wood like Jeff's table vs end planks on the top (not sure what the correct terminology is) where you cap the planks with wood at a 90 degree angle? Just design choice or is there more behind it?
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
@Jeff - that looks like something I could do. Do you have any concerns about wood expansion and contraction and using pocket screws?

At the time I was just starting woodworking and didn't know anything about wood expansion/contraction so I went blindly ahead. Despite that, the table shows no signs of cracking apart. Those boards from Lowe's were probably kiln dried but I have no idea what their moisture content was at that time. Maybe I just got lucky!

+1 to Waterlox finishes too.

 

Sourwould

New User
Taylor
@ Brian patterson - those look very nice. So how do you decide between just a slab of wood like Jeff's table vs end planks on the top (not sure what the correct terminology is) where you cap the planks with wood at a 90 degree angle? Just design choice or is there more behind it?

It's called a bread board end. I'd say it's more for looks these days. In the past it was made as a floating element.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
A breadboard caps the end grain of the boards in a table top. They prevent cupping of the top but are also a nice looking finish to the top.


 

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