This table was featured on the cover of Fine Woodworking # 193, w/ an article on p. 72. When I showed it to LOML, who had been wanting a Shaker table, she said, “THAT’S IT, EXACTLY!” :icon_thum I made a few slight changes to the plan, but essentially it is a copy of the one in the article.
The top is 7/8” Cherry and measures 36 x 96”, including the breadboard ends. The base is air dried Walnut from some logs a friend and I harvested in 1995. The table in the article is all Cherry, but I decided to experiment w/ mixed woods, something I’ve been wanting to do lately. I wanted the top to be the main focal point and attention getter, so Cherry works well. At the same time, I wanted the base to be distinctive, but not draw attention away from the top. I’m not sure I succeeded, but as the Cherry ages over time, the contrast should diminish. I tried to match the boards for the top carefully, but w/ the finish applied, I’m not completely satisfied w/ the result.
The finish on the top is 2 coats of 1# dewaxed Shellac, followed by a very light, water soluble, cherry dye, followed by 3 coats of semi-gloss Polyurethane brushed on, then 3 coats of thinned semi-gloss Poly wiped on, and finally a coat of paste wax on the top side only. The Walnut base is finished w/ 3 coats of Amber Shellac, 2# cut.
The project took 4 months, but during that time I also started and completed 3 other projects that “popped up.” If you want to see the entire building process, you can see it here. I tried to document every step of the way, including the special carriage for holding the post. It was the key to getting everything aligned just right. Of course, mistakes were made, but as others on this site have stated so eloquently, “If you have to point them out, they don’t count!” :gar-Bi
[FONT="]Bill[/FONT]
The top is 7/8” Cherry and measures 36 x 96”, including the breadboard ends. The base is air dried Walnut from some logs a friend and I harvested in 1995. The table in the article is all Cherry, but I decided to experiment w/ mixed woods, something I’ve been wanting to do lately. I wanted the top to be the main focal point and attention getter, so Cherry works well. At the same time, I wanted the base to be distinctive, but not draw attention away from the top. I’m not sure I succeeded, but as the Cherry ages over time, the contrast should diminish. I tried to match the boards for the top carefully, but w/ the finish applied, I’m not completely satisfied w/ the result.
The finish on the top is 2 coats of 1# dewaxed Shellac, followed by a very light, water soluble, cherry dye, followed by 3 coats of semi-gloss Polyurethane brushed on, then 3 coats of thinned semi-gloss Poly wiped on, and finally a coat of paste wax on the top side only. The Walnut base is finished w/ 3 coats of Amber Shellac, 2# cut.
The project took 4 months, but during that time I also started and completed 3 other projects that “popped up.” If you want to see the entire building process, you can see it here. I tried to document every step of the way, including the special carriage for holding the post. It was the key to getting everything aligned just right. Of course, mistakes were made, but as others on this site have stated so eloquently, “If you have to point them out, they don’t count!” :gar-Bi
[FONT="]Bill[/FONT]
ccasion1
