Sycamore slab joining - a joint project

[DaveO]

Jeff... and Dozer came over to my shop today to join the two rough sawn slabs of Sycamore, Jeff... had to make the beginnings of a natural slab table.
We started by rough cutting the chainsawn edges straight with a cir. saw and straight edge. Then they were run across the jointer to make them perfect.
The slabs had a little bow to them, and I was worried that my chosen method of joinery wouldn't work well with the bows, so Jeff... suggested that we use the Bowclamps to help flatten the slabs. Another great use for the Bowclamps :eusa_danc

After getting the slabs relatively flat we clamped on some supports for the router and a guide for the router edge guide and proceeded to mortise the edges of the slabs.

We cut 3, 1" deep, ~3" long mortises in the edge of both slabs. And made 3/8" loose tenons to fit out of Maple.
Again we used the Bowclamps to provide a surface to clamp up the slabs, and drew everything up tight.

The joint was tight but the slabs still didn't meet flush on the surface. A little work with my Stanley #5 brought them into decent tolerances for the butterfly inlays.
The Walnut inlay pieces were cut out on the scrollsaw and the mortised into the slabs by way of the router with a 1/8" straight bit and some quick chisel work. Sanded flush

Now that the slabs were joined and reinforced, it was just a matter of some more planning with the #5 and some 50 grit belt sanding to level everything out.

Jeff...working and Dozer supervising :lol: :lol: :lol:

Still pretty rough and needing some more surfacing and sanding, but still a awesome hunk of wood. Nature's beauty at it's finest, with a little BLO to make it presentable.

Now that was a fun afternoon :eusa_danc :eusa_danc :eusa_danc I am really looking forward to seeing the final table that results.
Good folfs, good wood, good times :-D :-D

Dave

 

[McRabbet]

Excellent job, team! That is going to be a beautiful tabletop! Heck, it already is beautiful! Nice work guys.

Rob

 

[toolferone]

Man I wish I could have hung around today. That looked like fun. It came out great!!

 

[dtomasch]

Sweet.
Looks great, cant wait to see the finished pics

 

[erasmussen]

Awsome slab:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
Great team work
Sounds like you guys had a wonderful time:icon_thum

 

[NZAPP1]

:icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum Nice work guys. I was trying to get to the wood haul today but had to much to do before leaving for Mooresville today. I am in Morrisville now and will start work tomorrow. Sorry I missed you all and the good pen blanks that Jeff had :BangHead: :BangHead: :eusa_doh: Not like I will have any time in the shop any time soon :slap:

 

[cpowell]

That is an awesome product of a day of teamwork. It's obvious that Dozer is a great supervisor!

Some very nice photography work, too. I especially like the last picture. Amazing how you balanced that big slab on a can of BLO. :lol: :lol:

I can't wait to see the finished product. I am certain that Jeff will do justice to a natural work of art.

Chuck

 

[Travis Porter]

SWEET! It looks like one solid board.

 

[jeff...]

Dave - thanks for putting up with me today and thank you so much for showing me how to join these two slabs. I could not believe how this table top turned out. I'm still looking at it - wood amazes me and slabs even more. I still can't believe it's mine and I can't get over is how these two slabs were joined to make a perfect book match, You can just hardly tell there is a line, you have to look supper close. Dave knows his way around a wood shop and knows what he's doing when it comes to wood, that much I can tell you.

It started out with one crooked sycamore log back at the end of November
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1674&d=1164670652

two natural edged slabs that measured approx 36" x 26".
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2401&d=1172107833
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2402&d=1172107833

and ended up with one absolutely beautiful hand crafted book matched piece that measures 60" x 24".

This is so much better than a tool gloat Thanks again Dave.

WOW Thanks Dave :rolf:

 

[DaveO]

Jeff... the pleasure was all mine. Working with some nice slabs of wood like that made it was it is. I too am impressed with the way they turned out, better than I expected...sometimes you get lucky and the stars align for you. I expect to see a finished table out of it sometime soon.
BTW, it wouldn't have happened without the excellent supervision by Dozer...he kept us straight and focused :lol: :lol: :lol:

Dave

 

[jeff...]

:lol: Dave your right, I would have had a heck of a time finding your place if it weren't for Dozer.

 

[adowden]

Wow - That slab table top is beautiful. I can't believe how quickly you accomplished everything. Thanks for all the pictures. That is truely an incredible piece.

Amy

 

[skeeter]

That's one awsome slab. Can't wait to see the finished table!

 

[sapwood]

What a team and what a slab :icon_thum
Makes for a great story and undoubtedly a great looking table. :mrgreen:

And yep, Dozer makes a great supervisor . . . always standing around with his hands in his pockets :lol:

Roger

 

[jeff...]

Well I decided what I'm going to do with these two joined slabs and the two other halves I have. I'm going to make a coffee table out of the joined ones and two end tables out of the other two halves.

* For the coffee table something simple. four 2x2 or 3x3 legs a apron and a shelf twords the bottom of the legs.

* For the end tables a triangle base with 3 2x2 or 3x3 legs a apron and a shelf twords the bottom of the legs.

I won't be gluing the apron to the underside of the table but will screw it down to allow for movement of the massive slab but help keep it flat. The shelf will be glued to the legs maybe with a blind mortise joint.

Couple of questions, but first don't be knocking my supervisor he offered to help me with the bar top finish and I plan on taking him up on his offer ;-). Now for the questions.

* What's the normal height range of coffee and end tables?

* I'm going to route the edge of the slabs, what do you guys think would look best roundover / ogee / chamfer? The tops will be about an inch thick by the time I get done sanding them.

Thanks

 

[bman]

jeff
i believe that coffee tables are about 20" and end tables about 25"
that is a great looking slab good work :eusa_clap

 

[dozer]

It was a fun day an some great looking wood. I wasn't supervising I was just trying to stay out of the way :lol: :lol: Dave is like a tornado once he gets to moving around his shop :lol:

 

[jeff...]

It was a fun day an some great looking wood. I wasn't supervising I was just trying to stay out of the way :lol: :lol: Dave is like a tornado once he gets to moving around his shop :lol:

You do got a point there Dozer, actually I was thinking more like busier than a bull frog in a lilly pond on a hot sunny day, but tornado would work too. :lol:

 

[dancam]

Beautiful work guys...can't wait to see the slabs mounted as furniture.

Dan C.

 

[jeff...]

L@@k Ma no saw marks - all sanded down to 120 grit :-D

eeekkk is freaking ET, with a bow tie 8-O