Spalted beech coffee table (?)

[OldWood]

The question mark is because this seems a good idea, but putting it into practice may not be too easy ! And that is where some opinions are requested.

I processed a fallen beech tree for fire wood last year - there is some spalting but it is not extensive and the opinion of a local cabinet maker was that the tree wasn't worth planking. What I did do however was to cut 4 discs with the chain saw with the idea of tables - some 600-700 mm dia and 35 mm thick.

The discs are flat within 6mm at the worst. Some splitting is occurring but I suspect is inevitable at that thickness and my thinking is to fill that with coloured car body filler as a feature.

I need some opinions on processing the discs - I could flatten with a electric planer and sander, or I could turn. The first is technology I understand and can cope with; the second I have the equipment and some turning experience but nothing even near this size.

Opinions please - and if it's more firewood please be honest !

 

[OPJ]

If you mean that you've basically cross-cut a tree to get "discs" with the pith and the heartwood in the dead-centre, then the hard truth is that it may have to end up on the fire at that thickness.

You may be better off cutting a thicker slice, I'm not too sure though. The chances are that as the timber dries out, your table top would split from the pith outwards and start to fall apart! :?

Unless someone else has a different opinion or solution?

Think about bowl-turning, where the grain of the timber generally runs across the width of the bowl, not the height.

As for flattening, without a giant drum sander, it's very difficult to accurately sand anything flat. You may get better results with a power planer, but you won't necessarily be following the grain. Building a jig for your router would probably be the best option.

 

[tnimble]

I'm not particularly convinced that the wood 'discs' as you describe can be used that way. Or in any way other that as a wall decoration or something.

If the 600-700 mm dia was length it would be no problem to make something out of it. You could either cut is lengthwise in half to get around 2, 4 or more bowl blanks or saw it lengthwise in 4 quarter to make some nice boards or small beams, stakes, dowels or legs.

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Oldwood,

you could try stabilising the timber with PEG (polyethylene glycol), although as I understand thsi needs to be done whilst the wood is still pretty wet. Apparently after the treatment it should be a good deal more dimensionally stable (i.e. it stands a fair chance of avoiding radial cracks).

The main problem with turning them to a flat surface will be holding the wood without leaving too much of a mark. Normally (with a bowl) one would hollow out the part which was the holding point in the first chucking. This may not be an issue if you only want the top flat and don't mind a few screw holes in the underside. I suspect that the biggest issue would be lathe capacity (in terms of both swing and speed).

Cheers,

Dod

 

[OldWood]

Hi guys, thanks for your replies and ideas. I knew it was a gamble when I made the cuts and certainly one has split to the point where it may be firewood !

Whichever way I tackle it, the task will be a challenge !

 

[TheTiddles]

You can turn something 700mm in diameter??!! :shock: What size lathe have you got??

There is a way to make these into real feature table tops without splitting, it's not easy but the technique is far from new. Cut them round (router and trammel), put a groove in the edge and heatshrink an iron band round them like a coach wheel. First find a blacksmith...

Aidan

 

[greybeard]

Just a suggestion...........and a confirmation

Confirmation first - the size for turning. In principle that's within range (just!!) for any lathe where the headstock can be turned to 90 degrees from the lathe bed.
However, and I'm happy to admit that I can't do the maths!, you would need a lathe with a very low turning speed, I mean down to 25/30 rpm, cos it would need to at least start somewhere near there.....because the speed of the outermost edge will reach illegal-in-the-UK levels quite quickly!
(from memory, a 10" diameter bowl/plate has an effective outer edge speed of over 30 mph at well under 1,000 rpm)
And then there's the issue of securing the lathe to prevent takeoff......I'm thinking perhaps 12" bolts in concrete?
Having said all that, it's still achievable, but joking aside you really do need to have the right set-up.
Please be aware that I speak with all the authority of someone who periodically shakes tins tools and all kinds of trinkets from shelf to floor in his shed because my lathe is only bench mounted, and I get a bit impatient sometimes....and that's only with 'along the bed' stuff.

Now for the suggestion - how about a sandwich job?, to overcome or at least seriously inhibit the potential to split.
Smooth two of your discs, trim as necessary so they fit together neatly (or not, as you prefer!), and then dowel them to each other.
On the premise that while both discs may attempt to split they probably won't achieve a 100% identical split location!
The table will be seriously heavy, but that could be a safety feature?!