tim
Established Member
I know - it might seem like a rarity but here's a pice of furniture that I have just made and its not MDF!
Its made from solid oak with a walnut stretcher.
The top was one solid piece that had been in the house when we bought it five years ago as a fixed shelf. However, when I took it out (also about 5 years ago) it cupped really badly so the only way to maintain any thickness was to rip it into thirds, plane it up and then reglue. I don't think the joins are too obvious.
The top ends are tapered at 15 deg and the legs are tapered at 5 deg on the outside face and vertical on the inside.
I made it in such a robust way for two reasons: one I really like the chunkiness of it and two, it will act as a bench as well as a coffee/ occasional table.
All joints are blind M&T so as not to compromise the aesthetics of the 'through' faces.
It is finished with 5 coats of Chestnut's Finishing oil and two coats of beeswax. The top was rubbed down to 1200 with wet and dry, partly to fill some of the grain but also to provide a contrast between the fact that the grain looks deep and the knot is so cracked and rough looking but actually when you run your hand over it, it feels like glass.
The legs and walnut were finished to 320 to keep a little more texture.
Its also the first piece I've made that I've named. May be pretentious but what the ****. So i called it the Forget-me-not table. For two reasons: firstly, the knot reminds me of an elephant's eye and the long, longitudinal crack looks like the 'must' that runs down their faces (and obviously elephants don't forget)and secondly, it was a Valentine's Day present to my wife. I honestly didn't think about the not/ knot pun until she asked me if it was intentional.
Anyway, some pics below taken in the Spring sun this morning. PLease let me know what you think, all criticism (good and bad) is welcome as long as its constructive.
Cheers
Tim
Its made from solid oak with a walnut stretcher.
The top was one solid piece that had been in the house when we bought it five years ago as a fixed shelf. However, when I took it out (also about 5 years ago) it cupped really badly so the only way to maintain any thickness was to rip it into thirds, plane it up and then reglue. I don't think the joins are too obvious.
The top ends are tapered at 15 deg and the legs are tapered at 5 deg on the outside face and vertical on the inside.
I made it in such a robust way for two reasons: one I really like the chunkiness of it and two, it will act as a bench as well as a coffee/ occasional table.
All joints are blind M&T so as not to compromise the aesthetics of the 'through' faces.
It is finished with 5 coats of Chestnut's Finishing oil and two coats of beeswax. The top was rubbed down to 1200 with wet and dry, partly to fill some of the grain but also to provide a contrast between the fact that the grain looks deep and the knot is so cracked and rough looking but actually when you run your hand over it, it feels like glass.
The legs and walnut were finished to 320 to keep a little more texture.
Its also the first piece I've made that I've named. May be pretentious but what the ****. So i called it the Forget-me-not table. For two reasons: firstly, the knot reminds me of an elephant's eye and the long, longitudinal crack looks like the 'must' that runs down their faces (and obviously elephants don't forget)and secondly, it was a Valentine's Day present to my wife. I honestly didn't think about the not/ knot pun until she asked me if it was intentional.
Anyway, some pics below taken in the Spring sun this morning. PLease let me know what you think, all criticism (good and bad) is welcome as long as its constructive.
Cheers
Tim
